Do you like to wear trendy bracelets that highlight your style? Do you need accessories for the next night out? Maybe you want to give your boyfriend a great birthday gift, with a little personal touch. The reason is not so important, making wonderful custom bracelets is so satisfying and fun, choose one or more of the techniques you find here and create your own bracelet!
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Casual
Step 1. Purchase the materials
You could create fun, colorful and casual bracelets using buttons and fishing line. The buttons can be normal, or with two holes, of different sizes and colors, depending on your style. To create the bracelet you can use fishing or elasticated line, doubling it to make it more resistant.
Step 2. Thread the buttons
Thread the thread between the buttons, going up into the right hole and then down into the left hole. Take the next button and do the opposite, go down right and up left. The next button will then be like the first one you made. Continue like this until the bracelet has reached the right length.
For length, you can adjust by measuring your wrist before starting, or by trying on the bracelet as you create it
Step 3. Finish the bracelet
Insert the closure you have chosen and that's it! You have just made a perfect bracelet for everyday wear, which will add color to your look and give you a particular and feminine charm.
Method 2 of 5: Elegant
Step 1. Choose your look
For a more elegant look, you could make a bracelet perfect for an aperitif, for a cocktail in a particular place or for a night at the club. For a fashion and elegant look, a spherical bead strand is perfect, so you can wear a strand of pearls without incurring the actual cost of a strand of pearls.
Step 2. Buy the beads
Depending on your style and preferences, you could get metal beads, real pearls, or imitation pearls. Your beads should be about the size of peas.
- The beads should be simple. Try not to use more than three colors together, and make sure the colors you have chosen go well with each other. You could also take beads of different sizes: use them in random (or almost) order to give your bracelet some movement.
- You could also take very small beads to separate the larger ones from each other. The small ones will act as dividers and give your bracelet a different look, as well as making it more flexible.
Step 3. Find the thread
You could use fishing line again or a stronger one. Stretch yarn is fine too, but just in case you don't want to insert the clasp, as stretch yarn is used to string the beads together. You can also use some ribbon and close the bracelet with a bow, but this depends on the size of your beads and the size of their central holes.
Measure your wrist and still leave some extra margin depending on how you want the bracelet to fit. For the length of the thread you can also adjust by observing the bracelets you already have. Remember to leave the margin also to insert the closure or to make the knot that closes everything. The excess thread will be cut off when finished
Step 4. Thread the beads through the thread of your choice
Place them in the order you prefer and that suggests inspiration. Apply the closure of your choice, following the instructions on the package. Cut the excess thread and the bracelet is ready!
Method 3 of 5: Children's Bracelet
Step 1. Get the materials
You will need ribbon, plastic beads, straws, wrapping paper, glue, and scissors. Choose the characteristics of the beads, the paper and the ribbon well, letting yourself be guided by your style. Choose colors that go well together and satisfy the child in you.
Step 2. Make the beads
Make the beads by lining the straws with wrapping paper. This stage can also be accomplished by older children without the help of parents. These straw beads are much cheaper than glass ones and also safer for children to wear.
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Start by cutting the paper into small triangles, the length could be 5cm for the base, and 6.5cm for the long sides. Smear the glue on the back of the paper and then roll the triangles around the straw. Cut the lined straw into small pieces to get the beads.
Make Your Own Bracelet Step 12Bullet1
Step 3. Make the bracelet
Alternate the straw beads with the plastic ones, and finally tie the ribbon to create the closure. All done! This is a great project to do with children, it will give them a chance to express their creativity while also helping them to test hand-eye coordination and other important skills.
Method 4 of 5: Men's Bracelet
Step 1. Simplicity
Men generally prefer a simple look made of more masculine materials. Use materials like leather and metal, wooden or glass beads instead of colored plastic ones. Avoid bright colors and bows. But if you know that the recipient of the gift prefers something different, create something that will appeal to him.
Step 2. Leather braid
A great way to make a men's bracelet can be to make a braid with leather cords. Start by buying some leather cords of the color you prefer, maybe even different colors that you will mix together.
- The strings shouldn't be too loose to make weaving easier. Also make sure that the type of leather you have chosen is resistant. The skin should not be too thin, the same thickness used when lining clothes will do.
- There is no need to use real leather. If you don't want to use animal products, faux leather is readily available and creates the same effect as real leather.
