Fancy and (practically) free.

Fancy and (practically) free.

The legendary fashion editor/bon vivant/daredevil Diana Vreeland is often quoted as having said, “The only real elegance is in the mind; if you’ve got that, the rest really comes from it.” If you’ve got some elastic, thread, and beads laying around, you can also have some real elegance on your wrist—courtesy of this bracelet DIY!

What you’ll need:

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  • Elastic thread
  • Beads of any shape/size/color
  • Scissors
  • Yarn/thread/string (embroidery thread works best)

How to do it:

Step One

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Cut off a piece of elastic thread that is about an inch longer than the circumference of your wrist. Then, tie a knot at one end that is big enough to prevent beads from slipping off once you’ve started the beading process:

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Step Two

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Start beading! Go as wild or as minimalist as you’d like. Keep a pattern or be spontaneous. It’s all up to you! Tip: When purchasing or scavenging for beads, make sure that the holes are big enough to fit the elastic thread.

Step Three

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Once your bracelet is halfway beaded, pause and cut 10 pieces of embroidery thread at the tassel-length you desire (bear in mind that the threads will be folded in half). Fold them over the elastic. Cut another piece of thread, then securely tie it around the threads, like so:

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Congratulations! You have yourself a tassel.

Step Four

Continue beading until there is just enough elastic left to tie both ends with a few knots. Cut off any excess elastic, if you’d like…

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Voilà! Élégance! ​♦