Ukraine Friendship Bracelets + Free Tutorial

Upon the onset of the war in Ukraine, like everyone else I wanted to do something to help....  

For over a month, I donated 10% of my online sales to non-profits organizations, but as of week 6, I wanted to do something different. As of April 1, I started designing special bracelets to wear in solidarity with Ukraine with the goal in mind to create a fundraiser, or many especially if other makers like you join in the effort. 

I am already selling mine locally at the Chico Art Center Gift Shop with 25% of sales going to the Ukraine Red Cross and I will be selling them at the Chico ART Festival in May with 100% of the profits going to non-profit organizations helping in Ukraine with the humanitarian crisis. I hope this will inspire you to make some bracelets as a fundraiser too.

First I needed colors...

The 8 colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord I have been using,  are reminiscent of the Ukraine flag. Four colors represent the sky and sea, Sky Blue, Caribbean Blue, Blue Lagoon and Capri. The other four, the fields of wheat, corn, and sunflowers are Wheat, Golden Yellow, Marigold, and Gold. Originally for the yellows and gold, I had chosen Lemon, but after making a dozen bracelets or so I switched to Gold, as I had not used any Lemon yet.  

 

I also originally though I would be using only the Tex 400 size with 0.9mm in diameter, but later on I needed the standard weight of C-Lon Bead Cord with 0.5mm in diameter for parts on the bracelets. I am in the process of designing a new bracelet variation that will be completely made with the standard size. 

These C-Lon Cord sets are available on my news page HERE. Or you can make your own set... 

The first group of bracelets I made are Multi Strand Bracelets from my Far Niente Series, that's the "Do Nothing" Series as they are fun and quick to make... The pattern is available at the bottom of this web page HERE.

 

Several of the bracelets have no beads, a Pura Vida style bracelet, however made with higher quality cord and a better construction. The peace dove carrying an olive branch charm got added as a last minute idea to make these bracelets more meaningful. Attach the charm right onto the 3-strand braid in between the knot and the sliding knot closure. 

The others are made with 4mm Czech Fire Polished floating beads. I matched the Antique Brass Metallic with the Antique Brass Peace Dove Charm, and the Argento with the Antique Silver Peace Dove. The 4mm Czech Fire Polished Beads are available HERE. 

The next group of bracelets incorporates pewter peace beads made in the USA with high quality plating by TierraCast. The choice of finishes is either a 24k gold plate or a sterling silver plate. This group bypass the multi stand center and it braided all the way through with overhand knots keeping the sliding knot panel from sliding too far in.

I am still not 100% sure of the best method to insert the central beads. Only 1 cord will fit into its hole... and so far I have tried it several different ways. I think I like to one at the very top. That's the last bracelet I made in this group. It has an overhand knot on each side of the bead, one cord through the beads and the other two are left behind the beads. Another change, this last one has the ends left loose and turned into a thread tassel instead of the cut and melted ends.

 

This next series was made with the same concept, but the central beads are replaced by the charms. Oh, and as with the last group, I started making the square knot sliding closure with the thinner standard C-Lon Bead Cord instead of using the Tex 400 Bead Cord. I like the proportions better. I will make all future all bracelets in this style like this. 

 

For the next style, I went for a minimalist look light to wear. I also wanted to play around with new stopper/sliding beads I just got. They are 6 mm wide and 3 mm long and have a silicone insert with a 1.2 mm opening. They are very simple and quick to make. Here is the free tutorial showing how to make one of these bracelets.

Materials 

–> C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord - Colors for Ukraine 

–> Peace Charms & Beads - made in the USA out of pewter with good quality plating.

–> Smart/Stopper/Sliding Beads for Closure - Available in various metal finishes, made in Europe with good hypoallergenic standards.

