Step by step leathercraft instruction on making wrapped and braided leather wristbands, created by Standing Bear's Trading Post http://www.sbearstradingpost.com Trust 30 Years Of Leather experience when you shop at Standing Bear's Trading Post 7624 Tampa Avenue, Reseda, CA. 91335 818-342-9120 Selling Leathercraft Supplies and teaching people how to do leatherwork since 1999, Custom Leather for 30 years!

1. Standing Bear's Trading Post
7624 TAMPA AVE
Reseda, Ca 91335
818-342-9120
http://www.sbearstradingpost.com
Wrapped and Braided Leather Wristbands
Tools and Supplies Needed Available at Standing Bear’s Trading Post, http://www.sbearstradingpost.com
4/5 oz Leather Strap cut to the sizing you want your bracelet to be. (Instructions are for ¾” wide straps that fit an 8” wrist)
Circle Slicker
1/8 or 3/32” Leather Lace. (These Instructions are for using two colors of lace, but can be modified for use in making an item
with single color lace)
Segma Snaps
Leather Hole Punch (Round)
2-Prong Lacing Needle
Scalpel
Scissors
Contact Cement
Tan Kote or Skidmores Leather Cream
Cut a strip of 4/5 oz leather that will fit around your wrist (allowing for snap application or room for another type closure if
you prefer a button stud, pull string etc). You can also use ready-made plain wristbands for this project.
Attach Snap or other type closure (other than pull string closure) to the ends of the wristband.
Punch a 1/8” hole 1/4“into the bracelet from the closure or closure hole

2. Burnish (slick) the edges of the leather strip. Standing Bear's Trading Post offers two different types of edge slickers, the one I
recommend is the circle slicker.
Dampen the edges of the leather lightly, put the edge of the strip into the groove of the circle slicker and rub it back and
forth. This will assist in the wrapping as well as giving the strip which will remain exposed a finished look.
Cut enough lace to wrap your bracelet, allowing 3” for a tail
If using 3/32“ lace for a 8” – 3/4“ Wristband (approx 7” of lacing space) you will need 4 yards of lace for the wrap.
If using 1/8“lace for an 8” – 3/4“Wristband (approx 7” of lacing space) you will need 3 yards of lace for the wrap.
Thread the lace you will use for wrapping the wristband from front to back and use contact cement to tack the 3” tail down
onto the back of the wristband. (It does not matter at which end you start)

3. Wrap the lace around the wristband horizontally, starting close to the hole. Keep the lace close to each other when wrapping
but do not wrap it so tightly that it warps the leather strip.
Make sure that your wrapping ends on the back (inside) of the wristband. Thread the lace through the hole, back to front at
the end of the wristband to begin braiding.
If using a second color for the braiding, cut the lace for the braiding.
If using 3/32“lace for an 8” Wristband (approx 7” of lacing space) you will need 2 yards of lace for the braiding.
If using 1/8“lace for an 8” Wristband (approx 7” of lacing space) you will need just under 2 yards of lace for the braiding.
To join the two colors together, skive the backside of the second color of lace and the front (top) of the lace you used to wrap
the wristband.
Put a small amount of contact cement on the skived areas and glue them together as shown in the photos below.

4. Put a 2-prong lacing needle onto the end of the lace you will be using for the decorative braiding.
Center the lace, count two wraps and thread lace under them. Bring the lace back toward the hole making a loop.
Then count three wraps from the top (or one from last stitch). Thread the lace underneath as shown in the photos below.
Next, count three wraps down and thread the lace under two wraps in the center of the already braided laces.
Continue to do this braiding until you reach the other end of the wristband using the pictures below to assist in the process:

5. When you have reached the bottom of the wraps go under the last wrap (actually a 1/2 wrap) to give a finished look.
Next, with the last braid up toward the top, bring the lace down and thread through the hole to the back.
Push needle behind wraps at back to the center of the wristband.
Pull lace out, cut, and then smooth leather to hide lacing.
When you are finished, you will have a bracelet that looks like the ones below: