Types of gum bracelets: patterns, weaving technique

To look bright and unusual, often original accessories are enough. This is how things made from Rainbow Loom Bands look like. Types of gum bracelets exist different in both appearance (pattern) and weaving method. Below are the main options. Choose your favorite, simplest or more complex, and try to make a fashionable jewelry for your wrist.

Weaving bracelets: what you need

Whatever types of gum bracelets you choose, the materials you need are:

• Gum Rainbow Loom Bands (better than the original).
• Slingshot.
• Machine.
• Hook.

Some options are easy to weave even on the fingers without any additional devices.

Types of weaving

When you have prepared everything you need, choose whether you will weave a bracelet of elastic bands - "Dragon", "Sidewalk", "Fish Tail" or another. All patterns are distinguished by technology of weaving, obtained by the width of the product. Any option can be made from one color of gum, or from several. The number of rows in the bracelet can vary significantly. A wide bracelet made of rubber bands can be obtained on the machine, and for a narrow one it is enough to have a slingshot.

Weaving Methods

Types of gum bracelets differ in the tool that was used during the work. Product manufacturing options are as follows:

• On a slingshot.
• On the machine.
• On fingers.
• On the fork.

If the pattern scheme involves the use of two elements, any method from the list is suitable for weaving. You can use a plastic fork if you remove the middle teeth from it. Effective jewelry is also made on four sticks. The same options are suitable for a machine with four pins.

How to weave slingshot bracelets

If you have never tried to make jewelry from Rainbow Loom Bands, you can start with the simplest option, which is easy to create even on the fingers - in the work usually use the index and middle of the hand that is not leading (the left of the right-hander). If you nevertheless already have some devices, it is better to use them for the convenience of work, so that both hands participate in weaving, and do not play the role of an instrument.

If you want to learn how to weave bracelets on a slingshot, you can start with the most basic option.

Work like this:

1. Put on the first rubber band on both horns, crossing it with a figure of eight.
2. Put on the second elastic band without crossing.
3. Lift the loops formed by the first elastic band up through the tips of the horns of the slingshot and discard to the middle.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the desired length of the bracelet.
5. Install the clip fastener.

Using the same technology, you can make a bracelet with beads. It will look more interesting. The only difference is that instead of empty elastic bands (example of step 2), elastic bands are placed on the horns of a slingshot, on which beads are strung in advance (usually one at a time). To do this, a double folded elastic is passed through the hole of the bead. You can do this with a needle and thread or a wire bent in the form of a loop, which are threaded through a small hole in the bead, capturing the elastic band.

Weaving on the machine

You can work on this device in many ways. It all depends on the number of columns used on the stand. If you take only two, then any weaving is performed similarly to working with a slingshot or using fingers. If you put four columns, you can create a wide bracelet from elastic bands. The principle of execution will be the same as if you work with a fork. Most often, a machine is purchased in order to make complex types of jewelry when a large number of machine columns are involved in the work.

Fishtail Elastic Bracelet

It is quite simple in terms of performance and at the same time spectacular in appearance. It is beautiful both from one shade, and from a combination of several colors. You can alternate two or three colors or any other quantity. A fishtail bracelet is made as follows:

1. Put on the two columns of the machine or slingshot the first gum in the form of a figure eight.
2. Put on a couple more elastic bands, but without crossing.
3. Lift the loops of the lower gum through the top of the pins and discard to the middle.
4. Put on the next elastic band without crossing, repeat step 3.
5. Work through the sequence of steps 2 and 3 to the desired product length.
6. Install the clip in the extreme loops of the bracelet.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated. Of course, using several colors will be more difficult, since you will need to constantly monitor the correct order of alternating shades of elastic bands.

Pavement Pattern

This section also provides an easy option for beginners. The technique is simple. As a tool, a slingshot is suitable. It makes sense to make this decoration from two contrasting colors, for example, white and black or blue. The product turns out to be quite wide and massive, therefore, with the appropriate gamut of shades, it can be used as a masculine decoration. The pavement bracelet is made according to the following scheme:

1. Take the slingshot and place it with the open parts of the columns towards you.
2. Prepare elastic bands of two colors and arrange them in pairs (two white, two blue). So it will be more convenient to work in the future.
3. Put on the slingshot columns the first pair of elastic bands, for example, white, crossing them in the form of a figure eight.
4. Put on the next pair of blue without crossing.
5. With a special hook, pick up the bottom pair of elastic bands on the left column and discard them through the top to the middle.
6. Slide the elastic bands down to make room for further work.
7. Put on the next pair of white elastic bands.
8. From the right column, remove the two lower pairs of elastic bands (both white and blue) through the top of the horns to the middle.
9. Put on the next pair of blue rubber bands.
10. Now, from the left column, discard the lower two pairs of elastic bands (blue and white) through the top to the middle.
11. A bracelet made of rubber "Sidewalk" is woven according to a given pattern to the desired length. It is important to correctly alternate the colors of the pairs of elastic bands and fold the two lower pairs to the middle, alternately from the right or from the left horn.
12. At the end of weaving, you will have two pairs of elastic bands on one column, and one on the second. Drop the bottom pair of elastic bands in the center to the middle from the column where you have two pairs left.
13. Transfer the remaining pair of elastic bands from one column to another.
14. Pull the loops and put on a clip on them.
15. Fix the second edge of the fastener in the first eyelet-eight.

As you can see, you got quite a spectacular decoration, but it took not so much time and skills.

Scale Pattern

This bracelet differs from others in that it looks openwork, and not tight. It looks more like lace or mesh, the cells of which are obtained, in shape resembling scales. Weaving this accessory is best on the machine.

You can use a mini-machine, but it does not get enough width of the product. So, a bracelet made of rubber bands "Scales" is made as follows:

1. Prepare the machine by placing the desired number of columns in one row, for example, 11. If you need a wide decoration, then more.
2. Twist the first rubber band in the form of a figure eight and connect the third and fourth columns.
3. Similarly, do the fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth, ninth and tenth.
4. Connect the columns in the following pairs - the fourth and fifth, sixth and seventh, eighth and ninth, tenth and eleventh also twisted eights.
5. Throw the lower loops of the pairs formed on the columns through the top in the entire row.
6. Now we put on rubber bands also on pairs of columns, starting from the first, similarly to steps No. 2 and No. 3, only without twisting.
7. Discard the lower elastic bands from those posts where there are two of them.
8. Put the elastic on pairs of columns by analogy with step 4 without twisting, starting with the second column.
9. Repeat step number 7.
10. Work in the sequence of items from No. 6 to No. 9 to the desired product length.
11. It is important to secure the bracelet correctly. When you have one loop on each column, transfer the last loop to the penultimate column, the first to the second, from the third to the fourth, from the fifth to the sixth, from the seventh to the sixth. Attach the clip fasteners to the remaining loops in the required quantity. Attach the second edges of the fasteners to the loops of the first row.

As you understand, working with the machine is no more difficult than with a slingshot, and the pattern obtained with this tool is very beautiful and delicate.

French braid pattern

This is one of the simple options for which you need a tool with two pins (slingshot, fingers, machine). A braid made of braids is made as follows:

1. Prepare elastic bands of one shade. For the first time it will be easier to work. In the future, you can use any combination of colors. Put the first rubber band on the eight horns on two horns.
2. Put on two more elastic bands in sequence without twisting.
3. Remove the loops of the lower gum to the middle through the top.
4. From the right horn, discard the middle gum to the center.
5. Remove the bottom gum from the left pin.
6. Put the next elastic on both horns without twisting.
7. Discard the middle gum from the left horn, and the lower one from the right.
8. Continue weaving to the desired length.
9. Install the clip fastener.

All is ready. You can try on.

Thus, the types of gum bracelets are presented in a wide variety. Differ patterns, width, weaving technology. Choose your favorite ideas and embody them in the form of bright jewelry that perfectly complement your image.