BTW: Playing with String

I have seen lots of tutorials lately for fun wrap, or slide bracelets. And as I looked through the patterns, it seemed like it should be pretty easy to make any one of of these styles. At least that is what I thought before I got started. As easy as it looks, I think it is going to take more practice before I really get the hang of it! 


I decided to give a couple of the patterns a try. I started with medium sized wooden beads. I like this pattern with the darker twine becoming part of the pattern itself. My tension needed practice, and so I decided that maybe I should try a slightly larger bead. I moved on to porcelain flat rounds. While I like the look of this, when it is lying flat, it is tricky to keep the beads flat when beading. This also can make the pattern uneven.


I did try various types of twine or thread ranging from stiff twine, to pliable cord to waxed beading thread. I think I prefer the later to work with, which is what I used on the final slide knot style. While I had more luck with this pattern, I will say I ripped out the slide knot at least 3-4 times before I felt like I understood how to make this closure. I used to do a lot of macrame when I was a kid, and this pattern reminds me of some of the classic knots and wraps. So that's what's on my beading table at the moment. Just some practice pieces. I'd love any tips or tricks from the 'stacked and wrapped' crowd out there!