Okay, so I’ve been seeing these mala bead bracelets everywhere lately, and I finally decided to try making one myself. I’m not gonna lie, it seemed a little intimidating at first, but it turned out to be way easier than I thought!
Gathering My Supplies
First things first, I needed to get my supplies together. I hit up a local craft store – you know, the kind with aisles and aisles of beads and string and all that good stuff. Here’s what I grabbed:
- Beads: I chose some smooth, round wooden beads. I liked the natural look. They had tons of different colors and materials, though.
- String: I picked up some stretchy cord. I figured that would be easiest to work with, especially for a beginner.
- A “guru” bead: This is the bigger bead that goes at the end. Mine has a little tassel, which I thought was cute.
- Scissors: Obviously.
- (Optional) A beading needle:Some people use this to help string the beads, but I didn’t find it necessary.
Stringing the Beads
Next up, the fun part – actually making the bracelet! I started by cutting a length of the stretchy cord. I made it a bit longer than I thought I’d need, just in case. Better safe than sorry, right?
Then, I simply started stringing the beads onto the cord. I didn’t follow any particular pattern, just went with what felt right. I did put 2 small different color beads to make my counting easier.
I kept going until I had enough beads to fit comfortably around my wrist. Don’t pull it too tight! You want it to be able to roll on and off easily.
Adding the Guru Bead
Once I had all my regular beads on, I added the guru bead. This went on last, and it’s kind of like the anchor for the whole thing.
Finishing It Off
This was the trickiest part, but it still wasn’t too bad. I tied the two ends of the cord together in a secure knot. I think I did a triple knot, just to be extra sure it wouldn’t come undone. Then I carefully trimmed the excess cord with my scissors.
The Final Product!
And that’s it! I now have my very own, handmade mala bead bracelet. I’m actually pretty proud of how it turned out. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine, and I think it looks pretty good. I might even make some more in different colors. It was a super relaxing and satisfying little project, and I’d definitely recommend giving it a try!
