new bracelet done tonight

No, not THIS kind of ladder.  I did a bracelet based on a pattern by Silvana Terry...it's a free project with Bead & Button.  It's called Bugle Clusters and is based on the ladder stitch.  I must admit that I am NOT very good at reading instructions or illustrations.  I do so much better with videos.  But tonight all I had was the written instructions.  I used seed beads in two different colors each of 6/0 and 11/0 and then 6mm bugles. 

If I understood the directions correctly I was to make 2 separate ladder stitched lines, 2 beads tall and divisible by 3.  I went with 42 stacks.  Then it's just a matter of stringing in the middles and stitching the top and bottom onto the middle in the process.  In the picture there are the 3 bead picots on the top and bottom edges that goes across 2 and skips a space.  In the skipped space I decided to go back and add the same 6/0 I used in the middle of the bugle clusters. 

I first ran into trouble when I was trying to figure out the clasp.  She did a toggle using a headpin.  Hmmm.  Ok.  So I went searching for my 2" headpins as the directions say and got out my wire tools.  If I strung the beads in the pattern she said, it wouldn't have fit on my headpin, even though I used a 2" headpin just like she said.  So I adjusted it to a shorter pattern and made my little toggle.  Then to attach it, it said to put the needle/thread through the middle 6/0 seed bead on the wire and go around through it a couple times.  NOT!!!  The needle does NOT fit through there.  I don't know what gauge of wire she used, but mine was definitely too thick.  And if I used a much smaller wire so that it would fit, the wire would be so easy to bend I don't see how it would be functional.  So I scrapped the wire toggle and went with a simple beaded loop and lobster claw clasp.

My next problem was trying to understand how to embellish the center of the bracelet.  I simply could not figure it out.  I tried so many times, and it just looked like a heap of a mess every time.  I decided not to embellish.  Then once I was all done, my bracelet with the clasp was MUCH too long.  I let out a heavy sigh and started ripping it apart.  I managed to salvage the ladder stitched top and bottom so at least I didn't have to do that over again.  And I was able to save a few pieces of usable Fireline.  I only had a tiny bit left on the spool and I was afraid of running out.  Then I put the whole thing together again.  This time I didn't add the last single line of bugles on the ends and did the clasp instead from the middle of the last cluster on each side.  When I was done, it measured just at 7 1/2", so I was much happier with that.  Yes, I know that will still be too big for the thin women out there, but I think 7 1/2" is an average size that fits a lot of people.  I can always make another one smaller if anyone ever decided they wanted one from me, right?

Even though it's not embellished, I still think it's pretty.  The 6/0 in the center of the clusters and along the outside edges is one of those that changes colors from purple to green to a little bit of gold depending on how the light hits them.  The other beads making the picot on the edge is my very favoritest (yes, that's a word in my book) purple seed beads.  They are a true, beautiful purple and I love them.  The bugles and other seed beads are greens, but not solid.  The colors have a slight variation to them that makes them very pretty.

Here is my Bugle Clusters bracelet that I did tonight.  And if you're keeping track, yes, I am still avoiding that other project that I can't seem to finish.  Obviously I'd have a better chance of finishing it if I stopped starting new things.

And wouldn't you know it...good thing I was able to save a few strands of that Fireline because between the reused thread and the little bit that was left on the spool, I had just enough.  Yea!