I’ve been making jewellery for friends (jewelry if you’re American) and one friend said if her husband’s not there, she always has trouble fastening a bracelet, especially if it’s got a hook on the end, or one of those little moving part clasps, sometimes called a lobster clasp or parrot clasp, like that one on the right.

And I thought, actually a lot of people have that problem, husbands or not. So here’s a little video that shows you how to use a paper clip to help you to fasten a bracelet on your own. It’s quite a nifty trick.

Another alternative if you’re making the bracelet (or getting me to make it) is to use a toggle clasp, as I have with these bracelets below.  You just slip the bar through the loop, and it holds it in place. Nice and easy.  The chunky quartz bracelet is mine — I love rough-cut quartz and gemstones —  the green jade one is for a friend.