By Show Me Step by StepPublished
Based on a video by Craft Time by Kasi.
A charm bracelet is a plain bead bracelet with something extra hanging from it. It is easier than it looks. Kasi from Craft Time by Kasi makes one from wooden beads on stretch cord, then adds two small dangles with silver bead caps and swirly connector charms. There is no clasp, so it slips on and off over the hand. Once you know the method, you can swap in any beads and any charms you like.
Wrap a soft tape measure around the wrist bone, snug but not tight. Add half an inch to one inch for comfort. Kasi aims for 7 1/2 inches, a common adult size. Lay the strung beads against a ruler before you tie. If it runs long, take one bead off. Remember that big beads and dangling charms make a bracelet sit tighter, so size up a little for chunky designs.
| Wrist | Bracelet length |
|---|---|
| Child | 5 1/2 to 6 inches |
| Small adult | 6 1/2 to 7 inches |
| Average adult | 7 to 7 1/2 inches |
| Large adult | 8 inches |
Stretch bracelets fail at the knot, not the cord. Pre-stretching the elastic stops it sagging later. A surgeon's knot (a plain knot, then a second one wrapped twice) grips better than a granny knot. A drop of gel glue locks it. Hiding the knot inside a charm holder protects it from rubbing. Let the glue cure overnight before you roll the bracelet on.
Charms make a bracelet personal. Try a birthstone bead on each dangle, a letter charm for a grandchild's initial, a small heart or a holiday charm you change with the season. Keep the total to two or three. More than that and the bracelet twists and the charms tangle. A matching pair, one for you and one for a friend, makes a sweet gift.
Practice opening rings with how to open a jump ring. For a plain version, see how to make a beaded bracelet. Prefer cord? Try string bracelets and a bracelet knot.
10 steps · about 19 minutes.Check off each step as you go and your progress saves automatically.
Cut a little over 12 inches of clear stretch cord. Before any beads go on, work along it a few inches at a time and give each section a firm tug. This pre-stretch takes out the slack the cord would lose later on your wrist. Skip it and the finished bracelet can sag and show gaps between the beads after a few wears.
Tip
Pull firmly but not hard enough to thin the cord. You want it relaxed, not weakened.
Clip a bead stopper onto one end so nothing slides off. String the beads in a random order, but try not to put two of the same color side by side. Kasi uses nineteen 8mm wooden beads in natural shades. If a bead hole is blocked, push an awl through it before stringing. Stop at about half your beads.
Tip
Lay your beads out in order on a towel first so you can see the color pattern.
Slide on a silver charm holder like any other bead, then string the second half of your beads. The other charm holder goes on last. Lay the strand along a ruler. Kasi's came to 8 inches, so she took one bead off to reach 7 1/2. Those two charm holders are where the charms will hang.
Tip
Measure with the charm holders on. They add length too.
Take off the bead stopper and bring both ends together. Tie a plain knot, left over right. Then tie a second knot, but wrap the cord over twice before pulling it through. Pull it snug without yanking. Tie the knot right next to a charm holder, because that wide hole will slide over and hide it.
Tip
Watch your nails near the knot. They can nick the elastic.
Hold the two beads on either side of the knot apart with one hand. Keep the charm holder loose so it can move. Shake the glue, then put a healthy drop of gel super glue on the knot and work it into both sides. Gel stays where you put it, so it does not run into the beads or onto your fingers.
Tip
Use gel, not liquid glue. Liquid wicks along the cord and can stiffen it.
While the glue is still wet, snip both tails close to the knot with flush cutters. Then slide the loose charm holder over the knot so it disappears inside. Let go and check that no cord ends poke out. The bracelet part is done. Leave it to dry before you stretch it much.
Tip
Flush cutters give a clean, close cut that scissors cannot match.
Each charm starts as a small dangle. Thread a ball end head pin with a bead cap facing up, a 6mm wooden bead, then a second bead cap facing down. The caps hug the bead from above and below so it looks finished. Make two of these, one for each charm holder on the bracelet.
Tip
Use a contrasting bead color for the dangles so the charms stand out.
Grip the head pin with round nose pliers right above the top bead cap. Bend the wire over at an angle, then wrap it back around the pliers with your fingers to start a loop. Hold the tail and snip it off inside the loop with flush cutters. Close the loop with the round nose pliers.
Tip
Cover the wire with a finger when you cut. The tail can fly off.
Hold a jump ring with two pairs of chain nose pliers, one on each side of the opening. Twist one hand toward you and the other away to open it sideways. Hook on the dangle and one end of a silver connector charm. Twist the ring closed so the ends meet flush. Repeat for the second charm.
Tip
Never pull a jump ring apart. Twisting keeps its round shape.
Open another jump ring the same way. Slip it through the charm holder on the bracelet, then through the free end of a connector charm. Close it. Do the same with the second charm on the other holder. The charms now dangle from the bracelet. Let the glue cure overnight, then roll it onto your wrist.
Tip
Roll a stretch bracelet on and off. Pulling it wide wears out the knot.
Keep going
How to Open a Jump Ring the Right Way
9 steps · about 3 minutes
How to Make a Charm Bracelet With Stretch Cord
E6000
E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
Gorilla
Gorilla Dual-Temp Full-Size Hot Glue Gun
Dual-temp so it handles delicate florals and heavy materials alike. A precise nozzle and built-in stand make it the everyday craft-table gun.
OLFA
OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
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