Forum - Newbies - Making bracelets with dexterity issues | BraceletBook

Making bracelets with dexterity issues

Reply

dorianBay Beginner	2 weeks, 2 days ago by dorianBay Hello there! I've tried making my first bracelet today and it was challenging and it ended up being scrapped. I have dexterity issues in my hands because of my disability, however I would still love to make bracelets. I had trouble keeping my strands fixed on the table because I tend to pull on the strings while tightening the knots, which lead to my rows being unaligned and messy. Another issue was keeping track of which strands went where on my desk. Because of the way I tied the knots, the strands would overlap and get tangled. By the time I'd untagle them, I wouldn't know which ones went on which side. Does anyone have any advice on how to make friendship bracelets while having dexterity issues? Thank you for your help.
BabyWren12 Bracelet King	2 weeks, 2 days ago by BabyWren12 I don’t personally have dexterity issues so my ideas might all be useless but i’ll give it my best shot 😓 were you taping your strings down on the table? in general i find that is too loose for me too but two things that DO work is using a binder clip on a clipboard/thin hardcover book (i use where’s waldo lol) or attaching it to a waterbottle, specifically a full waterbottle that i hold between my legs for separating your strings, i’ve seen some people use a piece of cardboard that they cut slits on the end of and then put their strings in there. that way they stay in order! lmk if this works!!
halokiwi Moderator	2 weeks, 2 days ago by halokiwi I would recommend using a binderclip (more secure than tape) and thicker yarn (thicker yarn is easier to work with then embroidery floss).

Alt64_ Advanced	2 weeks, 1 day ago by Alt64_ Hello! I'd like to help with my experience and perspective. I recommend starting with a small, simple pattern, with just a few threads, so you can learn how to use the threads and knot properly. I recommend a pattern you can complete in 1 or 2 days and feel satisfied with the result. I also recommend using a hooked board or a hooked folder; it will help a lot when securing the threads. It's always worth remembering: good lighting, good posture, stretching your fingers and warming up your hands, a quiet place where you can concentrate and relax, and above all, lots of patience. As a beginner, frustration is normal, but you'll see that with dedication, you'll produce work you'll be proud of, whether for yourself or as a gift for someone special. I hope my words help you, and I'm sure we'll help if you have any further questions. Big hugs!
dorianBay Beginner	1 week, 6 days ago by dorianBay Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for your advice and kind words! Over the past few days I've been hard at work with my first bracelet and I tried out what you have recommended. To secure the bracelet to my desk I used a hardback book, which kept it from moving even with my strong pulling. To keep my strings from getting mixed up I tried using a comb which essentially works the same way as a piece of cardboard with slits cut out. I ended up figuring out how to pair up my strings and spread them out across my desk not to mix them up, as well as reading the pattern to see where each of the strings go if I did mix them up. I used the comb to arrange and secure my strings when I had to take breaks from making the bracelet, however. That worked really well! I also kept my string number fairly small, as I did a chevron which consisted of six strings. The bracelet started off really messy but as I kept working and noticing my mistakes, it's later rows started making the actual chevron pattern. Once again, thank you so much! I'm really excited to keep making bracelets!
goregirl Bracelet King	1 week, 1 day ago by goregirl Hi! Fellow dexterity challenged person here. I’ve got swan neck deformity and hitchhiker thumbs. Anchoring your strings properly is what helps me. Paperweights are useless to me and safety pins are a no go for me too. Some others use tape or binder clips/clipboards. I use both. As for the alignment you can use a ruler to straighten your lines, I use a gift card because I don’t have a ruler 😂 As for the keeping track of which knot: pick patterns with distinct colors and avoid multiple strings of the same color if you can’t tell which string you’re on. If you can’t do that: just look very closely at the last knot to see which string you just used, use a magnifying glass if you have to. As for the tangling it drives me nuts so instead of letting long strings free dangle while I knot, I keep all of my strings on bobbins 😂😅 Sure it will definitely take longer to make the knots when you’re holding onto bobbins but for me it’s better than having to repeatedly untie a million knots and tangles that can be inevitable with long strings. Dexterity tips: I wish I could offer more about this but I haven’t figured it out for myself yet. All I currently do is pick patterns like alphas because complex normal patterns are hard for me to keep the tension tight in the first half of the knot (to prevent gaps in bracelets). Best of luck

Reply