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Monday
17Aug2009

Wren Handmade: Crocheted Bracelets

The breathtaking pieces of the extremely talented and generous artist, Laura Normandin, include paper goods, granny square art, jewelry, handmade dolls, and these wonderfully charming crocheted bracelets that she has kindly agreed to teach us to make. Influenced by larger scale handicrafts that surrounded her during her youth, Laura's refined, miniature creations leave you speechless.

Materials

Valdani thread colors pictured above:

Thread colors used for pattern images below:

Tools + Notions

The Pattern

Gauge:

13 stitches = 1-inch

Finished sizes (approximate)

Small = 6.25-inches around

Medium = 6.5-inches around

Large = 7-inches around

Below in pattern as follows S (M, L)

Abbreviations:

Chain = ch

Slip Stitch = sl st

Single crochet = sc

Double crochet = dc

Half double crochet = hdc: yo, insert hook in st, draw lp through, yo, draw through all 3 loops (lps) on hook.

Note: When changing colors, carry thread along side of work, do not cut ends of thread until finished.

If you are new to crochet or need to brush up on your skills, click here to find our Crochet Basics Tutorial.

Ch 81 (85, 89) in color 1, ch 1 turn.

Row 1: In second ch from hook, *sc, hdc, dc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a sc, change to color 2, ch 2 turn.

Row 2: *dc, hdc, sc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a dc, ch 2 turn.

Row 3: *dc, hdc, sc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a dc, change to color 1, ch 1 turn.

Row 4: *sc, hdc, dc into dc st directly below in previous color 1 row, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a sc, ch 1 turn.

Row 5: *sc, hdc, dc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a sc, change to color 2, ch 2 turn.

Row 6: *dc, hdc, sc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a dc, ch 2 turn.

Row 7: *dc, hdc, sc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a dc, change to color 1, ch 1 turn.

Row 8: *sc, hdc, dc, into dc st directly below in previous color 1 row, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a sc, ch 1, turn corner and work sc in each of edge sts, ch 1 turn, sc in each of the next 3 sts, ch 5, sc in last 3 sts, turn corner again to above previous row.

Row 9: Loosely sl st in each st across, turn corner to finish off edge, cut color 2 thread with a 3-inch tail, sc in each edge st working over the loose thread ends to bind, fasten off. Weave in last loose end and trim excess threads.

For wider bracelet:

Follow same directions until row 7.

Row 8: * sc, hdc, dc into dc st directly below in previous color 1 row, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a sc, ch 1 turn.

Row 9: *sc, hdc, dc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a sc, change to color 2, ch 2 turn.

Row 10: *dc, hdc, sc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a dc, change to color 1, ch 1 turn.

Row 11: *dc, hdc, sc, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a dc, change to color 2,ch 1 turn.

Row 12: *sc, hdc, dc into dc st directly below in previous color 1 row, hdc, repeat from * across row ending with a sc, ch 1, turn corner and work sc in each of the edge sts, ch 1 turn, sc in each of next 3 sts, ch 5, sc in each of last 3 sts, turn corner again to above previous row.

Row 13: Loosely sl st in each st across, turn corner to finish off edge, cut color 2 thread with a 3-inch tail, sc in each edge st working over loose thread ends to bind, fasten off. Weave in last loose end and trim excess threads.

For both size bracelets:

Steam flat. Sew on matching button (make sure it slips through the loop) with needle and sewing thread.

Reader Comments (23)

... what a treasure ... thanks for sharing laura's bracelets with us ... happy days ...
August 17, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterina and gumby
My crocheting skills are minimal! But my quilting group has crocheters of great skill... so I'll be requesting "help" at our first fall meeting!
Thank you... this looks like fun.
August 17, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterBettina Groh
I can't wait to give this a try! Thank you so much for sharing!
August 17, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCasey
lovely!
August 17, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterPetra
I am the proud owner of two of Laura's crochet bracelets. I just adore them, but alas, they are looking a little forlorn from all the wearing/washing. Maybe I will try to make my own....but I think my eyes must not be as young as hers Time for progressives...
August 17, 2009 | Unregistered Commentermims
Thanks so much for sharing this! I have admired these bracelets for a long time... one thing - I think there is a mistake in Row 8 or 9... the instructions seem to be reversed/mixed up for finishing the bracelet (slip stitching maybe should be before the row with 3 sc/5 chain/3sc? Maybe my brain is just not working... either way, thank you!
August 17, 2009 | Unregistered Commentermaura
I've wanted one of these bracelets forever but couldn't (as a crocheter) justify to myself buying one but couldn't (as a not-very-experienced-crocheter) figure out how to make one for myself. Now I can do it! I've even had thread for over a year with an idea that I'd figure it out some day. Thank you soooo much Laura!
August 18, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLeila
I've started making the bracelet but mine is not coming out looking like little squares. it just looks like long strips. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong.
August 18, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMartha
Hi Martha,
The bracelets are made lengthwise, the squares don't show till the end. Hope this helps, but let us know if you still have questions!
August 18, 2009 | Registered Commenterpurl bee
Hi Martha,
One reason yours could look like strips instead of squares is that you have to do the double crochets of color 1 down into the double crochets of the previous color 1 row.

