When you buy a bracelet for yourself, there is a good chance you will try it on first. So, you don’t have to worry about it being too big or too small. No need to worry about trying to make it smaller.
But, if the bracelet was a gift, it might be too big for your wrist. So you need to make it smaller.
But how do you make a leather bracelet smaller? There are basically two ways to make a leather bracelet smaller: cut off the excess or reweave the extra leather into dongles. Depending on which method you choose, you may also want a crochet hook.
Keep reading to learn all you need to know about making a leather bracelet smaller so that you’re no longer bothered by hanging threads or losing your bracelet off of your wrist.
How to Make A Leather Bracelet Smaller
What you need to know first is what type of weave was originally used to make the leather bracelet.
Once you’ve determined whether it is a functional or fashionable weave, examine the bracelet carefully to figure out how the weave was created. This is easier if you have some previous weaving experience, but don’t worry if you don’t.
What you are looking for, specifically, is how the weave was finished off. Was it ended in a knot, loop-back or melt? You will want to know this so that you can close it up again after shortening.
Decide what length you want the bracelet and mark the spot with a toothpick. Unravel the leather to that point and seal off the end as it was before. You can cut off the excess material or shape the ends into stylish dongle braids.
If you decide to cut it, secure the clasp or whatever form of opening and closing the bracelet you choose and melt the ends to prevent fraying. If the bracelet doesn’t need closure, you should melt the ends anyway to close the bracelet and prevent fraying.
Dongles to Make a Leather Bracelet Smaller
Dongles add a cool touch to your bracelet. What are they? A dongle is a single cord braid on each of the ends that can be turned into a dongle. Braiding all the leather into one doesn’t look as good as braiding each one separately.
You may need a crochet hook to help as the leather strand might be too small for your fingers to braid tight enough.
Simple Braid
- After securing the bracelet to the desired length, you can begin braiding the leftover ends. Start with the outermost strand.
- The more flexible the cord, the easier it will be to braid. If the leather on the bracelet is too stiff, cutting it off might be the best option.
- Start with a loop. Since you are working with a single strand, you will be braiding just this one for now. Make a loop about the same size as you want the finished braid to be. You do this by sliding the ends of the leather in towards the center. To make it easier, have the left side below the right side of the leather strand.
- Pass one of the free ends through the loop. Take your loop and bring the right-side end of the leather strand up and through the left-hand side of the loop with an over and under weaving motion.
- Your first loop will now have a smaller sized loop on the left-hand side and the right-hand side of the strand will now be under the main loop.
- Twist the loop. Fold the top side of the new loop down to make it cross over the bottom side of the larger loop. Tighten it to the base end of the first braid and not near the open section of the loop.
- This is how the braiding process begins. A pattern will emerge and create a hole where you will pass the end of the right-hand strand of leather through.
As the strand passes over itself, you will notice the original top portion of the loop crosses back over the lower part of the original loop, a short distance from where the new intersection has been created. This should result in a new, smaller hole or tiny loop just beyond the original weave of your new braid.
- This is how the braiding process begins. A pattern will emerge and create a hole where you will pass the end of the right-hand strand of leather through.
- With a small crochet hook, pull the end through the hole you just created. Slip the right-hand end of the leather strand through the hole the same as you did in the previous step. You should now have another weave in your braid.
- Pass the right-hand end of your strand through the hole by taking it over the bottom section of the loop and below the upper section of the loop. The end on the right-hand side should be angled upwards and on top of the rest of your strand.
- Repeat these steps all the way down the length of your strand. You will keep making small, new holes from the larger loop by twisting the leather and weaving the right-hand end of the strand through each new hole you create.
- The braid is finished when you run out of space on the strand of leather. When there is not enough left to make any more new small loops or pass through the loops.
- Tighten your weaves. When you have twisted the braid as far as possible and there aren’t any loops left, pull the right-hand end of the strand through the last little loop and carefully pull on the ends of the strand to tighten the weave into a nice little braid.
- If you like, you can weave a bead into the end before you tighten or tie one onto the end before securing the leather with a melt.
- Continue with the rest of the strands.
Monkey Braid
The Monkey Braid (or Chain Sinnet) is a nice looking chain, which can be made straight again when pulled. It is a popular braid for dress uniforms.
- Start with a loop. This technique is similar to the simple single braid, with a slightly different result. You start by making a loop in one of the strands of leather leftover after shortening your bracelet. Make the loop by pushing the right-hand end of the strand up towards the left-hand side until it pops up into a loop.
- The spot where this loop begins will be the starting point of the braid. So make sure that the loop begins near the end of the left-hand side of the strand.
- Push the long end of the strand through the loop. After creating the loop, take the strand of the long end (this is the right-hand side of the strap) and push it all the way through the loop. Ideally, you will be pushing the part of the leather strand that is nearest to the right-hand side of the loop. Try to use as little of the strand as possible.
- You will be pulling through a small U-shaped part of the strand through the original loop in order to make a second loop. Then, pull this part down, passing through the loop and all the way out to the other side, and then tugging it in the direction of the working side of the strap to slightly tighten. Make note, tightening each loop is easier if you do so as you work the braid.
- Again, using a small crochet hook will make threading the leather through the loops easier. Trying to tighten all of the loops after the entire braid is finished can cause loose and uneven weaves, giving the braid a funny, lopsided look.
- Turning the U-shaped portion into a new loop. After you have successfully maneuvered the U-shaped section of leather through the first loop, pull on it towards the right-hand side of the loop so that it is lined up with the braid and the loop you just finished pulling it through.
- Make another loop. Create another loop by pinching a section of the strap from the working part (the right-hand side), and again make sure that it is right next to the existing loop you just made. Push this underneath and through, then out of the loop on the butt end of the first braid.
- Tug gently to make it nice and secure.
- Repeat this step all along the length of the strap. Complete the monkey braid by making more loops and simply working the leather from side to side, continually pulling the loops through the larger loops, gently tightening at each step.
- Pinch another part of the strand from the working end and push it under then through the loop directly before this one. Keep doing this until the braid reaches the end of the leather strand.
- Pass the end through the last loop. Once you have enough weaves in the leather strand, create one more special loop to use as the finish and pass the end through.
- If you want to create a locking loop at the end, place the working end of the strap (the right-hand end) over the top side of the final loop and then through to the other side. Gently pull it tight on both ends of the strand to securely tighten all of the weaves in the braid.
- Continue with the remaining strands of leather.
- You can add beads or anything you like in the final steps for an extra special look.
If you want to learn how to make a leather bracelet from the start, check out this video by HAHNS ATELIER on YouTube: