Thursday, March 31, 2016

Beading Tips & Tricks - How to repair a magnet clasp


Although it doesn't happen often, occasionally the magnet will pop out of a clasp as in the photo above. You can see that the magnet is now stuck to the other half of the clasp and the socket is empty. If you have attached your clasp with jump rings, you can simply put on a new clasp. But, what if you have stitched the clasp directly to the bracelet or you don't want to waste a perfectly good clasp? My husband Jerry came up with the following method for putting the magnet back in the clasp and I've yet to have one come back out after he has repaired it. Below is a tutorial showing how he does it plus at the end is a link to download a PDF file of the tutorial.


SUPPLIES:

  • Epoxy (30-minute slow-cure)
  • Sharpening stone, file or sand paper
  • Sharp knife or razor blade
  • Skewer or toothpick
  • Wax paper - one sheet for your work surface plus a small square
  • Alcohol - for removing excess glue from the clasp and your hands




1. Use a knife or razor blade to scrape the excess dried glue from the magnet.







2. Rough up the side of the magnet that will be glued as well as the sides of the magnet. Do this by rubbing it along a sharpening stone or file. This helps the glue adhere to the magnet better. Wipe off any magnet dust.


3. Put a dab of each part of the epoxy on the wax paper. Both dabs must be exactly the same amount. They should be close to each other but not touching.




4. Mix both parts of the epoxy together by rolling the side of the skewer from one dab over and onto to the other. Roll the skewer back and forth until they are well blended. Doing this prevents bubbles from forming in the glue.






5. Using the flat end of the skewer, scoop up just enough epoxy to rub around the inside edges of the empty magnet socket allowing a little of it to run into the bottom of the socket. You don't want too much glue or it will ooze out.



6. Spread a thin coat of the epoxy on the back and sides of the magnet and insert it into the socket. If the glue does ooze out a bit, wipe it off with a little alcohol.


7. Put the small square of wax paper between the newly glued magnet and the magnet on the other side of the clasp. This prevents the magnets from fusing together should any glue get between them. It also keeps the newly glued magnet from dropping too far into the socket as it dries.



8. Set the bracelet on wax paper or hang it for several hours in a warm place until the glue has dried.


9. Slide the magnets apart (don't pull them) to remove the wax paper. Dry at least another 24 hours before wearing the bracelet.

JERRY'S TIP:
Keep the piece of wax paper with the remaining mixed epoxy. Use this dab of glue as an indicator of when the glue inside the magnet has dried. When the dab of epoxy on the paper has hardened, you'll know that the glue on the magnet has also set.

Click HERE to download a PDF of this tutorial.

 

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Bracelet of the Day: Northern Star - Turquoise Picasso


NORTHERN STAR BRACELET



The "Northern Star Bracelet" is a free pattern by Nela Kábelová that you can download from the BeadSmith site HERE. Read Monday's post HERE for more details about this pattern and the changes that I made.

I was unable to determine what brand my tan 8/0 seed beads are. I bought them in a local bead shop where they don't put the brand on the labels and they use mostly fictitious color numbers. Miyuki's "Duracoat Galvanized Champagne" (4204) would make a good substitute even though it's a metallic color rather than having a luster finish. I made a small sample using that color and it looked just fine.

You can get the beads needed to make a bracelet in this colorway from SupplyEmporium on Etsy. Readers of my blog can get 15% off orders over $30 by using the coupon code: 15BLOG. Links to the beads are in the supply list at the top of this post with the exception of the tan 8/0 beads. Once again, SupplyEmporium has a bead kit available HERE that contains the beads to make this bracelet. Please note that the bead kit contains 8/0 beads in a slightly different color than I used. Visit Claire's Etsy shop to see a photo of her bracelet made with the alternate bead color.



 

Monday, March 28, 2016

Bracelet of the Day: Northern Star - Blue Picasso


NORTHERN STAR BRACELET



The "Northern Star Bracelet" is a free pattern by Nela Kábelová that you can download from the BeadSmith site HERE. The pattern features Matubo beads which come in sizes 6/0, 7/0 and 8/0. This pattern uses the 7/0 beads which are quite large. Because of the large seed beads, the bracelet comes out rather chunky with a very solid but flexible feel. It's quite easy to make but you do have to make each motif separately and connect the motifs as you go along. The netting is added later once the motifs are all connected. There is no need to add a loop for the clasp with this design because the Matubo beads on the ends are perfect for attaching jump rings.

