Welcome to this crazy hobby. You might try a LYCRA product as your elastic. Try doubling it by cutting a piece about 19 inches long, use a #10 needle. String your beads on it. You will have 4 ends after you cut the lycra at the needle. You should not need a fastener., Pull the lycra up tight and tie a surgeons knot (you can find it in the back section of a Bead style mag or Bead and Button mag or google it) after the knot, trim up close, put on a drop of Hypo cement and pull the ends into a bead. You now have a stretch bracelet.