Triangle bead bangle

I mentioned in this post that I liked the look of right angle weave with triangle beads.

The result looks a bit like snake skin to me because of the random way the beads turn.  Don't you think?

At one point, while beading Runway of Pearls by Barbara Falkowitz (published in the December 2011 issue of Beadwork), I thought about using a different bead instead of pearls. I ended up staying true to the pattern with wonderful results.  You can see my version here.

I still wanted to try out my idea, though.  Since I always seem to have beads laying around (just ask my husband), I had plenty of materials.  I found some purple triangle beads and started another 5 row right angle weave base.  I made mine 65 rows long (about 10 inches).  I noticed that this "shrinks" a bit when you fold it over.  Make your right angle weave base about an inch and a half or two inches longer than you want the bangle to be.

I embellished rows 1, 2, 4 and 5 just like the design for Runway of Pearls calls for.

It's a little hard to tell in these pictures, but the embellishment is there.  I couldn't find a color I liked with the purple triangle beads, so I opted for a more monochromatic pairing with blue iris seed beads.

Then I added joined the sides to make my right angle weave box.  Then I zipped it up to make a bangle shape.

I stitched two rows of farfalle beads between the triangle beads on the top of the bangle and 11 seed beads between the triangle beads on the bottom of the bangle.  The farfalle beads lined up wonderfully between the triangle beads.  The addition of the 11 seed beads helped the bangle keep its shape.  (I don't like a wimpy bangle.)

And the finished product:

If you try this, keep in mind a few things:

• This bracelet will shrink.  A 9 inch base will not yield a 9 inch bangle.  If you are concerned, you can either make it longer than you would normally (1.5 or 2 inches as I suggested above), or you can wait to zip it into a bangle until after you add the embellishment.
• You don't need to embellish the bottom of the bangle with the 11 and 15 seed beads (meaning you can skip embellishing rows 4 and 5 above).  No one will see the bottom.  If you don't embellish the bottom of the bangle, your bangle may not shrink as much.  I'm also not sure if the bangle will keep its shape without the embellishment.
• You can also run a length of 3mm cord through the bangle to help it keep its shape.  This isn't a wimpy bangle, but it is a bit wiggly. 

This was a fun experiment for me.  Usually, my ideas don't work as well in reality as they do in my head.  This bangle, however, ended up just as I envisioned.  It worked up quickly and let me use the farfalle beads I have been itching to try.