Looking for a quick, personal craft this holiday season to make that is also really super cool? Create a one-of-a-kind photo bracelet for that special someone using photos of images they love or of photos of people they love! The above photo was taken by my friend Chris. He actually came over last year and we crafted up a few for him to wear. I think he dug making them and it only took an hour or two! Also, check out this bevy of bracelets my Flickr friend Paul made last year inspired by my idea!

Here’s us wearing our finished creation (man, my hands are starting to look old, aww man!):

Here’s how you make ’em!

Supplies:

– Felt in desired color
– Images (have a theme or use random images)
– Fuseable iron-on inkjet transfer
– Iron
– Wax paper
– Computer with imaging software (I used Photoshop)
– Inkjet printer
– Sewing machine
– Button or fastener of choice (you can also use velcro or sew on snaps)
– Needle and thread
– Scissors or fabric rotary cutting tool
– Cutting mat with measurements

Instructions:

1. Cut out a piece of felt fabric approximately 9″ long by 1.75 tall. 9″ is the average width of most wrists, but may need to be sized differently depending on wrist size.

2. In your imaging program, open up several images that you want to make your photo collage. In mine, I chose to use neon signage. Create a document that is 8″ long by 1.25″ tall. Copy and paste your images into this new document sizing them down to be 1.25″ tall and arrange next to each other. Move images around until you are satisfied with colors and placement of each.

Optional idea: Use Big Huge Labs mosaic maker like my friend Chris did. You may have to scale or enlarge it to fit in Photoshop.

3. Using printing specifications, print out onto fusable iron-on inkjet material (you may actually want to create several bracelets up on a sheet so that you get more bang for your buck). Cut out carefully around image.

4. Heat iron on low setting. On ironing board or hard surface, lay inkjet transfer iron-on (image side facing up) onto felt. Lay wax paper over both materials and fuse iron-on onto felt. It should only take a few seconds.

5. For my design, I went around the actual image using a special stitch on my sewing machine, but this is optional. I just thought it gave it a more finished look. Also, if you want and have the know how and are doing a button closure, create a button hole slightly smaller than your button that you have chosen for a closure.

6. Position cuff around wrist and hand sew on button (make sure to wrap cuff around beforehand so that you know where button should be positioned so that it is most comfortable on your arm). Make sure to tightly loop thread around button several times when sewing to hold securely in place.

Here’s a detail of one I did featuring various neon sign photos I took:

If you end up making this project, please shoot over a picture to me. I’d love to see what you create!

Until next time Swellions!