Adjustable Leather Cord Bracelet DIY

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Here it is! My first DIY! For this adjustable leather cord bracelet DIY, I was inspired by the sack full of “orphan beads” I have in my stash. An orphan bead is a bead left over from a project or string that wasn’t used. And as any good DIYer knows, you NEVER throw anything away! I also had a bunch of colorful wooden beads that I used for these bracelets but now there aren’t enough of ONE color to complete a project. I thought to myself, what can I do to build these beads a home? Answer: Make an Adjustable Leather Cord Bracelet!! Trust me, when you learn how to make these, you will be hooked! It’s a nice way to use up those leftover orphan beads!

First, gather your materials. You will need some colorful beads (wood, glass, acrylic – your choice), some metal spacer beads, leather cord (I used 2mm) and various “orphan beads.” Make sure that your bead holes are large enough for the cord to fit through. You will also need scissors and possibly a bead reamer to expand the bead hole if needed. Cut a length of cord about 15 inches long, depending on the size of your wrist. I have fairly small wrists, and this length of cord provides enough that I can work with it easily, and have it fit as snug or loose as I want. If you are unsure, feel free to cut a longer piece of cord.

Next, string your beads. For this bracelet, I like to use as many beads as will fit across the top of my wrist. If you use too many beads, then you will not have as much room for adjustment when the bracelet is finished. Use any pattern or color scheme you like! Usually, I string the flashy orphan bead first, and add the rest on either side. I pull colors from the orphan bead to keep the piece color coordinated. Of course, you can string any pattern (or no pattern!) that you like. Possible center beads could be something like this or one of these.

Next, you will make a sliding knot. Start by taking the left cord and loop it into a circle around the OTHER cord.

Loop it again the same way so that there are two loops encircling the cord.

Cross the end of the cord to the left, and insert it through the loops to the right.

Pull to tighten. Try not to pull too tight, or the knot won’t slide. Next, flip the bracelet over, and make another sliding knot! Snip off the excess leather cord and you are done!