Hope that helps.
Thanks,
Laura
August 19, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLaura Normandin
This looks like just the thing to make for my daughter for back-to-school. She might start a new trend. A variation on the popular friendship bracelets.
August 19, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJessiner
I am a huge wren handmade fan. How nice of Laura to share!
August 19, 2009 | Unregistered Commentererinn johnson
Yes, I agree with Jessiner... At 26 I can hardly sport the old chevron stripes (and they were SO time consuming to make, anyway!) These are a great grown-up version. I also don't have much experience with crochet so this is a great starter project for me. Thanks so much for sharing, Laura!
August 21, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterRachel
Is it possible to make these bracelets with laceweight yarn?
August 23, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterConstance
I am planning on using this pattern next summer to teach my daughters and their friends to crochet. That is allowed, right? We join a skills group co-op in the summer with each mom taking a turn to host in her home and teach the girls a skill or craft. These bracelets look like they can be completed in an afternoon, and the girls can choose their own colors. Making a bracelet is much more appealing than crocheting a dish cloth for a first project. Thanks for sharing,
August 28, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterRebecca
Rebecca: here's hoping you see this. I've been crocheting for many years, and one bracelet took me about 3 days to make. Because it's so insanely tiny, you simply will not progress very quickly at all. As for teaching teens or children new to crocheting, I would not recommend this pattern as written. It's simply too fine work and takes such a time investment for a physically small-sized payoff. The bracelet is adorable and I enjoyed making mine, and I will enjoy making more in the future, but a new or young crocheter, I believe, needs more immediate and substantial satisfaction than such small hookwork will provide. At the very least, take the pattern and alter it to use worsted weight Red Heart or similar yarn and an H or I hook. They could still make bracelets, but don't start them out on crochet thread and tiny hooks, or, like my grandmother, they'll never learn to love yarnwork, and will instead hate it forever. And we don't want that : xxxxx.
September 2, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSanna SK
These are so cute! i absolutely love your site, and you ideas. And I love to crochet! Thanks a bunch!

Anne
Hey, I love these bracelets and I just have to try to make me one. I will link to this description on my blog, if it is not ok please tell me and I will remove the link. :-)
September 8, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLindaLustig
Very fine.
September 16, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterBirgitta
I really adore these bracelets and sent away for the gorgeous Vandani embrod thread, forgetting that it is indeed THREAD. I am trying very hard to do this but it is sooooo tiny. Your pics are somewhat misleading, your macro lens is so good it makes the thread look like nice workable yarn. I am an experienced crocheter and my fingers are just not able to do this.....sigh. I think I will try to do this in a larger thread.
September 28, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterlaura
Hi Laura-
We tried to be clear about the size by giving the gauge early in the pattern but we're so sorry if you're having problems. Please let us know how it goes with the larger yarn. I bet it will be beautiful! - Molly
September 28, 2009 | Registered Commenterpurl bee
I can't believe I missed this tutorial - am on here all the time, but forget to look at the patterns. I've been a fan of Laura's work for about four/five years, now, and these bracelets have always been a fave. I was so inspired by her, I started making my own bracelets (http://ow.ly/14trL) using mostly really, really old crocheted trim patterns (some are turn-of-the-century). I love making them - it's a struggle the first couple of time, but like most things, it becomes second-nature once you've done it a few time. Thanks so much! Love this!
February 5, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterChristi
Ouch! Just realized I'm a bad typist AND my link doesn't work. Try again - thanks!!
http://ow.ly/14AoR
February 6, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterChristi

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