July Project - Shamballa bracelet

My July pack was smaller and less exciting than the June pack, for one thing it didn't have a blow torch!

I got several lengths of cord, some precision glue, 5 shamballa beads and some instructions to make a shamballa bracelet.

Shamballa bracelets first appeared as an aid to the meditation of Tibetan Buddhist monks, with a similar purpose to rosary beads. Traditionally they were made of hemp and wooden beads. In the 1990's a company used the idea to make a blingy version to appeal to spiritual types with far too much cash and this has become the style known as Shamballa.

The one I have made is a bit blingy but any kind of bracelet made with this knotting technique counts as a Shamballa bracelet.

The instructions that arrived with the kit were a bit confusing.  

Luckily I found this lovely Brummie lady  who explained it all so much better with her sailing analogy. I took some photos as I worked but watch the video in the link if you want a good tutorial. 

You start with a straight central strand

You use a longer strand to make knots on the central strand

Add a bead and keep knotting

All beads on

Once you have finished knotting you seal it with the glue.

You get a third strand and using the same knotting technique make a sliding clasp

I decided to add a couple of little beads to the ends for interest.  Hmmm, wonder if I have any :)

Finished bracelet

Modelled by me! 

Of course I did mess it up a bit! I decided the ends were too long and trimmed them and then realised why they were long, so you got get the bracelet on! I manage to fix it though by shortening the clasp. I am eager to try out some more complex designs now and think it is a little tight of Cooksons to only send three small strands when 10m of the stuff is £1.25 on their website. I suspect I would have been using up more beads well into the night :) I will be trying out some more designs over the weekend, I like this technique, it is very effective and can be adapted loads of ways.