armlet corsage help

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Gracie

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Sep 23, 2006
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I've been struggling with an armlet corsage (upper arm bracelet?) for a wedding tomorrow, and not doing too well with it. I'm hoping someone here can help.

I make a cuff bracelet (from a Hitomi Gilliam workshop) for wrist corsages. It's basically a rectangle decorative wire frame, filled in with bullion wire and jewels, flowers glued on, and then curved to fit the wrist. This is what was chosen for the wedding, and the salesperson said "Sure! We can make that as an armlet!"

I have no measurement for this upper arm, so have to guess at the length and somehow build in some flexibility for that. I'm concerned about chafing -- the upper arm is in constant contact with skin or dress, unlike a wrist. I'm also concerned about it falling off, for the same reason.

Anyone have any tips or experience with this kind of thing?
 
What is the part that goes around the arm made of? Is the rectangle just the base for the corsage?

I have done armlets often. I use a 18-20 ga. wire and circle it 3 times around the arm. You can spread the piece to cover most of the arm or squeeze together so it doesn't show as much. In that way, I have been able to fit many sizes of arms because it is adjustable by twisting the piece in opposite directions to tighten or loosen. I use a 4" to 6" size PVC pipe to circle the wire around smoothly.

Hope I helped a little.
 
inferno63 said:
What is the part that goes around the arm made of? Is the rectangle just the base for the corsage?

I have done armlets often. I use a 18-20 ga. wire and circle it 3 times around the arm. You can spread the piece to cover most of the arm or squeeze together so it doesn't show as much. In that way, I have been able to fit many sizes of arms because it is adjustable by twisting the piece in opposite directions to tighten or loosen. I use a 4" to 6" size PVC pipe to circle the wire around smoothly.

Hope I helped a little.
Click to expand...

That's basically what we do also. We use Oasis colored wire.
 
Yes, it did! Thanks. Not for what you said so much, but it spurred some thought process.

What the customer saw, and loved, and ordered, was a definite cuff. It's about 1-1/2" wide and the bullion wire in the center makes a random filigree pattern. The wire frame is (I can never remember the name of it) that thick, soft aluminum wire that comes in many, many colours.

What I'm doing right now is making continuous curlicues of the same aluminum wire to infill, and then I'm going to use the bullion filigree just at the ends.. If all goes well, the ends will overlap on the outside of the arm (and allow some length adjustment). The flowers (callas & wax) will be glued on one end.

I keep rubbing the thing against my tummy to check the smoothness. Good job I'm doing this at home. (Floral work will be done in the shop, later.)

Wish I had the pvc pipe.
 
Hi Gracie - I also saw the Hitomi workshop and we also make the cuff. For the upper arm make it into a long triangle - about 15 inches long and 2 inches at the widest part. Glue your largest flower and accent flowers at the widest part and you can also put some smaller flowers on the tip. We made up some samples in different colours and took pictures so the prom goers can see how to wear them - on the upper arm, on the ankle, on the wrist, on the head, on the neck, etc. They love them!! Good luck and sorry if this post is too late.
 
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