I did make a couple of changes. The pattern calls for some 11/0 seed beads to go between the Matubo beads in the netting. I found that the netting came out too loose with the smaller beads so I used more of the same 8/0 beads that are used elsewhere in the bracelet and they fit perfectly. I also finished off the ends of the bracelet by adding 8/0 seed beads where the pattern leaves the SuperDuo beads with their holes empty. I didn't see any reason for leaving them open like that so I made the last two motifs match the others.

You will need at least 8 grams of the Matubo beads and approximately 6 yards of either Nymo D thread or FireLine to make this bracelet. I started with 4 yards of thread and that was enough to make the first six motifs. I used about two more yards to make the seventh motif and then to add the netting between the motifs. Seven motifs will fit a 6 1/2-inch wrist size so you may need a couple more grams of Matubo beads for a longer bracelet.

You can get all of the beads needed to make a bracelet in this colorway from SupplyEmporium on Etsy. Readers of my blog can get 15% off orders over $30 by using the coupon code: 15BLOG. You'll find links to all of the beads in my supply list at the top of this post. You can also buy the all of the beads that I used as a bead kit HERE. The pattern is not included in the kit so you will need to download it from the link above.




 

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Bracelet of the Day: Duo Kheops - Plum & Orchid Aqua


DUO KHEOPS BRACELET
  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Transparent Montana Gold Luster" (204)
  • 8/0 seed beads Toho "Transparent Montana Gold Luster" (204)
  • Kheops® Par Puca® "Metallic Matte Dark Plum"
  • SuperDuo beads "Polychrome Orchid Aqua"



This is one of my favorite bracelet patterns and I've blogged about it quite a few times. You can buy Marina's pattern on Etsy HERE. You can buy these new metallic matte Kheops beads at Red Panda HERE.


 
Happy Easter!

 

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Bracelet of the Day: Camille Variation - Metallic Matte Pink


  • 15/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
  • Kheops® Par Puca® "Metallic Matte Pink"
  • Silky beads "Jet Bronze"
  • 4mm Bicones "Rose Topaz AB" (Chinavoski)


I adapted this bracelet from Puca's "Camille Bracelet" pattern which you can buy HERE in her Etsy shop. The main difference between mine and Puca's is that I've added Silky beads between the Kheops motifs instead of druks.

You can buy these new metallic matte Kheops beads at Red Panda HERE.



Friday, March 25, 2016

Bracelet of the Day: Presa Linda - Turquoise


PRESA LINDA BRACELET
  • 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
  • Silky beads "Opaque Green Turquoise"
  • Pinch beads "Bronze"


Here is one more colorway of Carole Ohl's free "Presa Linda Bracelet" pattern which you can download from Wednesday's post HERE. You can buy Carole Ohl's original "Presa Bracelet" pattern on Etsy HERE. I've pretty much depleted my supply of Pinch beads making the three bracelets that I've blogged about this week.


 

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Bracelet of the Day: Presa Linda - Dusty Rose



PRESA LINDA BRACELET
  • 15/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
  • 11/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
  • 8/0 seed beads Toho "Metallic Bronze Antique Gold" (225)
  • Silky beads "Alabaster Red Luster"
  • Pinch beads "Chrome Antique Gold"



As I mentioned in yesterday's post, this bracelet design is my variation of Carole Ohl's "Presa Bracelet" pattern, which you can buy HERE. Carole has made this pattern based on my idea and you can download it free from THIS post.

I made today's bracelet with Pinch beads from the lighter dye lot and I like it better with these pale rose colored Silky beads than the darker dye lot that I used in yesterday's bracelet.


Because the seed beads that I used are kind of fat, I had to use 15/0 beads around the Silkies instead of 11/0 beads. I tried using three 11/0 beads but there was too much space between them and four were too crowded. Five 15/0 seed beads fit perfectly.