Michaels Free Class: Quick Easy Stretchy Beaded Bracelet

Michaels' free classes are pretty interesting Tonight was a quick make-a-bracelet class.  We used two different kinds of glass beads...round and faceted.  Other supplies were 12 mm split rings,  Stretch Magic .7 mm cording, and various charms, though I only used one kind as the "mixed stars" called for were not visible to me anywhere in the store!

To make the bracelet you make a lark's head knot over the split ring with the stretch cord doubled.  It was very tricky to keep the stretch cording ON the split ring.  One thing I learned while checking out YouTube about Stretch Magic and Stretch Bracelets is that you are supposed to stretch the elastic BEFORE you do anything else.  Apparently some brands of stretch elastic forget where they are supposed to be and do not snap back to their original length.

After tying on the lark's head knot, you string on your beads.  You do not need a beading needle to do this, just thread the two strands of the elastic through the beads.  When you like your design (you should measure around your wrist before cutting your elastic so you have a sort of estimate of length...remember: doubled!...and add an extra 1.5 to 2.0 inches for tying off at the end.) you can then use a "surgeon's knot", well, two surgeon's knots to tie off the other end of the beads to the split ring.  If you do it right, you can give a little tug on the elastic and pull the knot into the beads to hide it.  I cannot tell you what that way is because it was a fluke that my effort worked.

At this point you can use jump rings on whatever bangles you want to add. I only added the one but they look pretty cute with multiple bangles.  The jump rings give them a little  room to "jingle jingle jangle"