Pre-Stretching Your Elastic
Remember this is jewelry, not tug-of-war!
Pre-Stretch Your Elastic
Before you start stringing your beads, give your jewelry elastic a gentle pre-stretch. Not a full-on gym workout, just a few light pulls along the length of the cord.
Why?
Because jewelry elastic has a habit of relaxing and settling after it’s been stretched for the first time. If you skip this step, your beautifully made stretch bracelets can end up a little looser than planned after a few wears.
Nobody likes a baggy bracelet.
A bracelet should sit comfortably on the wrist, not slide halfway down your hand every time you reach for a biscuit! 🍪
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I love your tips on beading. I do notice that after awhile my stretch cord turns yellow or gets a dingy look. Is there a way to prevent this?
Thanks Maria! 😊
Do you mean the elastic goes yellow after you’ve made the piece and worn it for a while?
It’s not something I’ve personally experienced with the elastic I use, which is Beadalon Elasticity:
https://amzn.to/4ovN3Os
If you’re using a clear elastic, yellowing can sometimes be caused by things like skincare products, sun cream, self-tan or body oils.
One option is to switch to a coloured elastic instead. Beadalon do lovely satin silver and satin gold versions, and I’ve found they keep their colour:
https://amzn.to/4uvOC06
It might be worth giving one of those a try and seeing if it makes a difference.
Sarah x