One of my favorite examples is our original Lizzy Classic. Even though it wraps around your wrist three times, it's actually made from one continuous piece of leather—nearly 100 inches long, plus a little extra for the two knots that are tied by hand.
The process begins by adjusting the sizing pegs on our bead board to match the customer's bracelet size. From there, we carefully wrap a single strand of leather around the board, pulling it just tight enough to create the perfect finished fit. It's a small detail, but if the tension isn't just right, the bracelet won't fit the way it's should.
Once the leather is sized, my favorite part begins.
We unwrap the leather from the board and start laying out the design, one section at a time. Four crescents are carefully placed onto the leather, then it's wrapped back around the board before the next four are added. Little by little, the entire bracelet begins to take shape.
Only then do I step back and look at the design as a whole.
And if I'm being completely honest... every now and then I'll string one too many crescents or realize I forgot to slide the clasp onto the leather. When that happens, it's back to the beginning. That's just part of making every bracelet by hand, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
|
