An elephant hair bracelet is a style of bracelet that originated in Africa. At one time, they were always made from elephant hair, but in recent years they have come to be made from a wide variety of materials, most often wire. The process for making them is not difficult.
Things You'll Need:
- Vise
- Wire Cutter
- 20 Gauge Wire
- Flat Pliers
- Parallel Jaw Pliers
- 18 Gauge Wire
- Tape
Preparing the wire
Place one end of the wire into the vise, pull out 52 inches of it, and cut it.
Straighten the wire using pliers.
From this length of wire, cut four 13 inch pieces.
Cut two 10 inch pieces of 20 gauge wire.
Constructing the Necklace
Take the four 13 inch pieces of 18 gauge wire and lay them side by side.
Starting 3 inches from the end, tape the wires together every three inches.
Using flat pliers, bend all four end wires into a 3/8-inch long "S" shape.
Making the Knot
Take one of the 10-inch pieces of 20 gauge wire and bend 1 1/2 inches of it at a right angle.
Wrap this length of wire around the "S" curve and the wires beneath it.
Run the other end of the 20 gauge wire through the empty loop in the "S" so that one end of the 20 gauge wire is pointing towards you and the other is pointing away.
Take the ends of the wires and run them through the same slots on each side of the "S" where the wire originally went. Make the knot as square as possible using parallel jaw pliers.
Trim the ends of the wire as needed.
The Other End
Repeat the process of making the "S" curve for the other side of the bracelet.
Repeat the process of wrapping the "S" shape with the other piece of 10-inch 20-gauge wire.
Repeat the process of running the ends back into the slots and squaring the knot with pliers.
Tip
You can use any size wire you like, but 18 gauge is the strongest choice. 20 or 22 gauge will also work though.
You can make the circumference of the bracelet smaller by starting with four 12-inch pieces of 18-gauge wire for the main body of the bracelet.
References
Writer Bio
Justin Mitchell has been a writer since 2009. In 2002, he received a B.A. in theater and writing from the University of Northern Colorado. Mitchell worked as an ESL teacher in Europe and Asia before earning a master's degree in journalism from the City University of New York. He has written for the "New York Daily News" and WNYC.org, among other outlets.
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