Slimming Down the Bangle

The bracelet is such an fantastic form to work with in polymer clay simply because of the range of possibilities. It can be small and dainty or big and bold. It can consist of beads of nearly any shape and size or be laid like a broad canvas around the wrist for showcasing favorite surface treatments or even a narrative scene. And best of all, you can wear bracelets with anything, anytime.

So I was definitely excited to see Bettina Welker’s new book Polymer Clay Bracelets come out late last year. You’ll see a review of the book and some sample interior pages in the new Spring 2013 issue of The Polymer Arts magazine. I really like that she address ways to make bangle bracelets without having to make them so big just to get over one’s hands. She has a couple solutions in the book but since I can’t show you that, how about this simple solution in a bracelet shown in the Shout! online exhibition. Its made with a spring hinge.

This is such a beautiful piece with the subtle texture and then just the small spots of brilliant green peeking through. And with the simple embedded hinge the construction of such a piece can keep it slimmer than a traditional slip on bangle. The lower profile of the bracelet makes it more wearable in more situations. There is nothing wrong with big and bold but if you just want to jazz things up a bit while you run errands or go out for a casual lunch, you don’t want your jewelry to get in the way of rummaging through the bargain bins or have it dipping into your soup. Or is that just me that has those problems?

If you’d like to order Bettina’s book, you can do so from her website here.