Flexible Beaded Bamboo Cuff Bracelet
By Evelyn Kennedy Duncan for Third Coast Rubber Stamps 
(Posted April, 2008)

What is a Bamboo Domino Bead?
These are beads made of bamboo which are relatively the same size or slightly smaller than a standard domino game piece.  The beads are recycled from products like bamboo placemats and seat covers that have been taken apart to harvest these fun trinkets. Each has two holes running lengthwise through the bead, making them the perfect background for creating jewelry pieces like this bracelet.  

Supply List 

Directions

Step 1 – Stamp bamboo beads using StazOn black ink and your favorite Third Coast images. Let dry for several minutes or heat set with a heat gun, (I have chosen to use mainly mini images from the Fairy Tale Collection, but you can also use just the face portion of the larger images as well, like seen in the first bead.)

Images used are: FA-370-J, Kateryn & Pup (used face portion only); VB-102-C, Cleopatra Sm; FT-190M-A, Sumi Mini; FT-188M-B, Kharya Mini; FT-187M-C, Galib & Ghayda Mini; FT-070M-BB, Mini Majdi; FT-207M-D, Arthur & Guenevere Mini; FT-198M-C, Sorcha Mini.

 Step 2 – Paint images with a light color wash using Twinkling H2O Watercolors (these watercolors are specially made so you can paint on a variety of surfaces that regular watercolors just will not adhere to.)

 Step 3 – Once all the beads are painted and dry, lightly spray with Krylon Workable Fixatif spray sealer.  (I do this to lock in the watercolors before using a regular sealer.  It helps to keep the color in place and from running together when the final clear coat gets applied). After the Fixatif is dry, I give the beads two light coats of Krylon UV Resistant Clear Spray. (It is best to spray several light coats instead of one heavy coat.)

 Step 4 - Thread elastic cord through the last hole of the first painted bamboo bead.  Pull the end through until the cord is at equal amounts on top and bottom of bead.

 Step 5 – Add four small coordinating beads to both the top and bottom sections of the elastic cord.

Step 6 - Slide the top cord down the first top hole of the next stamped bamboo bead, and the bottom cord gets slipped upward from the first bottom hole of the same bead. Pull both ends so it is snug, then add four more coordinating beads to the top and bottom cord.

 Step 7 – This time the top cord gets slipped downward through the second top hole, and the bottom cord gets slipped upward through the second bottom hole.  Pull the ends so the bead is snug and add four coordinating beads.

Keep repeating steps 6 and 7 until you connect into the first holes of the first bamboo bead and the bracelet is formed.  (The two ends of the elastic cord will keep crossing each other in every bamboo bead hole throughout the entire process, until you finally pass the cords back through the original hole you started with.)

 Step 8 – When the bracelet is formed, pass the top and bottom elastic cords back through all the beads in a continuous circle.  This helps clean up the beads and helps give the cuff a tighter, more solid feel on the wrist.  (The flexible beading needle is a must-have for this step.)  Tie off each end with a series of knots above one of the bamboo holes and dot the knots with a bit of super glue.  You can then trim off the excess elastic and use a small stylus type tool to push the knot into the bamboo hole to help hide it.

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