How to Make a Tile Bracelet

Tiles can be used to create works of art, including jewelry.

Express your unique personality by making a tile bracelet. Use a favorite color or select tiles with designs. Tile shapes added to the project made from ceramic, stone, glass or wood. Finishes available are matte, shiny, iridescent or metallic. The theme of the bracelet makes use of available shapes ranging from squares, rectangles and other geometric shapes to hearts, flowers, leaves and even tiles that look like pebbles. For a final touch, choose from surface textures that are smooth or rippled, offering contrasting accents. Anchor the tiles on a colorful cloth pattern or plain, sturdy fabric-enclosing elastic as a base to make a distinctive tile bracelet.

Things You'll Need

• 1-inch wide elastic
• 18"x3" fabric
• Needle
• Thread
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue
• Tape measure
• Straight pins
• Metallic-finish 3/8-inch tiles: round, square, flower

Instructions

1. Arrange the tiles on a flat surface in the order that they will appear on the bracelet. A garden theme can be set up with a repeating design pattern of leaf, flower then a leaf. The number of tiles depends upon your wrist size.

2. Measure your wrist's circumference.

3. Measure and cut a length of elastic that is the length of the wrist circumference.

4. Lay the material on a flat surface. Fold over the narrow ends toward the back of the materials a quarter inch and sew.

5. Fold the material in half along its length. Sew a quarter inch seam along the full length of the open side.

6. Turn the newly formed tube right side out.

7. Insert the elastic through the tube of material. Lay the ends of the elastic ends over each other by a quarter inch. Sew the ends together.

8. Tuck one end of the material inside the opposite end of the material tube a quarter inch and sew to close the opening.

9. Turn on the hot glue gun for it to warm up.

10. Spread the material evenly along the elastic by gathering. It will not be flat and smooth. Fold the fabric over the elastic to form flat pleats, which results in the edges gathering to form ruffles. Pin the fabric in place on the elastic.

11. Stitch through both layers of the fabric on either side of the elastic all the way around the material tube. Be careful not to sew the elastic. Remove the pins.

12. Hot glue the back of a tile. Position the tile on the fabric over the elastic band area . Repeat for the other tiles.

References

• About Glass Tile: Choosing The Right Shape, Size, Surface Finish & Texture
• Wit's End Mosaic: Fun Tile Shapes
• Make and Takes: Scrabble Tile Pendant Tutorial

Resources

• The Beading Gem's Journal: Tutorials: Make Your Own Glass Bubble and Title Pendants