Recycled Watch Band Bracelets

*warning: Disney is an akward hand model. Please imagine these on a slender, tan arm with perfectly manicured nails.* :o)

I bought a few old watches at my local thrift store the other day (only $1 each!) so that I could use the faces for jewelry. It left me with the plain stretchy bands afterward, and I hated to throw them away, so I thought that I would try making some bracelets with them! I really like how they turned out :o)

It was really easy to do!

1) (Try not to damage the band when you take off the face.)

Most watches have little spring-loaded pegs that you can remove and replace easily. The watch bands I had used little metal pieces that were bent down to hold the watch head in (see photo), so I just lifted them with my fingernail(yes, I did break a nail!), removed the head, and pressed them back down with pliers.

2) Then you'll need to decide what to put between them. I chose to make a little flower out of lace, by laying two different pieces of lace (13" of each) on top of each other and sewing a long strait stitch, then pulling the top thread to gather.

3) When it was gathered to my satisfaction, I stitched it a few times with my machine to hold it in place.

4) Then I used a needle and thread to attach the loops of my watch band to a small circle of felt. If your watch band doesn't have loops you can just sew tightly all the way around one of the links several times, and it should hold nicely.

5) Then I stitched my flower (hot glue would be just fine, too!) to another felt circle the same size, and glued the circles together with my glue gun. This way the edges of your watch band are tucked neatly between the felt circles.

6) I also glued on a flower and pearl that I rescued from an old piece of costume jewelry that didn't get much wear. A button would be cute, too, or just the plain flower looks lovely!

Of course, you could use any type of watch band, I just happened to have the stretchy kind.

I also made this silver one with a little bit thicker band:

I'm not sure why I used an "S" button, as I don't really know any "S"'s that I could give it to. I think I just really wanted to use one of these buttons for something! Anyone want an "S" bracelet?? I have a few more of those buttons that I could send along with it, too. I'll just send it the first person who emails me (you can find my address on the contact page up top) * EDITED: Wow, I didn't think so many people would want that! And you guys are fast, too! Thanks to Liza, who was my first emailer! I'll have it out to you today!