Three Row Reversible Japanese Lace Bracelet

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Here's my first try at Japanese lace.  It's a pretty simple weave and looks great in bright colors.  I first saw the two row version in a book, but decided I liked the three-row variation better.

Supplies:

  • 46 18-gauge 6.4mm color A jump rings
  • 46 18-gauge 6.4mm color B jump rings
  • 218 20-gauge 3.2mm color C jump rings (optional - add 24 more for 3 strand slide clasp)
  • 4 18-gauge 4.8mm color A jump rings (optional - for 3 strand slide clasp)
  • 4 18-gauge 4.8mm color B jump rings (optional - for 3 strand slide clasp)
  • Clasp (notes on clasp below)

The supplies listed are for a 16 ring long center row bracelet.  You may need to adjust the number of rings based on how long you want the bracelet to be.  In this tutorial, my color A is purple, color B is pink, and color C is black.

To begin, close all the small jump rings and open all the large ones.  Starting with an open color A ring, pick up 6 color C rings then close it.  Next, take an open color B ring and slide it through the same 6 small rings then close it.

 

 

 

 

Using a new open color A ring, pick up 10 small rings.  Pass through 2 of the small rings from the previous step before closing it.  Add a color B ring through the same small rings making sure it is on the same side as the previous color B ring.  Divide the small rings so that there are 4 on each side and two on the end. 

 

 

 

Take a new open color A ring and pick up 10 small rings.  Pass it through the 2 rings on the end of the short chain and close it.  Add a color B ring through these same 12 rings.

 

 

 

 

 

Repeat the previous steps to make a chain as long as you need.  Each pair of large rings should be attached to the ring on either side by 2 small rings with 4 loose small rings on the top and bottom with the exception of the rings on the end.  These should be attached by two rings on one side and have 4 loose small rings.

 

 

 

Next, you'll add an outside row.  Take an open color A ring and pick up 2 small rings.  Pass it through 2 small rings from the set of large rings on the left end and 2 small rings from the second large ring before closing it.  Make sure to leave the 2 rings you picked up loose to dangle at the bottom.  Add a color B ring through the same 6 small rings and close it.

 

 

 

Taking another color A ring, pick up 2 small rings.  Pass it through the 2 small loose rings we previously left hanging on the outside row, the 2 remaining small rings from the second set of large rings on the center row, and the 2 small rings from the third set of large rings on the center row.  Add a color B ring through the same 8 small rings and close it.

 

 

 

Repeat the previous step until you get to the end of the bracelet.  Note that you do not need to pick up the 2 small rings for the last set of large rings in this outside row.  You only need to go through the 6 small rings that are already attached to the other rings around it.

 

 

 

 

Now you can turn the bracelet upside down so the center row is on the bottom and repeat the previous steps to add another outside row.  Here is the bracelet with all three rows completed:

 

 

 

 

 

Almost done!  It's time to attach the clasp.  The book showed adding a lobster claw or toggle clasp to the end rings of the middle row, but I chose to use a three strand slide clasp instead.  I attached a pair of 4.8mm rings to each end of the outside rows with 2 pairs of small rings to even out the ends.  To do this, one pair of small rings goes between the 4.8mm ring and the large ring beside it and one pair goes between the 4.8mm ring and the large ring from the center row below it.  Finally, I used 6 pairs of small rings to attach each of the end rings to one of the three loops on the clasp.  All done!

 

 

 

This weave is on my list for "things to teach to crafty friends" since it's pretty easy and doesn't require a zillion ring sizes.  I can't wait to see what they think!