The cinched cuff that Penny inspired me to make is finished! YAY!

Well, this turned out to be a gem of an idea, and didn't take too terribly long to make. Despite the fact that my measurements (or lack thereof) were not concise and the middle was bulky, the bracelet turned out pretty good. I like it well enough that I'll be making earrings to match and will add it to my wardrobe! To add the cluster of beads, I twisted 24 gauge wires onto the stray coiled pieces left over from binding the cuff in the middle. Then I added beads and tightened them down by simply coiling the end up to the bead, It only took ten or twelve beads, I'd say.

Then, I stretched out the two coils and wrapped each on around under the beads to tighten up the whole cluster and just tucked the two loose ends back into the bead cluster. And, voila!

Thanks for the inspiration, Penny!

Cheers! -Dawn Blair

day 3

I have sent the cuff with the pinched to centre to watch over my junk pot and have resurrected my first attempt.  I promise I will not switch back ( unless some unforeseen damage should occur to this cuff) Oh! like a house falling on it.  I have used 14 gauge copper hammer the front. I had to get rid of the heart shaped closure because the cuff was huge for my wrist.  The little thing that is there now is so badley mangled I don't know what I will do right now, hopefully something will come.  The side has been filled in with 26 gauge silver (not real, it came from a craft store)  hammered and made into swirls , little silver balls and very small clear Swar. Crystal.  In these pics they  have just been set in the frame in rough. I will put them in with copper wire tomorrow night
Penny

Hammered bronze and sterling cuff -- day 1 -- Dawn E. Bryant

Okay, after being sidetracked by sick kids, sick hubby, sewer backups in the basement and the death of a good friend, I am finally getting started on my own cuff for this challenge. Since I love all things two-toned (gold and silver) I decided to go with bronze (for affordability) and sterling. I have formed the cuff frame and hammered it for texture. I have also made interior components out of hammered bronze, although there will be a few changes to those components. The frame and components will be held together with sterling fine gauge wire. The biggest decision for me will be whether or not to add beads. For now, no. So, off t take kids to swimming lessons, work on a beaded cabochon project and do some more work on this cuff. No rest for the weary, LOL.

Dawn E. Bryant

Inspired by Penny's cuff shape...

After looking at Penny's cuff shape, I decided I wanted to try a cuff that was cinched in the middle. I think the shape has a multitude of possibilities. I wanted to do all copper, like Penny's, but I couldn't find my coil of 16 gauge. So I went with brown. After working on all that weaving on the bright colored cuff, I decided to just do a simple loose wrap around one wire this time. The wire was extra stiff, so I felt like it would still be a good support. Unfortunately, I didn't do very well getting the sides to be the same length. And then I got carried away winding wire around the middle, creating unnecessary bulk. But I've decided to go ahead with it, since this is a learning opportunity. I decided since the colors are sort of tree-like, I would shape each side like a leaf. For some reason, I found shaping this into a fitted cuff more difficult than the first one. I'm not sure why. It could be because the diagonal lines were fooling my eye...

1 day later and this is what I have

I used 14 gauge wire and 26 gauge for the wrap,  I still don't like the uneveness of the frame.  But you will have to hang in there with me and see what happens on day 3 of the cuff
Penny

Making progress...

So, as I said before, I did the weaving on the frame too tight, so I can't lace anything into it. My first idea for the "filler" in this bracelet was to coil wire adding a bead every inch or so, and then shape it into a free form design.

Well, after spending two hours on it, I realized that the 20 gauge wire I was using, even with a layer of 26 gauge wire coiled on it, was just going to be too flimsy. I would have to lasso it on, compromising my vision of not covering any of the weaving. So, I pitched that idea.
Then yesterday, while I was at work I came up with an idea that, while quite labor intensive, is hopefully going to be the solution to the problem. Yes, it worked! If I lace all these loops together I will have something stiff enough that I can just attach it on either end. Adding the crystal helped stiffen the strip and also set the loops so they couldn't be stretched out of shape. Good thinkin'! Yay! Another problem solved. The loops arent quite all exactly the same size or perfectly spaced, but I have a feeling this will work anyway.

Yippee! I intend to attach this loop to the plain end of the frame, and attach the two loose ends into the big fushia spirals somehow. Full speed ahead! Cheers!  -Dawn Blair

4 attempts at the cuff

1. 

Here are my frames. The last one is the one I am going to use.

1. First upper left, I  made it out of 14 gauge copper , formed it  and then whacked it with the hammer. 

2.  Upper right is a better shot BUT what I am really trying to show you is  how wonky it is;  this now resides in the junk heap or some other day , some other challenge
.
3. Tools, nylon pliers, 14 gauge copper could not tell you if it is soft , hard ....all I know is it is round, cutters and a ring mandrel to shape the hole.

4.  Lower left corner Artistic chocloate brown wire 18 gauge a picture of the internet ( don't remember where) but not my design. But had it have worked it would have been incredible and the inside would have been done similar to the cuff in our challenge.  yeah you guessed it..now resides in the J_nk He_p.

5.  Lower right, yes sad to say Yes this is the one I have picked. I have an idea if it works be prepared to be amazed, if it doesn't , then its the junk heap for this one too.

6.  I sure hope my friends have patients, this could take awhile........

Penny