Indonesian Arts and Crafts

By. Cary Bruner

1) FOCAL PIECE. Connect a series of brick-stitched trapezoids to make a foundation, then embellish with simple fringe:
Trapezoids: Use 2' of thread to string 1A, 2B, and 1A, leaving a 12" tail. Pass through all the beads again. Maintain the pattern of A on the top of the row and B on the bottom as you work a strip of ladder stitch 2 beads tall by 10 beads wide (Fig. 1). Use A to work

Fig. 1: Working the ladder-stitch base row

decreasing brick stitch off of the ladder-stitched strip for 5 more rows; the last row will have 5A (Fig. 2). Secure


Fig. 2: Working decreasing brick stitch

the working thread and trim; do not cut the tail thread. Set aside. Repeat three times for a total of 4 trapezoids.
Connection: Use one of the trapezoid’s tail threads to weave through the beads in the ladder to exit an edge A ladder bead. String 4C. Loop the needle around the first exposed thread of a second trapezoid between the ladder-stitched row and the first brick-stitched row. Pass back through the beads just strung. Exit from the edge A of the
first brick-stitched row. Repeat, adding another row of 4C between the first and second brick-stitched rows, 3C between the second and third, 2C between the third and fourth, and 1C between the fourth and fifth (Fig. 3). Secure the thread


Fig. 3: Connecting the sides

and trim. Repeat to connect all the trapezoids into a square shape.
Embellishment: Make fringes with 3-bead
picots: Use 4' of thread to exit from an end A at the top of one of the trapezoids; the needle should point toward
the bottom of the shape. String 1D, 1C, 1 bicone, and 3C. Pass back through the bicone, C, D, and A, forming a picot with the 3C. Exit the next A (Fig. 4). Make a longer fringe this


Fig. 4: Embellishing with fringe

time with 2D, 1C, 1 bicone, and 3C. Repeat, adding alternating-length fringe across the row. Weave through beads to exit from the end A at the top of the next trapezoid. Repeat to add fringe to each of the trapezoids.
Center: Weave through the beads in the top row of one of the trapezoids and exit from the center A. String 1D, 1 round, and 1D. Pass through the center A on the opposite trapezoid to seat the crystal in the center of the square. Weave through all the beads again to reinforce. Secure the thread and trim.

2) STRAPS. Work edged herringbone stitch off of the focal piece to make a strap. Each row is made using A beads;
the turnaround for each row is made with D beads:
Rows 1–5: Start a new thread that exits an end B of the ladder base of one of the trapezoids. Use A to work one row of herringbone stitch. To make the turnaround and add edge beads, pass down through the adjacent end bead of the previous row, string 2D, and pass up through the last A added in the row (Fig. 5). Repeat to make 4 more rows.


Fig. 5: Forming the straps

Row 6: Work 2 herringbone stitches; skip the third stitch by weaving through the beads and work the fourth and fifth stitches.
Row 7: Work 2 stitches. After the second stitch, string 4D and pass up through the first bead of the next stitch of the previous row (Fig. 6).


Fig. 6: Working Row 7

Complete the row, continuing to add edge beads as before.
Row 8: Work 2 stitches. Weave through the beads to pass through the 4D added in the previous row and up through the beads on the other side of the gap to position the needle to complete the row (Fig. 7).


Fig. 7: Completing Row 8

Row 9: Work 2 stitches. String 1 bicone. Pass up through the first bead of the next stitch of the previous row. Complete the row.
Rows 10, 13, 16, and 19: Work 2 stitches. Weave down through 1 extra B; pass through the bicone added in the previous row and up through the beads on the other side of the gap to position the needle to complete the row (Fig. 8).


Fig. 8: Adding the bicone

Rows 11, 14, 17, and 20: Work 2 stitches. Weave down through 2 extra Bs; pass through the bicone added 2 rows previously and up through the beads on the other side of the gap to position the needle to complete the row.
Rows 12, 15, 18, and 21: Repeat Row 9.
Row 22: Repeat Row 10.
Row 23: Repeat Row 7.
Row 24: Work 2 stitches. Use A to work a 2-bead ladder, filling the gap, and complete the row in herringbone stitch (Fig. 9).


Fig. 9: Closing the gap

Rows 25–40: Repeat Row 1. Place the focal piece on top of your wrist to test for fit. Allowing ¾" for the clasp, add or subtract rows as necessary so the bracelet will fit snugly but comfortably around your wrist.
Row 41: Add a row of fringes at the end: String 1B, 1D, 1C, 1 bicone, and 3C. Pass back through the bicone, 1C, and 1D. String 1B and make a herringbone stitch (Fig. 10). String


Fig. 10: Finishing the fringe

1B, 1D, 2C, 1 bicone, and 3C. Pass back through the bicone, 1D, and 2C. String 1B and make a herringbone stitch. Repeat across, alternating between the two types of fringe just made. Weave through the beads to the next-to-last row. Exit from the first bead of the third stitch; do not trim thread.
Repeat Step 2 on the other side of the focal piece to complete the cuff.

3) CLASP. Make a button/loop closure to secure the bracelet:
Button: Use one of the working threads to string 1D, 2C, 1 round, and 3C; pass back through the round, 2C, 1D, and into the body of the cuff. Weave through the beads several more times to reinforce. Secure the thread and trim.
Fringed loop: Use the remaining working thread to string 1 bicone and 21A; pass back through the bicone to make a loop. Weave into the body of the cuff to pass through the bicone and first A again. *String 1D, 2C, 1 bicone, and 3C. Pass back through the bicone, 2C, 1D, and into the next A of the loop. Repeat from * around the loop for a total of 20 fringe legs. Weave into the body of the cuff; secure the thread and trim.