Crystal Cavern
By Melissa Cable

This bracelet uses the popular “licorice leather,” in particular the version that has a small channel down the middle to accommodate a piece of memory wire.

Materials needed
6.5 inches of 10mm X 6mm hollow licorice leather
12 4mm crystal or beads
3 12mm X 8mm crystals or beads
Size 11 seed beads
Clasp of your choice
Beadalon beading wire
2 2X1 crimp beads

Instructions
1. Use a leather sewing punch to mark the starting and stopping point of 3 1.5” sections evenly spaced on your bracelet.

2. Use a razor blade to slice the sections open. Do not go all the way through, just into the hollow channel. A sawing action generally works well.

3. Soak the leather until it is fully saturated.

4. Use a modeling tool and dapping punch to open each hole, running the punch back and forth and using a larger and larger size as the leather stretches.

5. Feed a piece of wire or string through the leather and tie into a circle. Place a 12mm marble, other round object or even balled aluminum foil in each opening and let the leather dry.

6. Trim the bracelet to the desired length using a razor blade or the special cutters available for licorice leather.  Paint the inside and the cut edges of the leather in a contrasting color. I like to use a metallic acrylic paint to get even more shine.

7. After the paint dries, create a small loop on one end of the beading wire with a crimp bead. Feed the wire through a small washer or bead and the open channel on one end of the leather until it appears in the first cut out. Pull the beading wire through the cut out and add 3 seed beads, 2 4mm crystals, one seed bead and the 12 X 8mm bead. Then 1 seed bead, 2 4mm crystals and 3 seed beads.

8. Feed the wire though the hole at the end of the first cut out until it comes out of the second (center) cut out. 

9. Repeat until all holes are filled with beads. Create another very small loop with a crimp bead so that the beads are now secured in the leather.

10. Glue on the clasp and condition/shine the bracelet back up with saddle soap.

Pendant option:
Create a pendant in the same way. Choose a leather clasp that has a hook end. The hook can be bent closed and used as a bail and the loop on the other end can be used to dangle beads from.

For more information visit www.melissacable.com