These Morse code bracelets are inspired by the Never Ending Readers’ March book selection, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. We had a lot of fun making these bracelets during our book club meeting while we discussed the book. Set during World War II, Code Name Verity follows two best friends who must fight to survive. We loved following the growth of the friendship between the two main characters and how real their personalities felt.
Here are the supplies you'll need to make your very own book-inspired Morse code bracelet:
- Seed beads in 3 different colors*
- morse code translator
- Stretch cord for jewelry in a size that will fit through the hole in your beads
- Scissors
- Flexible measuring tape or string
- Ruler
- Paper
*Consider the length of your encoded message when choosing what size of bead you want to use. For our bracelets, we used size 6/10 beads, which fits a message up to 15-20 characters long on an average size bracelet. If you want to use a longer phrase, use smaller beads to fit more characters. Conversely, use larger beads for a short word.
Choose and assign three different color beads: one for dots, one for dashes, and one for separators (and to fill in any extra space you have after beading all your letters).
Use a flexible measuring tape (or piece of string) wrapped around your wrist to measure around your wrist to find out how long you would like your finished bracelet to be. Use this measurement to draw a line on your piece of paper. You’ll use this to check your bracelet length as you add the beads (this method is easier than trying to wrap your still unfinished bracelet around your wrist to check for length).
Cut a piece of the stretchy cord about twice as long as your finished bracelet will be. You want it to be long enough that you can tie it off after beading without all your beads falling off! Tie a large knot at one end to keep your beads from sliding off as you string them (don’t worry about how it looks, you’ll cut it off once you’re finished).
Decide what word or phrase you would like to encode. I chose to encode “expecto patronum” for the photographed example. Using large dots, dashes and divider lines, write out your encoded message. By writing it out this way, you can lay out the corresponding beads to plan your bracelet. It also allows you to double check your work and make sure everything is in the right order. Remember to add a single spacer bead between each letter, and three spacer beads between words (if your message has more than one word).
String the beads! If you find your beaded message doesn’t fill the length you measured and marked on your paper, you can keep adding beads in the spacer color to finish off the length.
Tie a large knot in the end of the string. This will keep your beads secure as you tie your final knot to finish the bracelet. Be sure to tie several times to make sure the knot is secure. You may want to add a small drop of glue to really secure everything.
These make really cute friendship bracelets if you and your friend have an inside joke or quote you like to say all the time! Or you can go old school and make “friends forever” bracelets for each of you.
Have fun encoding secret messages!
If you love YA books as well as crafts inspired by them, join us on the last Friday of each month for our book club meetings at the Santa Teresa Branch!
Add new comment