Mid-Week Mutterings - Beadalon Quick Link Connectors Bracelet

Trying to jump-start my creativity, I got out some silver plated jump rings and the large sized silver plate Beadalon Quick Link connectors. It only took a few minutes to make a basic bracelet with those.

The Quick Link connectors just need to be pinched closed with pliers. Beadalon recommends their pinch bail pliers, I used bent chain nose.

Beadalon also makes an EZ Lobster, a quick close lobster claw - again, you just pinch the open end closed over the jump ring to attach.

This made the base bracelet fast and easy to assemble. The jump rings needed a little wiggling to get closed, but otherwise it is just connect and pinch. I'd say you could make a bracelet in 15 minutes or less, but I neglected to time it. The bracelet base used 12-6mm jump rings and 11 connectors for about 7" length.

Then I started adding beads either directly on to jump rings or with simple loops made from head pins.

And this is what the finished bracelet looks like flat -

And hanging on a wrist -

I just got a package from Rings & Things full of Soft Flex Trios, and I'll be playing with them tonight and reviewing them my Thursday Reviews & Interviews post.

Hello from North Carolina

Hi again - I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while, and also that I didn't mention what was going on (and I wasn't supposed to, anyway), so I thought it was time to clue everyone in. My son has been on deployment with the Army in Iraq since October of '07 and he's finally home!

I've been in North Carolina, where he's based, first waiting for him to get back, and now hanging out with him until my flight home this weekend. I didn't know until the day before he arrived exactly when he'd be home, so I came early and planned a 10 day stay. I'm glad he got back at the start of the trip so we'd have more time together!

His girlfriend is also here, so I've got a bit of free time when they're out and about. I didn't bring any beading supplies with me (I had to bring a large suitcase full of my son's stuff from home and there just wasn't room for 10 days worth of clothes and beading stuff in my personal suitcase), so last weekend, I visited two local stores, Michael's and A. C. Moore for supplies.

I wish there were A. C. Moore's in California - their supply of Beadalon components was fabulous, plus a number of brands of beads I don't see back home, either, to say nothing of the wide selection. I admit, I went a bit crazy, but mostly I stocked up on things I'd never seen before and wasn't sure I'd find again - like a bunch of 'Quick Link' pieces, Scrimps for memory wire and tons of new eye- and decorated head- pins.

Here's a necklace I've been working on in the evenings and finished last night. The circle links are from the Beadalon Quick Link collection, the pinched silver beads and the small rings framing them are from the Bead Gallery collection, and the blue faceted glass discs are from the Blue Moon Color Collection. The necklace is 24" long and finished with a Beadalon EZ-Lobster clasp.

I'll be here thru Saturday, so I'll probably make another necklace or two, and post about it before I head home.