Step 3. Intertwine the strings
Intertwine the strings into a simple or more complex pattern, as you like. You can make a standard braid or see some complex braid pattern in a book or on the internet. Try a French sennit braid or Celtic knot techniques. Continue braiding until you reach the desired length.
Step 4. Apply the closure
Finish your work by creating a barrette closure, knotting one edge of the leather string and creating a loop with the other. Make sure the knot is small enough to go through the loop, but not too small that it comes out easily. An extra piece of string that comes out of the node can prevent the closure from opening. Alternatively, you can tie the ends together to close the bracelet. Done!
Method 5 of 5: Ideas and materials
Step 1. Look for ideas
Before you start making your own bracelets, think about what you would like to create. Having an idea of what you are going to do will make things easier for you, will save you from wasting time and materials that you don't really need, and will allow you to create the perfect accessory for you.
- Take a look at your bracelets. Take a good look at your collection of bracelets, whether they are bought or made by others, you might get some interesting ideas from the models and pieces you already have and therefore you like. Maybe you prefer a certain type of beading, clasp or color, and you might even focus on one type of bracelet you need. Look at what your collection is missing, maybe you need something casual to wear every day, and think about what you could do to fill this gap.
- Look at other people's bracelets. You might get some good ideas by looking at what other people are wearing. Does your best friend have the bracelet of your dreams? Try to recreate the particularities of the bracelets that you see around and that you like, so that you have something very similar. You could also look for inspiration in fashion magazines or in photos of famous people.
- Take a tour of the jewelry stores. Visit a few specialized jewelry stores, or go to a mall with a well-stocked jewelry department, to get some idea of what you're going to create. These stores offer a wide selection of items that will help you get inspired and also keep you up to date with current trends.
- Search on the Internet. The net is a great place to get some idea of accomplishment. Websites like Pinterest will not only inspire you, but they will also help you spot some of the things other people have created. You can do a simple search by typing "Bracelets", or perhaps search by color, styles and materials. The world of the internet is incredibly useful, because in addition to ideas, you can also easily find instructions to implement them.
Step 2. Get the materials
To make your bracelet you will need some things, which can be both cheap, more elaborate and therefore expensive. This of course depends on your preferences and possibilities. The necessary materials can be found easily in many places.
- Hobby and fine art shops. You can find a great deal of materials in hobby and fine art stores. Stores that specialize in this, if you have any nearby, have pretty much everything you need to make your own bracelets. You will find a wide variety of options, as well as a staff ready to help you find what you need and answer any questions you may have about the various techniques. Often the fine art shops organize workshops and other types of services, so remember to inform yourself and maybe get yourself included in their mailing list to be always updated on the different events.
- Vintage and thrift shops. You could get some old-fashioned features and recycle them for a modern bracelet with a vintage twist. Take a stroll through the streets and explore the flea markets and vintage shops, you could use a pair of old earrings, or some beads from an antique necklace or bracelet. The art of recycling is absolutely eco-friendly, helps reduce pollution and is very economical.
- Markets and local artists. Go to some flea markets to see what local artists are creating. In flea markets, as well as artist shops and even on the internet, you may find artisans creating perfect beads for your next project. Buying from artisan shops supports the local economy as well as the DIY culture.
Step 3. Buy the closures
The style of the bracelet is not important, the hooks and clasps are roughly the same, even if they are based on preferences. Go to a hobby, fine art, or specialty store and grab your favorite hooks and clips. Remember to keep in mind how you will attach the clip to the wire, to make sure the materials you are purchasing are suitable for your project.
- Simple closures, such as a bar or a hook, are ideal if you prefer a bracelet that can be removed and put on quickly, but also if you prefer a more artistic look.
- The lobster clasps are the most popular in recent years. Simple to use and very safe, they will ensure that you will not lose your bracelet on the road.
- Screw fasteners, which screw together, are more common in children's jewelry, as they are very strong and secure and require less dexterity and coordination than other closures. However, they are also frequently used for necklaces and bracelets.
- Knots and bows. Another way to close a bracelet is to use the string itself as a closure, leaving a long enough margin for tying or bowing the string. You can do this by using ribbon to make the bracelet, or with other materials such as raffia or kitchen twine. Keep in mind that you will need thick, wide material to make this type of method, as thinner ones break or come loose easily.
