These Chan Luu style bracelets are quite popular now.  I love the slightly earthy, hippie vibe you get from the cord wrapping. They’re also amazingly simple to put together.

The website has some gorgeous combinations, with Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones, and if you can afford it, the prices are well worth it.

However, if like me, you’d prefer to make your own, here’s a video showing you a fun version. I’ve made a 5 wrap bracelet here, but I give directions so you can make a single, double, triple, quadruple or as many wraps as you like.

If you want the look of several different bracelets, just bead a wrist’s length of beads in each color before going on to the next.

This is another project where all the different color combination possibilities totally fire the imagination!

Happy creating and enjoy the video. I’m still waiting for WordPress to solve the video embedding problem so here’s the tutorial over at YouTube:  Multiple Wrap Beaded Bracelet

Quintuple/Multiple Wrap Beaded Bracelet

Difficulty: Medium

Materials:

• 1 mm Leather Cord, approximately 2.5 yards (see directions for more precise measurement)
• 5-6 yards silk cord (see below for sources)
• 7-8 inches each of five different kinds of beads
• button for closure, 3/4-inch to-1 inch in diameter
• 7mm-10 mm jump rings, 10-20 or so
• needle & needle threader
• super glue

Directions:

To determine length of leather cord needed measure around your wrist for a comfortable bracelet size. Double this measurement. For a quintuple wrap bracelet, multiply this number by 5. Add 12 inches to get the length of leather cord you will need.

For example: Your wrist measures 7.5 inches. Double this to get 15 inches. Multiply 15 by 5 to get 75. Add 12 to get 87 inches. Feel free to cut a little extra for insurance.

1. Slide button onto leather cord. If using a shank style button, just slide cord through shank. If using a button with holes, slide cord from the back through one hole and from the from the front through another hole. Center button on leather cord.
2. Thread 2-3 yards of silk cord onto needle. Pinch end of silk cord between two leather cords, right next to button. Wrap silk cord around silk cord end and leather cords for about ¼ inch. Apply a drop or two of super glue and allow to dry. Trim any excess silk cord end.
3. Tape button down to work surface. Keeping leather cords parallel, tape them down about 12 inches away from button.
4. Slide threaded needle under top leather cord.
5. Slide a bead onto needle and slide down silk cord until bead touches leather cord.
6. Bring silk cord up over and then back under bottom leather cord, then back through bead, being careful not to split the silk cord.
7. Bring silk cord over the top leather cord and repeat steps 4-6 with remaining beads, moving and retaping cords to work surface as you progress.
8. To add a new piece of silk cord, first cut new length of cord. Pinch end of new cord and about ¼ inch of old cord between two leather cords below last bead added. Use remaining end of silk cord to wrap for about ¼ inch. Apply a drop or two of super glue and allow to dry. Trim any excess silk cord end.
9. To cover this wrapped cord, slide jump rings onto two leather cords and new silk cord. Resume adding beads.
10. Before finishing bracelet check to make sure it wraps comfortably around your wrist the number of times you want. Finish bracelet by pinching about ¼ inch of silk cord between two leather cords below last bead added. Use remaining end of silk cord to wrap for about ¼ inch. Apply a drop or two of super glue and allow to dry. Trim any excess silk cord end.
11. Hold two leather cords together and tie into an overhand knot, including wrapped silk cord into knot. Make another overhand knot about 1 inch away. The space between the two knots should be just large enough for the button to go through. Make one more overhand knot the same distance away from the second knot. Trim any excess leather cord.

Sources for silk cord:

For 2 meter cards of silk cord with wire needles already attached (you’ll need 3 cards to make a quintuple wrap bracelet):  Silk cord No. 5

This spool is far more economical, since you get 115 yards, but you have to choose one color and stick with it. Also, you’ll have to thread your own needles.  Silk Beading Cord Size FF Black

Like my tutorials? Support me on Patreon for weekly peeks into my creative process and a bonus video every month!