Do you have a wild side with an elegant edge? This cuff is perfect for you! The leather encased metal can be bent to fit your wrist. Embellishment comes easy with our two-part epoxy and flatbacks. CAUTION: Two-part epoxy is toxic and can cause skin and eye irritation. Use with caution, in a well ventilated area.
Step one: Lay out your design ahead of time. If you have not worked with flatbacks before, please review the How to apply flatbacks to fabric page of the Handy Tips section. For this design we will be using the epoxy, but all of the other methods will be the same. For best results, squeeze two small lines of the one-hour epoxy onto an index card. They will flow smoothly from the syringe style container. The adhesive is not activated until mixed. We recommend only mixing a little bit at a time as needed using a toothpick.
Step two: Mix a small bit of the adhesive and using the beeswax technique, dip your rhinestones into the adhesive and place firmly on the leather cuff. We used three size 20 Swarovski crystal rhinestones across the center, and three on either end of the piece, then completed the design with size 16 crystal rhinestones. Be creative, play with color, change the pattern as you like.
Step three: Continue placing the Swarovski flatback rhinestones until the pattern is complete. Let the project dry for over an hour to make sure it is thoroughly dry. We recommend letting it sit overnight. When the glue is completely dry, bend it to form to your wrist. Avoid bending and unbending too often, as it could loosen the rhinestones over time. Remember, when working with Swarovski flatbacks it is all about expressing your personality! This design is just an example of what can be done. Get creative, play with color and patterns.
