tissue paper bangles, part 2

(If you missed it, here's the first bangle.) Bracelet week continues! This one's a thinner, more sedately-colored variation of the first. I swapped out one strand of paper for a length of hemp cord, and I covered the finished bangle with Mod Podge. Read on for complete directions.

​Cut two wide strips of tissue paper, each about four inches wide by 14 inches long. (You don't need to bother using a ruler; this craft is very forgiving.) Cut a length of colored cord that's several inches longer than the paper. 

​Roll, fold, and twist the two strips of paper into ropes. 

​Tie one end of the cord around the ends of the two strips to cinch everything together. 

Clip the knotted end with a bulldog or binder clip. This'll help add some weight to the end, which will make it easier to braid. 

​Braid, using the cord as one of the three strands. 

When the braided area is long enough to fit around your wrist and slide on and off your hand, knot the end with the cord like you did at the start. Trim the ends, leaving a half-inch of length past the knot. 

​Overlap the two ends, and wrap them with tape. This will not look very nice, but don't worry — we're gonna cover it. (If you'd rather not Mod Podge your project, and you have fabric tape that matches your bangle's colors, you can use that instead.)

From one of the tissue paper colors, cut a rectangle who's short side is as wide, or a little wider, than your taped area. Brush it with Mod Podge, and wrap it around the tape. Dab Mod Podge all over the bracelet, and let it dry on a non-permeable surface (you know, anything it won't get stuck to). Let the 'Podge dry. The photo shows my finished, dry bangle; you can see that it has a nice plasticky look. I like it!

Come back tomorrow for a third tissue-paper bangle variant that's the most radical yet!
​xo