Need help. UPDATED -- LOOK, LOOK! :-)) PIC IN LAST POST! :-))

 I am trying to repair a bracelet for a friend.  It was one her daughter got her in China.  It is a combination of beads and leather, with a flower center, which is what broke.  The flower center has 6 petal-shaped 'beads' (Mother of Pearl, I think), and six beads.  Then there are 6 more beads, smaller and yellow, for a center of a flower.  The flower holds the two halves together.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to repair this thing!  When I make it 'stiff' enough to hold up, the petals are turned wrong.  The petals need to lay flat.  Can anyone help me? 

 Christine, welcome to the forums, first of all!!!  Now, as far as your project, I am not quite sure how would be best to help with this...is there anyway you could post a picture of the piece...I am sure that will help us help you!  =)

 Thank you!  I've posted before, but it's been a while.  I never feel I have too much to offer, so I basically read.  I guess I *should* make sure to post more "thank you"s though.  Sorry.

I had to take this with my son's camera. . ... I hope you can still recognize this!

The petals and the larger beads are supposed to make up the flower, with the smaller ones the inside of it.  The flower is supposed to hold those two ends together.  So, those beads on the end of those openings are part of the flower.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to do this!  What I do either misaligns the petals or it's very floppy.

OK, the petals should lie flat, right? I'm thinking hard. I only have petal beads that are drilled the longer way and would lie flat on their own. I try to figure something out, but maybe someone else has a good idea.

And don't worry about not posting. We're here to help, no matter if a regular or a "reader-only" asks a question.

OK, maybe this works: take a long thread and pass it through one of petal beads, so the bead sits in the middle of this thread. Now you can work with two thread halfs like in double-needle raw. Depending on the thread you can work with or without needles. In the next step pass both thread ends in the same direction through one of the small beads. Now take the second  petal bead, pass one thread from the top and one from the botton through the petal. Then take one of the small beads (or one bead attached to the ends of the bracelet to connect the flower to the bracelet) and pass both threads thorugh the bead in the same direction.

When you reach the petal bead, you started with, pass one thread from the top and one from the bottom through the petal and you're done with the outer flower. Now you have to play a bit with the six beads left for the center of the flower and how to weave in the thread ends. So I hope this was not too confusing. And tell us if it worked. It's difficult to explain if one doesn't have the right beads to try with.

  I was thinking maybe try a kind of ladder stitch with the petals then join them in a circle...and I would secure them well with several passes so that when the bracelet is worn it won't become the weak spot.  Then asfar as the center...mmm...well...maybe just do a kind of netting in the center.  As far as joining it to the actual bracelet the only thing I can think to do from there would be to secure the ends while your reinforcing the ladderstitched loop of petals.  Honestly, I am not sure but its worth a shot!  Hope that helps a little!

 Dagmar-- that was JUST the thought I had about how to do this. 2-needle RAW with the side beads on one side only, so they form the smaller inner circle of beads. It'd be worth a try at any rate!

Good luck with that!

Lois

 If I read your description it has to look a little like this:

Only you would use the petalshaped beads instead of the swarovski hearts, and lose the center bead, but that will go naturally, since the top of your beads is small, where these hearts are large, so using six of your beads will make a smaller innercircle. This is french beadwork and I had a link for the tutorial in my favorites:

http://www.bijouxenperles.com/schemas/photos/schema-nenuphar.jpg

Now, it's written in french, but there are some diagrams as well. I've made this one a few times so if you have any trouble, let me know, and 'll see if I can help you.

 I tried to pull up the link. . .. it wouldn't work. :-( .  But, I did do it with the RAW,and the flower is. . . . . .well. . .. not round?  The petals do lie flat, though! :-)  I've done it with monofilament and Dandyline, and the flower is enlongated.  My guess is that the little yellow beads are supposed to somehow hold it round. . ... . or am I just using the wrong thing on which to bead it?

 Oh, I guess they protected their site or something.... Too bad.

 Hi I just went to the web site; Http://www.bijouxenperles.com

and it brought the site up, it is in French,but has beautiful photos.

hope this helps. click on this picture and it matches the one on Kimmie's post:

BAGUE NENUPHAR

 http://www.bijouxenperles.com/schemas/bague-nenuphar.php

here's the link to that flower heart... and it looks like she made it jsut the way Dagi and I were thinking

Lois

Yay, that was exactly what I thought!

Thanks for reposting the links!

 From what I can tell, the middle bead keeps the flower round, is that right?  It worked as far as keeping the petals flat, but it will not stay round.  I'm going to make a nice, tight round circle from the yellow beads, and attach it inside the flower to see if it will keep it round.

This looks terrible!  I think she lost some beads when it broke.  I have never had so much trouble with something! [:'(]