 

Tools 

–> Macrame Board - a mini-board with option #1 will work as it includes T-pins and tapestry needles

 –> 100% Organic Beeswax and/or Thread Magic - or get a mini-board with option #2 or #3

 –> Thread Burner - or get a mini-board with option #4

1. Cut 3 pieces of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord 18 inch (50 cm) long.
Iron the curls out on low heat setting.

 

2. Tie an overhand knot with all 3 cords leaving a 6 inches tail.
To tighten the knot, pull on one cord at a time.

3. Make a 3-strand braid 2.5 inch (6 cm) long.
For best results, cross the cords at 90º from each other.
That means the cords are crossing the vertical line at 45º.
Stop by inserting the cords into slots on the side of the board.

 

4. Add the charm onto one of the cord, then continue the braid until it is 5 inches (12 cm) long. 

5. Tie an overhand knot at the end of the braid with all 3 cords. 

 

 6. Melt 1 of the cords at each overhand knots with a thread burner. Push the melted ends right into the knot, taking care not to melt the remaining cords or the knot. 

 

7. Cut all the cords at the same length.

 

8. Make a self needle with beeswax at all the ends. 
If you do not know how to make a beeswax self needle, check this post, it has all the best ways to load beads onto cords. 

 

 

9. Insert the cords through the stopper/sliding bead closure and separate the cords in two groups.

 

 

10. Tie an overhand knot 5.5 inch from the center charm.
Repeat for the other set of cords.

 

11. Melt one of the cord at the last knot. 
Repeat for the other set of cords.

12. Insert the peace beads and tie an overhand knot right after the beads using tweezers to keep the knot against the bead. 

Now you have a choice as to how to finish the ends of the cords.
Melt the end of the cord right into the knot, or leave the end of the cord as is after cutting it away for the knot, or...

13. Cut the cords and separate the plies of the nylon fiber with a blunt ended tapestry needle.

 

14. Apply some beeswax to the C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord that slides in and out of the closure. It will keep the cords from separating.

 

Let me know if you end up making any bracelets like these in support of Ukraine. Of course you can make the same design for a school fundraiser in the school colors. There are lots of possibilities and design options to explore, certainly more than I can explore all by myself. But hey, I already have lots of other new ideas for my next batch of bracelets! 

 

Kumihimo Necklace with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

 

 

Occasionally a design needs to get revisited and updated. Originally in 2015, I designed this Kumihimo Kit with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 as a bracelet kit. Now in 2022, kits for necklaces are available. This is due to a number of requests when I taught this project in a Zoom class. Many of the participants wanted to make necklaces instead of the bracelet offered in the class kit.  

The tutorial for this project has grown from 14 to 22 pages and now includes additional design options.

 

One option shows how to extend the necklace length by adding a section. This way it can be worn at two different length. Here the bracelet is added to the necklace. 

 

Another option shown in the tutorial is how to extend the clasp and peyote sleeve cover width to create a stronger focal point. In this example, the clasp was extended by half and inch.

Here it was extended by a full inch doubling the width and it has a double sleeve cover, widening the diameter at the center of the clasp.

 

Another option now included in the tutorial is to make a more traditional beaded kumihimo bracelet with beads on every cord. The bracelet is a bit heavier, wider in diameter and less flexible. It also has twice as many beads as the regular design with space between the beads, so if you want to do this design, get an extra 20 g bag of Magatam Beads. 

 Or change the cord placement to get a spiral design as shown on the lower kumihimo braid.

 

Before getting a kit, you can view a live demo of the kumihimo braiding process on YouTube. This kit is a great starter kit if you have never done any kumihimo before. It is fun and the instructions are easy to follow. As to starting with a bracelet or a necklace, it really make no difference as to the difficulty level. The bracelet, however, takes less time to braid...

 

> Kumihimo Kits with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

> More Kumihimo Kits

>  Earlier Post about the Bracelets

Cleaning and Restoring C-Lon Bead Cord Jewelry

This is one of the bracelet I kept for my personal collection. It is a Multi Strand Bracelet with a square knot slide closure made with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord and 4mm Titanium Coated Rainbow Hematite Beads. I wear it a lot, it's colorful and fun to wear. A few weeks ago while vacuuming my room, I heard a bunch of clinks... that sounded like beads being vacuumed up...

