Easy DIY Leather and Rivet Bracelet

       

  This is a fun, simple bracelet ~ super quick to make and super great to wear!

 

Materials

(Clockwise from left)

• Strip of flat Leather*
• Hook Clasp*
• Something pointy to Poke holes with (We used an awl* but an embroidery needle would work too - you just need to make a hole!)
• Rivets*
• Flat nosed Pliers*
• Hammering Block*
• Hammer*
• Jump Ring *
• Charm*
• Scissors (Not Pictured) 

*All available at www.countrybeads.com

1. Use something pointy to poke your holes.

2. Make two parallel holes near the end of your strip of leather.

3. Slip your clasp on to the end of the leather with the holes in it, and fold it over.

    Make sure the nice shiny side of the leather is facing out.

4. Using your holes as a guide, poke through the other side of the leather.

5. Push the bottoms of your rivets up through both pieces of leather.

6. Add the tops of your rivets, fitting over the bottom part of the rivets.

7. Using your hammer and hammering block - hammer away!

   The end result is that your rivets are flush with the leather.

 

Please excuse the not-so-beautiful fingers. These are the rough hands of a hardcore beader!

8. Measure your bracelet around your wrist, taking into account the length of your clasp.

9. Make sure that your loop, once riveted, will fit over your clasp.

10. Create your guide holes, then poke through both pieces of leather.

      Follow riveting steps from previous side.

11. Cut off the excess leather.

Now you could stop here, but we decided to add a charm!

 

12. Open jump ring by twisting with two pairs of pliers.

13. Slip ring through the loop on your clasp.

14. Put the charm on the same loop.

15. Twist to close.

Voila! Your completed bracelet, ready to wear!

Play around with rivets and different colours of leather - and have fun with this technique!

The Design Process

Okay.... you have your inspiration, and an idea of what you want, now let's design!

So again....where to begin??

The best place to start is the focal piece of the item. An obvious choice is a beautiful stone, a larger bead or a pendant but it can also be a cluster of smaller beads & charms, an interesting layer of chain or just the cording you choose. Think of your design in this way....do I want the piece completely covered with beads, or having the string/cord showing? If completely beaded, then do I want a pattern, a random look or a focal bead? Do I want it symettrical or off-centre? If cording is part of the design, do I want chain, thick cord like leather or thinner like a knotting silk or linen. Each of these options gives you a different look.

Once you have the design idea, display what you have so far on a bead design bead, and keep working on the other aspects of the piece. Play with the elements to find the perfect combination. Experiment with mixing different shapes &  sizes, varied patterns (odd numbers work well) and colour combining for visual interest. Lay them out, change it up, and keep adapting it until it is to your liking. 

Be adaptable and open to different possibilities! The beauty (and sometimes) frustration about the world of beads is that the supply of goods is not always consistent. Colours vary as do shapes, cuts and stone availability. Although you may have drawn out or seen a beautiful design, it doesn't mean that you can always find exactly what you envision or what was shown in a magazine. Enjoy the substitutions, it will make it more of your own creation!

Throughout this process, it is sometimes helpful to have a bit of an idea of the techniques that will be needed to assemble your beautiful piece of jewellery, to know what is in the realm of possibilities. If you are unsure of how to create the look you want, ask a friend or relative, google it or check in with your local bead store, like us!

Sometimes all we need is an opinion, some help on a technique or another creative set of eyes! Have fun!