$4.00 Golden Parade Bangles

Some women have a thing for shoes; I have a thing for bracelets.

I love wearing them. I love looking at them. I love the sound they make as they jostle around on the wrist. Wearing them all the time is impractical for me because I work with my hands so often, but when I do, I like to wear them five or ten at a time, like Madonna circa 1987.

Problem: I have huge wrists. 

Not freakishly huge enough to warrant a TV special on TLC or anything, just big enough that 50% of the bracelets I try on won’t fit. The other 50% will go on but they don’t jangle about and make delicate clattering noises as they do on people with small wrists. 

Darn you tiny wristed people with your delicate clattering noises!

So what do I do? I make my own bracelets. Lucky for me, the Jamaican Beauty Supply Shop (btw, I should really do a tour post of this amazing place) carries an entire wall of cheapo bracelets priced below $2.00, including some sets of metallic bangles big enough to fit a pachyderm.

Even skinny wristed JJ from "Good Times" approves of these bangles!

Credit where credit is due: I did not come up with this idea, I’m just demonstrating a variation on the project. There are several great tutorials out there already, including this one from Mark Montano that uses zip ties as the base for the bracelet – something I (and my unusually sized wrists) greatly appreciate.

 Materials

• Bracelet Base (or zip ties), $2.00
• Mardi Gras Beads or Bead Garland, Freeish**
• Thin Ribbon or Single Ply Seam Binding, 2' for each bracelet $2.00*
• Hot Glue, meh
• Seed or Smallish Beads (optional)
• Needle and Thread (optional)
• Clear Nail Polish (optional)

*Ribbon selection is important. Choose something thick enough to cover the gaps, but thin enough to cover smoothly. Skip the big bulky craft ribbons and go for something you find in the sewing section, preferably on the bias.  

** Where to get beads: I don’t know if they have a Pride Parade in your neighborhood, but if they do, you probably picked up some beads last weekend. Or maybe you have some leftover from Mardi Gras. Or maybe you buy bead garland in bulk after Christmas. Or maybe you see dress-up beads in the kids section at the dollar store and when the checkout-clerk asks you if they are “for your little girl?” you say “yes” even though your “little girl” is a “cat.” 

Or, ahem, all of the above. 

After wrapping the ribbon around the circumference of each bracelet, tie it off with the original knot and repeat the circle in reverse. If you are super thorough, finish off with a book binder's knot. I left the tails out and sealed the edges with a dab of clear nail polish, but you could certainly snip them off.

I am going to wear them with one of my Mrs. Roper caftans and jingle and jangle all day long!