Sure enough, when I emptied the vacuum in a garbage bag,

the bracelet was there... but is was filthy. 

Cleaning Steps 

Wash the piece with soap and warm water,

and rinse it under running water. 

Let the piece dry on a clean towel.

Now it's ready to wear. 

If after you wash it, you still notice that the cord is a bit greyed out, or clouded over, or you see some whitening of the cord especially noticeable on darker cord, then cleaning is not enough, add the restoration step. 

Restoration for Bonded Nylon Cord

For all C-Lon Bead Cord (all 4 sizes), Tuff Bead Cord, D&E Bonded Nylon, or any of the older brands of bonded nylon #18 such as Conso or Mastex. 

Take some isopropyl alcohol, soak it in a lint free cloth such as an eyeglasses cleaning cloth, rub the cord, and let it dry. Make sure to lay the piece in its proper position as this also blocks the piece. 

This final step with the alcohol restore the bond transparency and the restore cord memory. The bond is softened by the alcohol and dries again fully transparent once the alcohol evaporates. The cord will naturally return to the position it had when the alcohol dried.  

Bond - What is it? The bond is a polymer clear coat added to the cord after the nylon fibers have been dyed and twisted into a 3-ply cord. The coated cord is baked in ovens. Quality control is important along this process. A properly applied bond adds a clear coat that holds the fiber together and make the cord abrasion resistant.  

I usually do not vacuum my jewelry, this was a first time event, and the perfect incentive to share and illustrate the cleaning process.  These are the steps I take when cleaning my personal jewelry, or when someone send me a piece for repair that needs it too. 

Interested in making this bracelet? > Multi Strand Bracelets

Multi Strand Bracelets Variations - Rules are Made to be Broken

I have been enjoying making these bracelets. There are so many possibilities... as to beads and cord colors... And the pattern can be changed, rules are made to be broken. Here are some variations showing what's possible and how to deal with unanticipated occurrences.

When I first encountered etched beads, I was not sure if I would like them... I have since fallen in love with them. However I encountered a challenge: the bead holes of the etched beads are larger than most other Czech Fire Polished Beads, and the beads were sliding around the C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord... But hey I still wanted to work them into the design... The solution was to frame the larger holes etched beads with other beads with smaller holes.

This bracelet is made with 4mm Czech Fire Polished beads, Etched Gold Ore and Indigo Gold Ore. The etched gold ore beads were a bit loose on the C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, so to keep them from sliding around I boxed them in with the Indigo Gold Ore beads. Some of the cords have 3 beads, 1 Etched Gold Ore in the middle with one Indigo Gold Ore on each side, keeping the beads in place. Other cords have 5 beads, 3 Etched Gold Ore in the middle with one Indigo Gold Ore on each side.

The C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord colors are AGO Antique Gold, IND Indigo, and GR Grey.

This next bracelet is a variation of the bracelet shown above with NK Nickel instead for GR Grey and added beads, Etched Argento, also with larger holes, surrounded and blocked by Crystal Argento. The Etched Argento and Crystal Argento beads are loaded onto the Nickel cord. The Etched Gold Ore and Indigo Gold Ore ones are loaded onto the Antique Gold and Indigo C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cords.

Other options I like: 6 cords with 3 beads, 3 cords with 3 sets of 3 beads, so 9 beads altogether. 

For more info on these bracelets, go to the previous post. 

Find the beads listed here –> 4mm Czech Fire Polished Beads

Multi Strand Bracelets with Floating Beads and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

To make these bracelets, get the tutorial, C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, 4mm beads, and a few tools and supplies. 

