Bracelets for Mary Beth and Melody

Dateline: Emerald Hills, 6/23/08

One of the most difficult things for me about making bracelets is getting the length right. Even if I know the recipient's wrist measurement, I'm not always good at sizing correctly. In my earlier beadwork, I didn't always take into account that the clasp adds an inch or more to the length of the bracelet. Many of my creations have been too large, including some bracelets that I made for my sister-in-law Mary Beth for Christmas. She passed them on to her sister Christina, and I offered to make Mary Beth a replacement. Mary Beth requested the peyote pod design that I learned in a class with Teresa Sullivan. I was glad to have the chance to make this design again and correct some of the flaws that crept in on my first attempt.

I also offered to make a bracelet for my friend Melody, a writer and librarian who lives in Maine and who recently started a blog. Melody and I worked together 30 years ago (I can hardly believe it was so long ago!) at NELINET. Melody requested the African criss-cross design I learned from Sylvia Lagos.








As a surprise, I also made a current favorite design for me, Mary Beth, and Melody. The design is from Yvonne Rivero's book The Beaded Bracelet IV. It's a great way to use bugle beads. From left to right, the bracelets below are for Mary Beth, Melody, and me. Melody collects teapots, so I used a teapot toggle clasp on hers.
Mary Beth and Melody, I'm putting your bracelets in the mail this afternoon. I hope the lengths are right!