THE MIRRIX STARTER

BRACELET
LEARN BASIC WEAVING AND FINISHING CONCEPTS WITH THIS EASY HEART
BRACELET.

MIRRIX BEAD WEAVING

STARTER BRACELET
You just got your first Mirrix Loom and you cant wait
to get started... youre just not sure what project to
start with! This bracelet project can be done with
any beads and in any pattern, or you can follow
along with the same beads and pattern we used.
This tutorial goes over loom set-up, warping, how to
weave beads (without a shedding device), how to
take a piece off the loom and a simple way to finish
a piece. It also includes links to other Mirrix tutorials
and lots of tips and tricks to get you started weaving
on the right foot. Take your loom out of the box and
lets get started!

Tools:
-A Mirrix Loom
-Measuring tape/ruler
-A pair of sharp scissors
-A beading needle
-Pliers
-Glue

LOOM SET-UP
AND WARPING

Materials:
-Beading thread (here we use C-Lon size D
thread)
-Size 8/0 Beads (here we use five colors)
-Finishing supplies (here we use a pewter
button, two ribbon end-clamps and a piece
of ribbon)

Warping your loom is easier than you think! Check out our
detailed warping .pdf for bead weaving without the
shedding device for more details.
Get detailed warping instructions here:
http://www.mirrixlooms.com/wp/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/
beadworkwithoutsheddingdevice.pdf
-First, adjust your loom height by turning the wing nuts on either side bar. To figure out the loom height first you must
decide how long your bracelet will be. Measure your wrist and decide how long you want the beaded portion of
your piece. Take into consideration the clasp you will use and how much length this will add. The clasp we use here
only adds about 1/2 inch to the length of the piece (although there is some leeway in how much length you leave
to tie the ribbon, so the bracelet is somewhat adjustable). This sample piece is about 5 1/2 inches long which is
good for a small wrist.
For a Mirrix Loom 8 and larger, you should be able to fit the full bracelet on the front of the loom. This piece,
because it is a very thin beaded piece, does not need a warp coil/spring at the top of the loom.
Note: If you are using the 5 Mini Mirrix, you may need to advance your piece around the loom after youve
reached a certain length. To do that, you will simply release the tension slightly and move the warping bar up the
back of the loom. This will begin to rotate the piece around the loom so you have more space to weave on the
front! Warping this loom will also be slightly different. You can learn how to warp a Mini Mirrix here: http://
www.mirrixlooms.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/minimirrix.pdf.
Make sure to leave a few inches on either end of the piece so you can easily tie off the ends when youre done.
-Next, swing your wooden clips to the back of the loom so the white plastic pieces are facing the front.The clips
should be placed near the center of the loom. Place your warping bar in the indentations in the clips, pushing the
clips slightly inward to hold the warping bar firmly. If you clips are loose, you can tighten them using the white
plastic clips.
-Take your beading thread and tie one end to the warping bar. Depending on the loom size and the width of your
piece (the piece I weave here is 8 warps across, so it is fairly thin) you will want to decide where on the loom you
will put your piece. If you are weaving on a 5 or 8 loom, you can place your piece in the center of the warping
bar. For the larger looms, with such a thin piece, you will want to warp on one side. Then, you will balance the
warping bar on the other side either by warping another piece on the other side or by simply tying a string or
ribbon to the other side of the warping bar to balance it after youve finished warping.

-Begin warping by taking your thread down the back of the loom, under the loom from the back to the front, and
back up the front of the loom.
-When you get to the top of the loom, bring the thread over the top of the loom from the front to the back. Continue
down the back.

When you hit the warping bar on the back of the loom,
bring your thread around the warping bar and back up
in the direction you came from. Do not wrap around the
bar or continue back down the back of the loom.

Next, continue going up from the warping bar and over the top beam, this time from the back to the front.
Continue down the front of the loom and go around the bottom beam from the front to the back.
Continue up the back of the loom until you hit the warping bar. Bring the thread around the warping bar and go
back in the direction you came from, back down the loom.
Continue to warp in this pattern.
-Down the loom from the back
-Around the bottom beam from the back to the front
-Up the front of the loom
-Over the top beam from the front to the back
-Down the back of the loom
-Around the warping bar
-Up the back of the loom
-Over the top beam from the back to the front
-Down the front of the loom
-Around the bottom beam from the front to the back
-Up the back of the loom
-Around the warping bar
-Down the loom from the back...

When you have warped 8 warps across (count your warps on the top of the
loom), continue to the warping bar. Ct your thread, leaving plenty to tie off
with. Tie your warp thread to the warping bar. Try to keep your tension even
when doing that.
Next, bring your warp bar an inch or two from the bottom beam. Then,
tighten your tension by adjusting the wing nuts on either side of the loom.
Make sure your warp threads are firmly tightened.
Cut a new piece of thread (a good rule of thumb is to make that thread as
long as your wing span.
Using a slip knot, tie this thread to the bottom of your side beam. If you are
right handed, youll want to do this on the left side. If you are left handed,
youll want to do this on the right side.

WEAVING
Weaving beads is easy!

This project is meant to teach the basics of weaving beads on a Mirrix Loom.
You may not want to make the same pattern here or use the same colors
(and may have decided to warp your loom so your bracelet will be thinner
or wider than the one shown here).
Depending on the length you decided you want your bracelet, you may be
adding more hearts than me or may opt to do a few more solid links at the
beginning and end of your piece. Its up to you! Each heart is a little less
than an inch long, so take that into consideration when planning your piece.
Begin by threading a needle onto the thread you tied to the side of your
loom. Then, pick up seven beads (here, they are blue beads) . If youre
making a slightly different piece and it is not the same width, youll need one
fewer bead than the number of warp threads you have. So, if you have ten
warp threads, youll want to weave nine beads across.

Next, place the beads behind your warp threads. Each bead should stick between two warp threads. If your
thread is tied to the side of the loom on the left, youll be placing your beads behind your warp threads from
the left to the right. Then, sew through the beads in the front of the warp going back in the other direction (in
this case, from right to left).
Basically, you are sewing your beads onto the warp thread.
Make sure your needle, as you sew through, does not pierce any warp threads and stays to the front of them.

Then, pull so your thread is taut. Your beads should be in place and
will set the width of the piece. Generally the first row is always the
hardest to weave, but with a piece this thin, you shouldnt have any
trouble at all. And it will just get easier!
Continue weaving in this manner.
For this pattern you will weave:
One row of all blue (the row you already weave)
One row of three blue, one pink and three more blue.
One row of two blue, three pink and two more blue.
One row of one blue, give pink and one more blue.
One row of all pink.
One row of three pink, one blue and three more pink.
One ow of one blue, two pink, one blue, two more pink and one more
blue.
One row of all blue.
You will repeat that pattern with different colors.

Continue weaving your pattern. As you weave each row, pull the thread taut, but do not pull so tight that you
begin to pull in on the warp threads.
Remember:
-Pick up your beads
-Place them behind the warp threads
-Sew back through over the front of the warp threads
Easy, right?
Note: If you begin to run out of thread, you will need to start a new one. We explain this towards the end of
the piece, but you can find more detailed instructions here: http://www.mirrixlooms.com/wp/wp-content/
uploads/2014/02/startnewthread.pdf.

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Continue to weave.

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After weaving five hearts (or more depending on the length you want your piece) you can begin to weave a
place for the button to go. You may choose to finish your piece a different way and not include this part.
Simply putting a clasp on afterwards works great, too.
To weave the button hole:
Instead of weaving all the way across, weave mini rows three beads across, using the same method you used
when weaving the full width of the piece. When youve reached the top you can either end your thread, or
weave back through your beads (making sure not to unweave) and start your needle on the other side to
finish up that side.
To end the thread, weave partway into the piece and tie a knot around the warp thread (which will be hidden
by the beads).

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Then, re-weave through your beads a few rows down.

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You may want to tie another knot onto the

warp thread at some point. When you feel
your thread is secure, trim it. It should
disappear between the beads.

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You will start a new thread the same

way. Insert your needle with a new
thread on it partway Then, tie a knot to
the warp thread in the middle of the row.
Continue weaving up.

When you get back up to the top, begin weaving the second side of
your buttonhole. You will do this backwards from how you were
weaving the beads before, because you will be coming from the left to
the right. Weave three beads across just like you did on the other side,
which will leave a one-bead-wide space in the middle. When you reach
the top, weave one more row all the way across. (You can see from the
pictures I did not weave up high enough on one side and had to go
back and add in a row. Remember to measure to make sure your button
will fit through!)

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When youre finished weaving, weave (over and under your warp
threads) up just using your thread. This will be the place you put your
ribbon end clamp. Tie a knot to the warp thread before you start this
and at the end to make sure everything is secure.
Make sure this piece of weaving is the right size to fit in your ribbon end
clamp.

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When you are done, do the same thing on the other side. If you started
your piece at the bottom, youll want to loosen your tension slightly and
move your piece up on the loom (do this by moving the warping bar
down, which will rotate the piece up) so you have room to weave the
part that is just thread on the bottom.
Before you move the piece, untie the thread you had previously tied to
the side of the loom.

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Start weaving the thread you untied down your warp threads, tying a
knot to the warp thread at some point to make sure everything is secure.
You may need to start another piece of thread if the thread you are
using is not long enough. Again, this piece of weaving needs to be the
right size to fit in your ribbon end clamp.
When you are finished weaving, loosen your tension using the wing-nuts
on either side of the loom, slip the warping bar out of the warp threads
and take the piece off the loom. Lay the piece plat and trim the ends so
you have several inches on both the top and bottom of the piece.

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FINISHING
There are lots of different ways to
finish a piece. This is one way. It
requires ribbon end clamps, a
button and a piece of ribbon.

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Lay your piece down on a flat surface, smooth it out and let it rest. Sometimes the tension on the warp threads
stretches them slightly and they need time to adjust to not being under tension. If you tie your knots too soon
and this was the case, sometimes your piece will buckle.
After your piece has rested, tie every two warp threads in a slip knot. Do this by making a loop with two warp
threads. Then, place a needle into that loop and hold is securely at the base of the piece. Then, pull tightly
and remove the needle. After doing this to both sides, trim the ends.

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A strong glue is very

helpful to have around.
We love E6000 glue.

Once your ends are trimmed, place some glue at the ends to hold down any ends sticking out and to help
keep the ribbon end clamp on. Clamp it down using a pair of pliers. Do this on both sides. Let the glue dry.

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Now all you have to do is thread your

ribbon through both ends of the piece.
You want your ribbon ends to be facing
the inside of the piece. Then, bring each
end of the ribbon through a button hole.
Place the bracelet on someones wrist,
bring the button through the hole, pull to
make the bracelet the desired length, and
tie a bow! This can be difficult to do on
your own wrist until you get the hang of
it, but its nicely adjustable and very
secure once it is on!

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Your finished piece!

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