Crochet Wire Bracelet Tutorial

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bracelet tut text

I posted about this bracelet last week some of you expressed interest in the pattern….

Sooo…. Here I am with my first ever photo tutorial! Hopefully you will find it helpful!

As you might expect you are in for an extremely photo heavy post!

Are you ready?

Lets start with the humdrum technical bits, shall we?

Things you will need:

24 guage silver plated wire
18-20 beads (that can be threaded onto the wire)
a toggle clasp
2 jump rings
a pair of wire cutters/pliers
a 4mm crochet hook (metal will be better than plastic/bamboo here)

Stitches & Terminology

I use UK terminology, these are the stitches and abbreviations being used.
st(s) = stitch(es)
ch = chain
ss = slip stitch
htr = half treble (half double U.S)
tr = treble (double crochet U.S)
chWB = chain with a bead

The first thing you need to do is determine the length your bracelet should be. Do this by measuring your wrist, taking into account how tight or loose you want it to be. Whatever this measurement is take an inch off to allow for the clasp length.

bracelet tut1

To start, thread all of your beads on to the wire before anything else.

bracelet tut2

Tie a slip knot into the wire as you would with yarn. You may want to use your pliers to help pull it tight, a knot like you see above is fine.
bracelet tut3
Start making chains, you will find that working with wire requires a little more effort than yarn, there will be some tugging and pulling!
bracelet tut4
Keep making chains until you have a length that equals the measurement you took earlier. Make sure this is an odd number of chains, here I’ve chained 25.
Then chain on 3 more, bringing the example to 28 chains. These act a your first treble and chain of R1.
bracelet tut5
R1: Make a treble into the 6th chain from your hook, as the needle shows above.
bracelet tut6
You should now have something that looks like this! Now to start adding beads.
bracelet tut7Slide a single bead along the wire until it sits under your hook. Complete a chain (wire round hook, pull through) keeping the bead snug to your work.
bracelet tut8
Skip a chain and treble into the next chain, chain one, skip a chain and treble into the next chain. (Shorthand – *chWB, skip a st, tr in next st, ch1, skip a st, tr in next st*)
bracelet tut9
By now it should be looking like  the above picture. Repeat these stitches (**) 4 more times. (Or until the end of your row of chains!)
To finish the round, chWB, skip a stitch, treble into the last chain. (If you haven’t already come to the end!)
bracelet tut10
R2: TURN. Chain 3.
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The first stitch of R2 is a treble into the treble of the previous round, where you see the needle above. All trebles are made into previous trebles and all chains are skipped.
(R2 Shorthand – ch3, *tr, chWB, tr, ch1*, repeat ** 4 times, tr, chWB, tr in last st. TURN.)
It should start looking like the picture below.
bracelet tut12
R3: ch3, *tr, chWB, tr, ch1*, Repeat ** 4 times, tr, chWB, tr into last st.
Hopefully you now have something resembling this…
bracelet tut14
This is the bulk of the bracelet done, hoorah! All thats left to do is shape the ends and attach your clasp.
Start by rotating your work 90 degrees clockwise and chain 1.
bracelet tut15
Make a htr in the next st, a tr in the next st, ch1 and skip a st, tr in the next st, htr in the next st and ss in the last st.
bracelet tut16
Finish off by cutting the wire leaving a tail. Pull it through the last stitch and pull firmly. Weave the tail end in and out of your stitches, you might want to use your pliers to help here. Cut of any excess wire and make sure the ends are bent into the bracelet, not poking put where they can scratch. Do the same with the original tail end aswell.
bracelet tut17
Turn the work to the opposite end. Insert the hook into the first stitch and pull a loop through. Holding the tail end firmly, chain 1. Now wrap this tail around the edge of the next stitches so it can be crocheted over, as above.
Make a htr in the next st, a tr in the next st, ch1 and skip a st, tr in the next st, htr in the next st and ss in the last st. Finish off and weave in ends as before.
bracelets tut18
Attach each part of the clasp using the jump rings to the central chain space at each end.
bracelet tut19
bracelet tut20

Ta-Dah!

Here is the quick written pattern for those of you don’t need the step by step!

