I started using embroidery thread to make jewelry back in the summer. I did it all of the time when I was in High School and have found it to be enjoyable now too. I said in my "A Gardener In Winter" post that a gardener needs busy hands. This is an excellent way to keep my hands busy. I made bracelets for Josh and Zach but, they aren't wearing them. So now I just make them for me .
It has also become an outlet for my OCD. I started off making seasonal and monthly bracelets. One for each season and one for each month.
Seasonal:
1st color - whole season
2nd color - September, December, March, or June
3rd color - October, January, April, or July
4th color - November, February, May, or August
 |
| Winter: Purple, Green, Navy and Pink |
Monthly:
1st color - color for that month from the seasonal bracelet
2nd color - a complimentary color that also represents something for that month
 |
| January: Navy and Silver |
But I didn't stop there. I made bracelets to go with my necklaces too. I also made a bracelet in our town colors and a gold and silver one to represent my family. In addition, made a series of bracelets for exercising and another series for a favorite summer place.
Then I started thinking about anklets. I found myself thinking about my hobbies and favorite things. That includes a garden bracelet featuring the colors I use most in my garden during the year. I started with a college bracelet but that was too hard to do emotionally. It started looking like the career bracelet that will never be.
Color 1 - a color for my college
Color 2 - the other color for my college
Color 3 - pink because my degree is in dance
Color 4 - money green since I minored in Business
Color 5 - teaching. because I'm certified and took education classes.
I started college double majoring in education but soon dropped it. At the time, I planned to open a dance studio. It seemed less important at the time. After transferring, I started with education as a concentration. The dance degree was set up where we had to choose a concentration in order for it to be a major. I started off double concentrating in business and education. But most of the education classes were theater classes so I dropped it then too. That's when I decided to make Business a minor. It only added about four classes.
The career bracelet would have been a tattoo. A silent tattoo. It's usually obvious what a real tattoo is supposed to mean. But this bracelet would have only made sense if I told you what it was and what the colors were for. I never did think of a color for teaching. I asked a couple of teacher friends and combined it came to every color but black or gray.
There is a reason the other colors were so automatic but that last color was so hard to choose. It's the second career obsession I had to give up. I still dance for exercise. I still help Zach with his homework. I still use my business skills to hold the house together. But they are careers that will never be. Not everything about careers are in your control. It led to a big breakdown. It's a part of myself I'd rather remain in the past. It's who I was, not who I am.
I wear the silver and gold bracelet on my left hand with the bracelet for the town I live in/grew up in. The seasonal, monthly, and clothing bracelets are on my right. It doesn't make any sense why a 34 year old would wear thread bracelets. But I tend not to make sense to most people anyway.
If you see me, you can learn the most about me just by looking at my bracelets. But don't look for the bracelet that isn't there. The career that never was there. The career never meant to be there. Instead, learn about where I grew up, the family I love, and my passion for monthly and seasonal themes. Just look at my thread tattoos.
How to make them:
Start by cutting a long string of embroidery thread in each color! Then, tie them together in a knot leaving about an inch to an inch and a half of thread above the knot. It makes tying the ends together easier.
Two Color bracelets -
Loop one color around the other
Put your fingers through the hole on top and pull the color you looped around the other through
Pull tightly until it's on top of the starter knot or the previous bracelet knot
Repeat for the same color 5 - 10 times. I usually use 7 then switch colors
Once it fits, tie the ends together and cut the extra thread off. Make sure the closing knot is tight
Four or Five Color bracelets -
* I start with two strands of each color. It helps them stand out more. For 7 or more colors I use just one of each color.
Spread the threads out in the order you want them on your bracelet
Loop the first thread around the second thread
Reach on top and pull into the starter knot tightly
Repeat using the first thread around the third thread then fourth, ect......
Once the first color is around the other colors one at a time, repeat with the second color
Keep going down the row with each color until the bracelet is the length you want.
Once it fits, tie the ends together and cut the extra thread off. Make sure the closing knot is tight
I have a small wrist but I have discovered I need between 95 and 105 rows for it to fit me right. That means 7 rows of each color for two color bracelets, 12 sets of each color for four color bracelets, and 10 sets for each five color bracelet. Once it starts getting long, check the length. The threads I use are $.39 each at Michael's. In the yarn section.
http://www.michaels.com/dmc-embroidery-floss-violet-550/10031412.html#q=embroidery&start=13
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