Bark Bangles

If you like unusual jewelry, then you will definitely like these bangles. They are made from walnut bark and will cost you almost nothing. I used two ways to make the them, so you end up with two kinds of original bangles.

1 freshly cut walnut branch, about 25 inches long and about 0.8 inches in diameter at cut, not in winter period,

knife,

scissors,

iron ruler,

bottle with a diameter equal to the diameter of the bangle you want to make,

rubber band,

sandpaper,

varnish for wood,

brush,

super glue,

awl,

copper wire,

pliers and wire cutters,

beads.

Make a cut with a knife and peel off the bark. The bark of a freshly cut (not in winter) walnut branch is peeled off very easily.

Calculate the bangle length: 3.14 * bangle diameter.

For the Bangle #1: cut a strip of bark that is 0.4 inches wide and equal to the length of the bangle + 2/3 the length of the bangle to make another partial turn. Cut the strip so that it is sharp at one end, like the apex of an isosceles triangle. Round the corners.

For the Bangle #2: cut a strip of bark that is 1.2 inches wide and to the length of the bangle + 2 inches. Cut the bark into three strips (strands) 0.4'' wide. To make it easier to braid, it is better to leave the strands connected at one end.

Wrap the bark strip around the bottle with the narrow end on top (see photo). Secure the bangle-shaped strip with rubber band and leave it on for a few days until the bark dries very well.

Braid 3 strands of bark: left hand to the middle, right hand to the middle and repeat it.

You can fix the woven bracelet around the bottle as in the previous step. Leave it until the bark dries.

Remove the rubber band and carefully remove the bark bangle from the bottle, spreading the ends slightly apart. Do not push the ends too far apart so as not to break the bark bangle.

Sand the edges of the bark bangle.

Cover the outside and inside of the bark bangles with varnish. Leave to dry well.

To decorate the bangle and make it heavier, add beads where there is no second turn. To do this, carefully make two holes on both sides. Pass the wire with the strung beads through the holes so that the ends of the wire are bent and hidden under the outermost beads (see photo).

Cut off the ends of the strips so that they can be inserted under each other and the joints are not visible. Check that the bangle has the diameter you need. Connect the ends with glue.