Tree of Life Leather Bracelet Tutorial

Created by: Sondra Barrington

This design uses a pearl bead (one of June's birthstones). Use a pearl bead from your bead stash to create this design as-is, or substitute other charms, beads, or birthstones in place of the pearl bead and swirling side charms.

Designer Tips

Make a wire-wrapped head pin with the pearl bead (with a loop large enough to slide freely along the leather). See step-by-step instructions in Jewelry Basics 101 (PDF). You may need to use a heishi bead or seed bead to hold the pearl onto the head pin.
Add jump rings to charms (see Jewelry Basics 101 for best way to open and close jump rings), and slide all charms onto the leather.
Add more or fewer charms as you wish!
Cut leather flush after measuring. Bracelets sometimes take a lot of abuse, so use a dab of glue inside the cord end. Insert leather into the cord end and gently pinch the cord ends together until secure.
Use jump rings to add the clasp.

Suggested Supplies

1 dozen #39-340-3 Silver Plated Lobster Clasp, 10mm
1 hundred [use 4] #37-175-3 TierraCast Silver Plated Round Jump Rings, 7.6mm, 16-gauge
1 20-meter [use 6-8"] #61-132-20-02 Greek Leather Cord, 2mm, 20 Meter - Black
2 each #48-170-2-3 JBB Findings Silver Plated Cord End, Round, 2mm I.D.
1 hundred [use 1] #37-091-20-3 Silver Plated Ball End Head Pin, Thin, 2"
1 each #49-958-59-AS TierraCastAntiqued Silver Plated Bird in a Tree Charm
1 each #49-958-74-AP TierraCast Antiqued Pewter Plated Britannia Pewter Jardin 5/8" Charm
1 each #60-270 EURO TOOL Adhesive, Super New Glue

For alternate colors or sizes of any items used in this design (including the leather cord), click into the details of any product, and then click the "Related Products" tab.

Tools