–> More Info, Kits, Tutorial, Tools

Necklace Cord for the Knotted Beaded Charms

To make the necklace cord for the knotted bead charm, you will need the following:

–> 1mm Chinese Knotting Cord

–> 1.5 mm Sterling Silver or Gold Filled Clasp

–>  Poly Zap Super Glue

–> Thread Burner

–> Chain Nose Pliers

For longer cords and smaller charms, I like to use a thinner Chinese Knotting Cord, so look at the New Fine and Fine size, and even the Extra Fine size as possible options. Or choose a thicker Chinese Knotting Cord such as the HDQ weight cords for a heavier charm. 

Or forgo the clasp and use a square knot slide closure. That's the same closure used for the Square Knot Bracelet Trio. 

–> Square Knot Bracelet Trio Kits and Tutorials

Go to the previous post for the tutorial on how to make the Knotted Bead Charm. 

Here are some bracelet - beaded charm combo, I like...

Gold Halo Beads, with Hematite Bead Centers

Bracelet Knotted with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

Charm knotted with C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord Tex 135

Necklace cord made with 1mm Black Chinese Knotting Cord

All Hematite, with Pearlescent White Hematite Beads
Bracelet Knotted with C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord
Charm knotted with the standard size of C-Lon Bead Cord
Necklace cord made with New Fine 201 Pearl Grey Chinese Knotting Cord

Bracelets made with Gunmetal Halo Beads, and Pearlescent Pink Coral Hematite Beads, knotted with Chinese Coral, Pink Lemonade and Charcoal C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord.

Charm knotted with the standard size of C-Lon Bead Cord, with Hematite Ring Beads and Pearlescent Pink Coral Hematite Beads.
Necklace cord made with 1mm Black Chinese Knotting Cord

Playing with String Art - Designs with C-Lon Bead Cord

String art, also known as symmography, or filography, is best described as linear thread design merging geometry and art, or mathematical and geometrical design combined with artistic design. Essentially, it works by connecting two points with a straight line, and then by grouping and overlapping multiple points and lines. The design can be first drawn with pencil and a ruler on a sheet of paper or can be composed in a more spontaneous way directly with the cord and thread right onto a board or canvas. 

C-Lon Bead Cord is a perfect material to create string art pieces with its wide color range and different sizes, making it fun to play around and experiment with. 

Here are my first three pieces experimenting in this field. All are made with a 12 by 12 stretched canvas. 12 by 12 canvasses are inexpensive and easily available at your local art store or online. 

Shield - Playing with Symmetry

Materials: 1 12 x 12 Canvas, Gesso, Acrylic Paint, Small Nails, C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

Tools: Pencil, Ruler, 1-2 Foam Brushes, Hammer, Scissors, and Thread Burner

1. First paint the canvas with white gesso, let it dry.

2. Add a coat of acrylic in a celadon tone and let it dry.

3. Tack small nails to the back of the stretcher bars, 1 cm apart, all around. If the nails are placed on the back of the canvas, they will not be seen. They will face the wall. Leave the head of the nails sticking out so the cords can be wrapped around the nails. 

For this piece I added 4 nails right at the center of each side and left these sticking out a bit more as lots of cords will be strung around these nails. 

From left to right: (darker to lighter colors) 

Group 1 - Persian Indigo, Hyacinth and Periwinkle

Group 2 - Myrtle Green, Fern and Mint - Oops Fern is missing and Celadon is shown instead

Group 3 - Navy, Indigo, and Light Blue

Group 4 - Marina, Teal and Turquoise

4. Start stringing the rays from the central nail outwards. Each of the rays are made with 3 C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord colors. Attach the darker color by making a knotted loop, melt the end of the cord right into the knot with the thread burner, and loop it around the first nail, just off center across the main center nail. Go back and forth around the nails making 8 central rays, 4 on each side of the center line. On one side go around two nails, the other side always around the central nail creating a symmetrical design.

5. Change to the next color in between two of the nails. Tie the darker color you just used to the middle color, melt the cord ends into the knot, and continue looping the cord back and forth. Change to lighter color and finish all the way to the last nail. Tie the cord off with 2-3 half hitches. Melt the cord end into the last half hitch. 

