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How to make kandi cuffs from patterns
I have a new tutorial that is easier to follow than this one. See it here: http://kandipatterns.com/kandi-tutorials/hello-kitty-cuff-tutorial
This tutorial will attempt to teach you how to make a multi-stitch kandi cuff like the one above, as well as how to read kandi patterns like the ones from this site. This is the way that I personally make cuffs, and I know that some of you may use an easier method, but this is the one I prefer.
This tutorial is very detailed, which also means that some of it is repetitive. You can use the outline or other links placed within the tutorial to skip ahead if needed.You may also need to refer to the Adding on string if you run out before you get to it in the tutorial. Please do not post this tutorial on other websites, but you may link to it.
This is the pattern we are going to make. You can use different colors if you want, obviously. I chose this pattern because the vertical lines make it easy to tell if you have misplaced a bead.
Basics of following patterns
| Row | Start at bead # | Row | Start at bead # |
| 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 |
| 2 | 1 | 12 | 6 |
| 3 | 2 | 13 | 7 |
| 4 | 2 | 14 | 7 |
| 5 | 3 | 15 | 8 |
| 6 | 3 | 16 | 8 |
| 7 | 4 | 17 | 9 |
| 8 | 4 | 18 | 9 |
| 9 | 5 | 19 | 10 |
| 10 | 5 | 20 | 10 |
Hopefully you can see how the pattern goes from there. But you shouldn't rely entirely on this chart, because it may not work for all patterns, and it definitely doesn't work if you make the cuff in a different way. You should keep checking your cuff with the pattern to make sure you're on track. Let's get started making the cuff (directions will appear above each photo).
Here I laid out all of the beads that are going to make up the first row of the cuff. If this is your first cuff, you should lay out the beads like this to make it easier. And if you compare these with the pattern, it will help you understand how to read the first row.
Cut a long piece of string, as long as you are comfortable working with. If you run out, you can tie more on later; see Adding on string if you run out. Now thread the beads from left to right. Once they're on the string, make sure that the longest section of the string is to the right, and that there are a few inches left over to the left. This left section is what will be labeled "end" throughout the tutorial, and you won't thread it through beads until the very end. All you'll do until then is pull it occasionally to tighten the cuff.
Take the long end of the string (not the "end"), and thread it through the first bead on the left (the yellow one).
Pull it tightly, until the beads come close together. They will come looser as you add more beads, so you'll need to keep pulling both ends of the cuff to tighten it. You've now completed row 1 (the base of the cuff)!
Starting the 2nd row
Check the pattern or photo of the beads laid out, and you'll see that the first bead of the 2nd row is a yellow one. Thread the yellow bead onto the string, then skip over the next bead and go through the green bead labeled below. As you continue to thread new beads for the rest of the cuff, you will always skip one bead. Never thread through the bead that's next to where your string comes out.
The second bead of the 2nd row is a green one. Place it onto your string, skip a bead, and pull it through the blue bead labeled below.
The third bead of the 2nd row is a blue one. Place it onto your string, skip a bead, and pull it through the yellow bead labeled below.
As you can tell, this is a very repetitive stitch. Continue adding beads in this way. When you get to about the 5th bead, your cuff should start to stand up. If it doesn't, you haven't been pulling hard enough. This means that when your cuff is finished, it will be more loose/stretchy rather than tight and stiff. In my opinion you want it to start out tight and stiff, because it will stretch out over time.
Finishing the 2nd row
When you come to the end of each row, you will still skip a bead, but you'll also have to pull through two beads rather than just one. The last bead of the 2nd row is a green one. Place it onto the string, skip a bead, and pull it through the yellow beads shown below. Note that you are pulling it through two yellow beads. If you have been pulling tight, the 2nd bead you pull it through will be raised higher than the 1st bead, as you can tell from the photo.
Pull tightly, and you're finished with the 2nd row!
Be sure to compare your cuff with the pattern to make sure all the beads are in place.
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Remember the chart that shows what beads to start from for each row?
| Row | Start at bead # | Row | Start at bead # |
| 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 |
| 2 | 1 | 12 | 6 |
| 3 | 2 | 13 | 7 |
| 4 | 2 | 14 | 7 |
| 5 | 3 | 15 | 8 |
| 6 | 3 | 16 | 8 |
| 7 | 4 | 17 | 9 |
| 8 | 4 | 18 | 9 |
| 9 | 5 | 19 | 10 |
| 10 | 5 | 20 | 10 |
It shows that on the third row, we start from the 2nd bead. What this means is, as we look at row 3 on the pattern, we won't start at the very first bead (the yellow one). Instead we'll start at the second, green one.
