Arts and Crafts

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa

The Ndbele people who live in South Africa and Zimbabwe make beautiful beaded jewelry. The women traditionally begin wearing necklaces and bracelets when they are young girls. They never take them off and add more jewelry as they get older.

Though the Ndbele generally use small seed beads, this project will go much more quickly if larger pony beads are used.

Beaded bracelet

Materials needed:

Glass or plastic pony beads (preferably at least three colors)
3 feet of thin wire per bracelet
Needlenose pliers or old scissors

Place two beads of the same color in the middle of the 3 ft. wire. Place two bead of another color on next, and bend the wire so that these two beads are side by side with the first beads. Push the other end of the wire through the second beads. Add the third bead color to one wire, put it side by side with the second, and put the other wire through it. Continue adding lines of beads in the color pattern.

When the bracelet is long enough to reach around the widest part of your hand, string the wire through the first set of beads, and then the second. Carefully cut the remaining wire so that it does not scratch when putting it on.