Hugs And Kisses Bracelet

When my father passed away a few years ago, I had to fly to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to take care of his funeral arrangements. I took some of my beaded jewelry with me including a Hugs and Kisses style bracelet in shades of purple and pale yellow. I ended up giving that bracelet to one of my sister's because she liked it so much. I do that sometimes. Someone in my life loves something I've made with beads, I'll take it off and hand it to them thinking "I can make another". Anyway, last weekend I decided it was time to remake that bracelet because I loved it so much I need one for me.

I don't have, nor have I ever actually had a pattern for this particular bracelet because I did it from pictures of the design. I had joined a bead-along on a now long gone Yahoo beading group. I didn't actually get the pattern. I just recreated it looking at a picture of the finished bracelet. 

Later, I wanted to make something similar and found a pattern to purchase that I was quite happy with. I seem to have misplaced that pattern. I googled it and unfortunately it's gone from the internet. All of the patterns I know of that are similar to it are gone! I'm surprised and disappointed. I wanted to share a link so others could make it. I'm seriously thinking about learning how to draw/write a beading pattern because it's such a beautiful design. Maybe I can do that next winter when I will need things to do because there's too much snow to go outside. In the meantime, I copied this one from pictures of the one I made back when.

In the process of trying to find a pattern, I discovered I've made quite a few of these bracelets. I think it might  be my favorite. I've also found all the links I posted for each bracelet are broken. Kind of sucks and is rather frustrating.

I used 6mm glass pearls for the base, done in right angle weave. I then embellished with 2 colors of 4mm Swarovski crystals and some size 11 Miyuki seed beads in a pearl lavender finish. I wanted to copy the original exactly because it was such a beautiful combination, but I didn't have 4mm crystals in the sand opal color, so I just used some more of the dark purple ones. 

I also didn't have any of the pale yellow seed beads, thus lavender. I love it though, just as it is. In fact, I love it more than the original. It glitters a lot in the light.

This is the back of it. You can see the thread path a little better from this side.

This is how it looks on my wrist.

On the knitting front, I've taken a break from the layette set. I need to block it before I can assemble everything and I've had a beading project in the way. Now that is done, so I can put out the blocking board. 

I also started a new project. It will be a pair of mittens if I ever get it done. 

It's been very frustrating. I've tried it twice so far. I ended up frogging it again this morning. I'm using fingering weight yarn as required and I haven't been able to get a gauge of 30 sts per 4 inches. On size 2 needles (what the pattern calls for) I got 9 sts to the inch which is way smaller than normal for me. I tried size 3 and size 4 and still am getting 8 sts to the inch. I'm reluctant to go up to size 5.  I'm thinking maybe I should go to a larger size of yarn. Maybe sport, or even dk. None of it is making sense.

This past week's weather was absolutely wonderful. I spent time out on the deck every day. The air smells so lovely because the tall Sweet Clover is in bloom. This weekend, though, it's hot. 91F today and hotter expected tomorrow. I plan to go out in the morning and knit in the shade before it gets too hot for me.

Well, that's the end of todays post. 

Live long and prosper. \\//