Photo Tutorial - Butterfly Stretchy Cuff

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Butterfly Stretchy Cuff

This stretchy cuff is made by joining o-rings with jump ring units that are Byzantine-based.

Materials

For a 15cm bracelet, you will need:

297 silver saw cut anodised aluminium jump rings, ID 5.2mm, WD 1.00mm
36 small purple EPDM synthetic rubber o-rings, ID 6.4mm, WD 1.63mm - edge o-rings
54 large purple EPDM synthetic rubber o-rings, ID 7.9mm, WD 1.63mm

The quantities above are for a cuff suitable for a small wrist. Each two row unit measures 2cm and needs 33 x ID 5.2mm, WD 1.00mm jump rings, 4 x ID 6.4mm, WD 1.63mm o-rings, and 6 x ID 7.9mm, WD 1.63mm o-rings.

Tools:

two pairs of smooth jawed chain nose, flat nose, or bent nose pliers

Instructions

Close four silver rings. Link the four closed rings with two more silver rings and lay out the rings as shown. This is called the ring unit in subsequent steps.

Note: You may wish to make more of these units (at least 27 in total) so that you can make the weave quickly.
Open five silver rings. Place two large o-rings in between two end rings of the ring unit made in step 1. Weave one silver ring through the intersection of the two silver rings and the two large o-rings. Link two small o-rings and close the silver ring. In the picture, the bottom purple o-rings are the small o-rings.
Weave one silver ring through the same intersection of the two silver rings and the two large o-rings as you did in step 2. Link two large o-rings and close the silver ring. In the picture, the top purple o-rings are the large o-rings.
Place two large o-rings in between the other two end rings of the ring unit made in step 1. Weave one silver ring through the intersection of the two silver rings and the two large o-rings. Continue to weave the silver ring to connect to the two small o-rings and close the silver ring.
Add one silver ring to the centre of the ring unit so that it is now made up of three silver rings.
Weave one silver ring through the same intersection of the two silver rings and the two large o-rings as you did in step 4. Continue to weave the silver ring to connect to the two large o-rings and close the silver ring.
To lengthen, use one ring unit (from step 1) and repeat steps 2-6. The two large o-rings that you start with in step 2 are the end pair of large o-rings added in the previous step.
Continue lengthening until the o-ring chain fits your wrist, finishing with step 3.
To widen, you will be adding ring units between pairs of large o-rings along the top of your o-ring chain. To connect the ring units, you need to repeat steps 2-6 and add two large o-rings along the top.

In the picture, the top purple o-rings are the large o-rings.
To widen the cuff one final time, you will again be adding ring units between pairs of large o-rings along the top of your o-ring chain but adding two small o-rings. To connect the ring units, you need to repeat steps 2-6 and add two small o-rings along the top.

When you connect the first ring unit, you will need to add two large o-rings to make the end as shown.

In the picture, the top purple o-rings are the small o-rings.
Continue widening the cuff, finishing with step 3. The end of your cuff should look like this.
At the start of the cuff add a final ring unit in between the two pairs of large o-rings. The start of your cuff should look like this.
The joining rings are shown in red for clarity.

Open six silver rings. Bring the two ends of the cuff together. To join the two ends, you will need to place two large o-rings from one end in between two end silver rings of the corresponding ring unit from the other cuff end. Starting at one edge, link together with silver rings as before.

Variations

Use two different coloured o-rings to make a reversible cuff. The colour underneath may show so choose colours that compliment each other.
Use a lighter colour in anodised aluminium to the o-ring, for example ice blue and blue, lavender and purple and ice green and green.
Use rainbow colours in the anodised and o-rings to make blocks of colour.

Photo Tutorial Butterfly Stretchy Cuff