Thread the green bead onto the string, skip a bead, and pull it through the green bead labeled below.
The second bead of the 3rd row is a blue one, so thread it onto the string, skip a bead, and pull it through the blue bead labeled below.
By now your cuff should be standing up quite nicely.
Finishing row 3
The last bead on row three is a yellow one. If you look at the pattern, this bead is actually first, but it turned into the last because we began stringing at the second bead. Place the yellow bead onto the string, skip a bead, and pull it through the two beads labeled below - the yellow and green ones.
Pull the string tightly, and then you're done with row 3! Check that your cuff matches up with the pattern, and if you understand how to complete and start new rows, finish the rest of the cuff by yourself using the row chart as reference and then skip to this section (click).
Starting the 4th row
The first bead on row 4 is the green one circled below, because again, we are starting at the 2nd bead rather than the first.
Place the green bead onto the string, skip a bead, and pull it through the blue bead labeled below.
Finishing the 4th row
The last bead on the 4th row is yellow. As with row 3, this is actually the first bead in the row if you look at the pattern, but it became the last because we started at the 2nd bead. Thread the yellow bead through the two green beads labeled below.
Pull tightly, and now you're done with row 4 :) check that your cuff matches with the pattern!
Starting the 5th row
As the chart from earlier shows, for the fifth row you should start at the 3rd bead, which is blue.
String the blue bead, skip a bead, and pull it through the blue bead as shown. Continue doing this until you get to the last bead in the row (the green one)
Finishing the 5th row
To finish the row, pull the string with the green bead on through the two beads labeled below - the green and blue.
You're now done with row 5 :D don't forget to check that your cuff matches with the pattern!
Doing the 6th row
Row 6 starts from the 3rd bead across. Finish row 6 by yourself.
This is what your cuff will look like after you have completed row 6.
Doing rows 7-10
Continue on with rows 7-10. In the photo below I have laid out the order of the beads.
After row 10 your cuff should look like this:
Finishing the rest of the rows
| Row | Start at bead # | Row | Start at bead # |
| 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 |
| 2 | 1 | 12 | 6 |
| 3 | 2 | 13 | 7 |
| 4 | 2 | 14 | 7 |
| 5 | 3 | 15 | 8 |
| 6 | 3 | 16 | 8 |
| 7 | 4 | 17 | 9 |
| 8 | 4 | 18 | 9 |
| 9 | 5 | 19 | 10 |
| 10 | 5 | 20 | 10 |
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Adding more string if you run out
If you run out of string before you finish all the rows, don't worry. You can just tie more on :)
To do this cut a new piece of string, and hold it together with the old string, with the new string on top.
Then knot the ends together. Triple knotting is best, because you don't want to risk having the knot come undone.
One you've triple knotted it, trim the excess string from the knot. Then, as you continue to add beads, pull the knot inside of a bead to hide it.
When you're finished - tying off the first loose end
When you have put on the last bead of the last row (row 19), your cuff should look like this, with two loose ends - one at the top, and one at the bottom.
Take the loose end at the top of the cuff (you can tell which is the top because of the direction of the pattern) and pull it through two more beads. This is just to make sure the beads are as tight as they can be.
Then take the end, and push it down through the closest gap.
Then pull the end of string up through the loop you just made.
If you pull the end tightly (as far as it will go), you will make a knot. The photo below doesn't depict the knot, but you should know what it will look like ;D make at least one - preferably two - more knots using the same loop method.
Once you've tied 2-3 more knots, you can cut off the excess string from the knot, and pull the knot inside the closest bead to hide it from view.
Tying off the bottom loose end
Now for the bottom end. The bottom loose end should be coming out of a yellow bead, and the yellow bead should be a bit wobbly since the string hasn't gone through any other beads.
Pull the loose end through three beads to better secure it.
Then you can go ahead and tie 2-3 knots using the same loop method that you used for the top loose end.
Trim the excess string from the knot, and pull it through a bead to hide it. Congratulations, you've finished the cuff :D
Get kandi patterns to make!