6. Repeat for all 4 sides. 

Variations: change colors, change cord size, add more cords... 

The photo montages may not show the pieces to scale. To get this effect, you may have to scale up to larger canvasses.

These close ups show how the piece is seen from the side, making them a good choice for wall art in a hallway... as they change as you move. 

Bridge - Balanced Asymmetry

Materials: 1 12 x 12 Canvas, Gesso, Black Gesso, Small Nails, C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord
Tools: Pencil, Ruler, 1-2 Foam Brushes, Hammer, Scissors, and Thread Burner

This piece is a bit more free form than the last one... Follow steps 1-3, but at step 2, coat the canvass with black gesso instead of an acrylic coat.

Cord Colors: C-Lon Micro Cord in Grey ad Oyster, Fine Weight in Grey, Argentum and White and C-Lon Tex 400 in Shanghai Red. 

May have been Beige and Oyster for the Fine Weight. Not sure, the piece is at a show and all the colors were left on my desk, so I considered them... I can't remember which ones I ended up using for the Fine Weight exactly. 

Work the cord in layers starting with the Micro Grey and then the Fine Weight going from dark to light. Create movement and repetitions. 

Tie the bundles with the Tex 400 cord. Use the thread burner to melt the ends back into the knot. Then weave some Shanghai Red cords across using a tapestry needle. Size 20 is perfect for C-Lon Tex 400 Cord

For this piece I had no precise composition plan, other than creating an asymmetrical composition reminiscent of jazz with repetitions and surprises. I just followed my intuition and ending up with 3 repeated elements, the 3 triangles on left and the bundles on the right. All held up by the repeated diagonal lines going from left to right and the intersecting line on the right corner. The contrasting red color was the final touch bringing in dots as knots and woven lines.

Close up of the Tied Bundles

Close up of the Triangles

Close up of the Woven Lines

Tight Rope - Creating Tension

Materials: 1 12 x 12 Canvas, White Gesso, Small Copper Plated Nails, Black C-Lon Micro Bead Cord , Copper Wire, Electronic Wire

Tools: Pencil, Ruler, 1-2 Foam Brushes, Hammer, Scissors, and Thread Burner

This piece is a bit more planned than the last one... Gesso the canvas with white gesso. Let dry. Then mark the places where nails will go using a ruler and a pencil. 

Drill partial holes. It will make it easier to hammer the nails straight. Hammer the nails all at the same depth. Use a guide to keep the tops of the nails level. 

I placed 11 nails on the top left, nails all across the bottom, all 1 cm apart. The final nails on the top right were added afterwards once the thread composition was made with the Black C-Lon Micro Cord. 

Attach the cord right at the left bottom nail. Use 3-4 half hitches. Melt the cord end right to the knot. Pull tight to make sure it is secure. Create a composition with the Black Micro Cord, going back and forth. Think of it as music with rhythm. End the Micro cord with 3-4 half hitches and melt the cord end into the last knot. 

I added the extra nail on top right for the final touch, the opposing composition element and a contrast of materials. 

The copper wire is hand twisted - the galvanized electronic just pulled tightly. 

I hope that you will try this art form. It is easy and the results are fun. If you go ahead and make a piece, let me know how it goes. This is the perfect type of projects to do as a planned activity with kids incorporating art and geometry... And it can be done with cardboard cutting little slots on the edges instead of canvasses and nails. 

I will keep you posted on future pieces. I really want to make a few more! - Marion

Resources and References

Bonded Nylon - C-Lon Bead Cord

Compare Thread Burners

Do a search on 'String Art', get books on the subject... There are many resources with info and instructions online relating to this subject, but please refrain from using cotton floss or cotton crochet yarn as many of these sites recommend. C-Lon Bead Cord is far superior as it can be dusted, washed, and the cord is durable!