Tag Archives: Kim Holowatiuk

This beautiful (and free!) wrap leather and bead bracelet tutorial is by Kim Holowatiuk
Sleepy Holow Leather & Custom Beading
www.sleepyholowcustomleather.com

Kim Holowatiuk is owner of Sleepy Holow Leather & Custom Beading in Alberta Canada. She has been making custom hand carved and stamped leather work since 2009 and has enjoyed beading for about 30 years.

Supplies:

Mirrix Loom (I used my Lani)

Round leather cord 1.5-2 mm

Button

Variety of beads – I used 8/0, 11/0 and 4 mm rounds

#12 Beading needle

C-Lon Thread in color of your choice

Two fishing weights 1 ounce

Supplies

Depending if you would like a single, double, triple (etc.) wrap, measure the leather cord around your wrist for an approximate length measurement.  Add on some extra length for both the double loop closure and the addition of the button.  For a double wrap, I start by cutting a strand of the round leather to about 30”.

With your leather cord folded in half, create a knot closure at that end (Pic 2). Make sure that you make it large enough for the button closure to slip through but not too big that it falls out.  I make a second knot/loop (Pic 2a) so there are two sizes to close the bracelet. This step is optional.

Next, slide the top loop through your warping bar (Pic 2b)

Attach each fishing weight to the ends of each strand with a single knot. (Pic 3)

Attach your warping bar and move your side bars up until the weights are just below your bottom bar (Pic 3a). If you have a bottom spring kit, you can slide the leather cord into a dent (Pic 3b)

Doubling your thread, bring it around one leather strand (Pic 4).  Bring your needle back through the thread so you have a starting “knot” on the first cord (Pic 4a) and then weave back and forth through the leather strands to create a solid piece of woven thread for extra strength (Pic 4b).

Now you are ready to weave your beads on.  Depending on how wide you want to make it, always start narrow and work you way to the desired width, adding one extra bead each row.  Here I started with one 11/0 bead (Pic 5), then two (Pic 5a) worked my way up to three beads, the width I want. (Pic 5b).

Continue on bead weaving with your beads until you come down to the end of the piece. Finish with the same thread weaving as you started and weave back through the beads to finish and hide your ends (Pic 6).

Remove the weights from the bottom and attach your button (Pic 7 and 7a) to one or both of the leather cords (depending on how large of a button hole you have). Make a knot and glue ends. Ta Da!  Your very own leather wrapped bracelet! (Pic 7b). Try it with suede (Pic 7c)or a single wrap (Pic 7d)!