Perfect Presents Fashion Fix Christmas: Liberty Print Charm Bracelet

Photo Amanda Thomas

This is your last fashion fix christmas present idea, JUST in time for Christmas with a day or two to go for making.

Charm bracelets have long been traditional favourites among god parents to god children, adding a charm each year. They can be extremely valuable heirlooms after years of additional charms, OR they can be fun embellished and affordable piece sod jewellery for anyone. The lovely symbolism of the charms you choose can create a wonderfully personalised present, and with this present, the potentially pricey bracelet chain is replaced by a gorgeous strip of Liberty Print cotton. I got mine from Sewbox.

You will need:

• 1/4 metre liberty print cotton
• 20 cm chain
• assorted charms
• jewellery loops
• jewellery pliers
• needle and thread
• iron
• tape measure
• dressmaking scissors

How to do it:

1. measure your desired length for the fabric strip. (I made mine wrap twice round the wrist with enough left to tie a bow.)  Cut a 5cm width rectangle and your desired length.
2. press the strip in half length ways, open out and then fold in either long edge into the middle crease. press together so your raw edges are hidden inside the folded rectangle.
3. fold in the raw edges et each end and press. Slip stitch along the three edges to seal the rectangle into a strip. press.
4. in the middle of the strip, loop your chain around a few times and sew in place so it has a bit of a swag (see photos), secure in place with a few stitches.
5. With your pliers and jewellery loops, fix the charms onto the chain.

Photo Amanda Thomas

Perfect Presents, Christmas Fashion Fix: Trinket Brooch, look 1

Photo Amanda Thomas

This is a super, simple Christmas Present idea. One of my most treasured brooches started life as a humble safety pin, and when i got my hands on some gold ones, the Christmas ideas started fizzing!

In the studio, Ros and I have a box of broken jewellery and sparkly bits and pieces we call The Joan Collins Box. I am sure we all have a pile of sparkly bits and pieces lying about the house that could be reborn into beautiful trinket jewellery. 

This brooch works because it is a stylised take on a charm bracelet. 

You will need:

• large gold safety pin
• jewellry connector loops (available at bead and craft stores)
• trinkets, charms, bits of broken jewellery
• jewellry pliers

How to do it:

1. make sure you are fixing the trinkets to the side of the pin that does not open.
2. arrange your trinkets and work out your design.
3. using pliers, fix connecter loops onto the trinkets, fix them together if need be
4. prize open the connector loops and fix onto the closed side of the pin.

Photo Amanda Thomas

Fashion Fix: How to weave a lanyard and chain link bracelet

Ros spent time at American Summer camps rounding up children, and it was here she learned of the woven lanyard friendship bracelet (or 'boondoggle' as they called it). 

Adding a chain link fastening turns this childhood obsession into a gorgeous pop of colour on your wrist. AND AN EXCELLENT LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS PRESENT.

When I made this the first time round, Ros told me it wasn't good enough and I had to start all over again.  I've realised this is a worldwide institution so I tentatively give you this woven bracelet Fashion Fix.

You will need:

• two 1m long 2mm wide pieces of yellow flat plastic lacing
• gold chain bracelet cut to size (long enough to be wrapped halfway around your wrist)
• pliers
• scissors
• all purpose glue

How to do it.

1. To attach one end of the lacing to one end of the chain, thread both pieces of lace through the end loop of the chain. Position them in a cross ready to begin. (See Pic below)
2. Try as I might I dont think I could instruct you any better than to follow this online tutorial I found.
3. weave the lacing as shown in the video. Continue until it os long enough to fit just over halfway around your wrist.
4. cut the chain to length to close the chain around your wrist. attach the lacing and chain ends as you did to start. 
5. Poke any loose ends through the holes in the bracelet and pull tight. Keep pulling these ends tight every ten minutes. 
6. When you're happy with the tightness of the weave put the finished bracelet around a bottle for a day to help keep its shape.
7. Add a thin coating of all purpose glue to the ends to make it extra secure.

Close up of the starting cross 

Wear your bracelet in a cluster of colour and matching metal