Beaded Wire Bracelet

Determine the length your bracelet should be. Do this by measuring your wrist, taking into account how tight or loose you want it to be. Whatever this measurement is take an inch off to allow for the clasp length. Chain this length ending in an odd number, then chain 3 more. The following pattern will create a bracelet with a 7.5in circumference, adjust the stitch repetitions to suit your bracelet size.

ch28
R1: tr into 6th ch from hook, *chWB, skip next ch, tr in next ch, ch1, skip next ch, tr in next ch*, repeat ** 4 more times, chWB, tr into last ch. Turn.
R2: ch3, *skip a st, tr in next st, chWB, skip a st, tr in next st, ch1*, repeat 4 more times, skip next st, tr in next st, chWB, skip next st, tr in last st. Turn.
R3: ch3, *skip a st, tr in next st, chWB, skip a st, tr in next st, ch1*, repeat 4 more times, skip next st, tr in next st, chWB, skip next st, tr in last st. Rotate work 90 degrees clockwise.
R4: ch1, htr in next st, tr in next st, ch1, skip a st, tr in next st, htr in next st, ss in last st. Fasten off and weave in ends.
R5: Turn to the other end of the work, pull through the wire, ch1, htr in next st, tr in next st, ch1, skip a st, tr in next st, htr in next st, ss in last st. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Finishing: Attach each part of the clasp using jump hoops to the central chain space at each end of the bracelet. Ensure there are no sharp ends sticking out anywhere.

One last note, always over estimate the number of beads you thread on at the beginning because once you start there’s no going back to add more!

Phew! Did you make it all the way through that in one piece?!
It is now very late and I’m thoroughly exhausted so if it appears I’ve missed something out or it isn’t quite making sense, please feel free to drop me a message and I will try to sort it out 🙂

Enjoy!

Naomi x2

 

 

 

More from Lovely Little Life :::

20 Comments

  3. Hope Zelasko

    Naomi, Thank you soooo very much for your generous sharing of this tutorial. I have wanted to try wire crochet and looked at many books but was too intimidated. Your tutorial pictures make me believe that even I could do this bracelet. My sincere appreciation. Hope

    Reply

  4. Lindsay

    How do you get the chain size/stitch size so consistent? I did make one, but was having a hard time with the wire. Thank you so much for such a great tutorial!

    Reply

    • Naomi

      Thanks Lindsay! Erm… I guess practice! The thinner the wire the easier it is to work with as well so you could try that, but really I think it just takes a little while to get used to the different feel and tension of wire. xx

      Reply

  6. Jess

    I love this tutorial, thanks! I’ve finally gotten the hang of tiny crochet (with 1.5mm hook and less) and so this is my next conquest!
    Just wondering if you allow people to recreate and sell this item?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Naomi

      Hi Jess,

      I am happy for you to sell any items you make from my patterns, I only ask that design credit be given to me and that the pattern itself not be reproduced or sold. xx

      Reply

  7. Lori

    Naomi, I love this bracelet but how do keep the wire from breaking? Especially when putting it on and taking it off, seems to me if you keep bending it around your wrist it would eventually crack in places.

    Reply

    • Naomi

      Hi Lori,
      The wire you use should be a good quality craft or jewellery wire that is made for this kind of wear. As you bend it around your wrist it bends as a mesh which gives it much more durability and it never creates enough stress on the wire anywhere to break it. In order to break or crack the bracelet you would have to be specifically and repeatedly bending it to the extreme, it would need a lot of concentrated effort! I have been wearing mine for months & months now and it’s as springy as when I first made it. Hope this helps! x

      Reply

  8. Billie Jean

    thank you for sharing this beautiful bracelet with all of us. Looking forward to starting it tonight.
    I also use artistic wire as I find that it is very durable for these projects. IHope you have a wonderful holiday season.
    Billie Jean

    Reply

  10. Joan

    Hi – This is the first time I have made a wire bracelet (but I am an avid crocheter). I did the bracelet body, the first end part – and kept on with single crochet across the long side – did the other end – and finished with single across the other long side. It gave it a little more body. Thanks for the good instructions.

    Reply

  11. […] This Crochet Wire Bracelet is gorgeous and will make a fabulous gift for yourself or for someone who loves to recieve jewellery gifts. This project some crocheting skills as it involves crocheting the wire to make the bracelet. So if your an experienced crocheter and want to take on the challenge of working with wire then this will be a perfect project for you. This tutorial has detailed step by step instructions that are wasy to follow. Follow the link for the tutorial; http://www.lovelylittlelife.org/2013/02/crochet-wire-bracelet-tutorial/ […]

    Reply

  12. Sharon French

    Thank you for sharing these very complete and easy to understand instructions. It reminded me I can use what I already know to make lovely jewelry. Regular wire wrapping is very hard for my old hands. 70 years of crocheting put to good use.

    Reply

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