How to Make Braided Bracelets: Fabric & Beads

Clean out your fabric closet, and freshen up your accessories drawer at the same time with this stash-busting fabric bracelet tutorial. With a few strips of fabric and a strand of Mix & Mingle beads, I’ll show you how to make braided bracelets that are easy to create with a dreamy bohemian-inspired look.

One of the most fun parts of this how to make braided bracelets project is shopping for Mix & Mingle beads. I especially love the Themed Beads — there are so many fun bead colors and combinations. The second most fun part is choosing coordinating fabrics to go with the fabulous beads.

How to Make Braided Bracelets Supplies:

Darice Mix & Mingle Beads (I used the Bird Themed Mix & Mingle Beads for this tutorial)
Fabric (to coordinate with your choice of beads)
Darice Big Clasp with Hinge and Attached Split Ring
Needle, Thread, and Scissors
Darice Washi Tape

Step one: For each braid, cut three strips of fabric, about 1-4″ to 1/2″ wide and about 12″ long.

Note: I used 100% cotton fat quarters, but if you use a different type of fabric, you might need to adjust the width of the fabric strips to make the right size braid to fit through the Mix & Mingle bead openings.

Step two: Put three strands of fabric together. Pinch together at the end, and stitch through, about 2″ from the end. Wrap thread around, and stitch again to secure, then knot the thread.

Note: You can use three of the same fabric, or mix fabrics for each braid. It’s up to you!

Step three: Tape the top of the braid to your work surface with washi tape, and braid the three fabric strands together until they are about 9″ long. Tape the end of the braid to keep it temporarily secure. Repeat process until you have three braids.

Step four: Detach the split ring from the swivel clasp.

Step five: String the three braids onto a needle and thread, in the order you want them to be on the bracelet. Stitch back and forth through the braids a couple times to secure them all together.

Step six: Thread the three ends of the braids through the end of the swivel clasp. Pull the ends through until the braid is flush against the loop. Fold tails over.

Step seven: Take a small strip of fabric (about 1/2″ by 1-1/2″) and wrap one side of the fabric around the grouping of braids and tails. Sew through the fabric and the braids to secure to the fabric strip. Wrap the other side of the fabric strip around the group of braids, and whipstitch around the end of the fabric.

Step eight: Trim tails where fabric wrap ends.

Next, we get to string the beads! Lay the beads out in two groupings to decide the order you want them to be on the necklace.

Step nine: Pinch the and roll ends of one braid so that you can fit it through the hole in the Mix & Mingle beads. Feed the fabric through the hole, then pull the bead onto the braid.

Note: I found it was easiest to put all the beads onto the strand end at once, and then pull them to the braid, so I didn’t have to pinch and roll the fabric multiple times.

Now all we have to do is put the other side of the clasp on the end, and we’re done!

Step ten: Pull the opposite three ends of the braids through the split ring, until the braids are the right length for your bracelet. The clasp adds about 1-1/2″ so, subtract that from your wrist width to get the braid length you will need.

Standard bracelet sizes — length of braid you will need: