Steel Bracelet Cores
The type of core most widely used for bracelet making is formed from a strip of spring steel either ½″ or ¼″ wide. Make a narrow V-shaped slit half the width of the band at about ½″ from one end. ([Fig. 2]A.) Mark off beyond this cut the circumference of your bracelet (usually 8-9 inches) and make another slit half way through from the opposite side. Clip off the metal about ½″ beyond this second slit. Connect the band as shown, with the ends on the inside of the bracelet. (Figs. [3] and [4].) Set the band on a solid surface and pound with a mallet or hammer until the edges fit smoothly.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Basket-Weave Bracelets
The recently developed basket-weave bracelets are among the easiest and most popular projects for flat gimp. This is in part due to the fact that they offer so many possibilities for originality of design. The standard gimp types, for instance, may be made with from one to seven colors, so it is possible to match them with any color schemes of belts or leashes, or to make them harmonize with any costume.