Bead Crochet 101: Beachy Little Bracelet #2

This is the second installment of our Beachy Little Bracelet series.  Last time we made Sea Glass (the middle bracelet in the photo below), a super easy chain stitched project.

Now we're moving on to our second bracelet, a tiny bit more complicated, but very quick and easy.   I call it the Shells bracelet.  Not because I used shell stitches (actually they're clusters), but because it reminds me of a row of little conch shells:

This bracelet is made with two strands of No. 10 crochet cotton (I used DMC Baroque), and a Size F hook.  You can use a smaller hook if it feels more comfortable.

The only other materials are:  1 button and 15-25 beads.  My beads are size 6°.  "E" beads would also work.  (Figure on using about 2 beads per inch of bracelet, plus 5-10 more for clasp loop.)

Make your bracelet just a bit snug.  The cotton will relax a bit with wearing.

Let's crochet!

String the beads on a double strand of cotton.  It's easiest done with a needle.  If you don't have a needle that fits through your beads AND can accommodate 2 strands of thread, string them on one strand first.  Then thread the needle with the other strand and run it through the beads again.  Be careful not to pierce the first thread with the needle as you pass it through the beads.

Make a slip knot, leaving a 4-6" thread tail.  Chain 4:

Then make a 2-double crochet (2-dc) cluster in the first chain.

To make a 2-dc cluster:  yarn over, insert hook in chain 1, pull yarn through, yarn over, pull yarn through 2 loops.  Now you should have 2 loops on your hook, like this:

Repeat the above step.  Now you should have 3 loops on your hook:

Yarn over, and pull yarn through all the loops on your hook.   Tug on the yarn to close the top of the cluster:

Slide a bead down close to the hook, then chain one (with the bead inside the chain):

Extreme close-up!

Chain 3:

Yarn over, and insert hook in left side of the chain stitch holding the bead (as shown in extreme close-up above):

Make another 2-dc cluster in this space. Now slide another bead down to the hook and chain 1.  Turn your bracelet over, and admire your 2 clusters:

(Because bead crochet pushes the bead to the back of the stitch, this project is designed to be crocheted without turning.  So the side facing you as you work will be the back side of the bracelet.)

Turn the bracelet back around.  Repeat the above steps (chain 3, 2-dc cluster, chain 1 with bead) until your bracelet just fits around your wrist when slightly stretched.  (Of course you may make it looser if you like.)

Now pick out a button, if you haven't already, to use for your clasp.

And the lucky winner is...the yellow shank button!

Here's how I attached my button:  I inserted the shank of the button into the beginning chain stitch (making sure the button would be right side up with the beads):

I threaded  the yarn on a needle, and passed it through the buttonhole as many times as I could, looping it over the shank, until I couldn't get the needle through the hole any more.

Then I removed the needle and tied a knot with the 2 thread ends, right up next to the shank.  You could probably cut the thread and leave it like this.

But I was feeling extra paranoid careful, so I made a small tight chain stitch (about 1/2" long) with the leftover thread, then cut the thread, pulled tightly through the last chain loop, and hid the little chain behind the first cluster.  (I tucked it through the back of the stitches.)

At the other end of the bracelet, I switched to a small steel hook and chained enough beads to slip snugly over the button:

And slip stitched them into a circle.  Don't they look cheerful?  I love orange.

I crocheted another tight short chain with the thread ends, pulled the thread through, cut it, and hid it in the back of the cluster (just like I did at the other end).

And my bracelet was done.  Doesn't the yellow button look like a little sun?

Stay tuned for the next Beachy Bracelet: Waves.

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