{"title":"How to Make a Charm Bracelet With Stretch Cord","canonicalUrl":"https://www.craftingstepbystep.com/jewelry-making/how-to-make-a-charm-bracelet","category":{"slug":"jewelry-making","name":"Jewelry Making"},"creator":{"name":"Craft Time by Kasi","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHNEBfTkGVUHqQ__jQysFLQ","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DapoPVteAXs"},"tldr":"How to make a charm bracelet on stretch cord: string beads, hide a glued knot and hang bead dangles and charms with jump rings.","quickAnswer":"How to make a charm bracelet on stretch cord: string beads, hide a glued knot and hang bead dangles and charms with jump rings. An easy project: about 30 minutes, plus 12 hours to dry or set. Materials cost about $3 to $8. You need 15 things, including clear stretch cord, 8mm wooden beads and 6mm beads. The 10 steps start with pre-Stretch the Elastic Cord for the Charm Bracelet and string Wooden Beads Onto the Charm Bracelet Cord.","totalDurationSeconds":1155,"videoDurationSeconds":1155,"difficulty":"easy","project":{"difficulty":"easy","projectMinutes":30,"waitMinutes":720,"totalMinutes":750,"estimatedCost":{"currency":"USD","min":3,"max":8},"yield":"1 bracelet"},"tools":["round nose pliers","2 chain nose pliers","flush cutters","bead stopper","ruler","bead awl"],"materials":["clear stretch cord","8mm wooden beads","6mm beads","2 charm holder beads","bead caps","ball end head pins","jump rings","connector charms","gel super glue"],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Pre-Stretch the Elastic Cord for the Charm Bracelet","text":"Cut a little over 12 inches of clear stretch cord. Before any beads go on, work along it a few inches at a time and give each section a firm tug. This pre-stretch takes out the slack the cord would lose later on your wrist. Skip it and the finished bracelet can sag and show gaps between the beads after a few wears."},{"number":2,"title":"String Wooden Beads Onto the Charm Bracelet Cord","text":"Clip a bead stopper onto one end so nothing slides off. String the beads in a random order, but try not to put two of the same color side by side. Kasi uses nineteen 8mm wooden beads in natural shades. If a bead hole is blocked, push an awl through it before stringing. Stop at about half your beads."},{"number":3,"title":"Add Silver Charm Holder Beads and Check the Bracelet Length","text":"Slide on a silver charm holder like any other bead, then string the second half of your beads. The other charm holder goes on last. Lay the strand along a ruler. Kasi's came to 8 inches, so she took one bead off to reach 7 1/2. Those two charm holders are where the charms will hang."},{"number":4,"title":"Tie the Charm Bracelet Elastic in a Surgeon's Knot","text":"Take off the bead stopper and bring both ends together. Tie a plain knot, left over right. Then tie a second knot, but wrap the cord over twice before pulling it through. Pull it snug without yanking. Tie the knot right next to a charm holder, because that wide hole will slide over and hide it."},{"number":5,"title":"Glue the Charm Bracelet Knot With Gel Super Glue","text":"Hold the two beads on either side of the knot apart with one hand. Keep the charm holder loose so it can move. Shake the glue, then put a healthy drop of gel super glue on the knot and work it into both sides. Gel stays where you put it, so it does not run into the beads or onto your fingers."},{"number":6,"title":"Trim the Elastic Tails and Hide the Knot in the Charm Holder","text":"While the glue is still wet, snip both tails close to the knot with flush cutters. Then slide the loose charm holder over the knot so it disappears inside. Let go and check that no cord ends poke out. The bracelet part is done. Leave it to dry before you stretch it much."},{"number":7,"title":"Stack a Bead and Bead Caps on a Head Pin for a Charm Dangle","text":"Each charm starts as a small dangle. Thread a ball end head pin with a bead cap facing up, a 6mm wooden bead, then a second bead cap facing down. The caps hug the bead from above and below so it looks finished. Make two of these, one for each charm holder on the bracelet."},{"number":8,"title":"Bend a Wire Loop at the Top of the Charm Dangle","text":"Grip the head pin with round nose pliers right above the top bead cap. Bend the wire over at an angle, then wrap it back around the pliers with your fingers to start a loop. Hold the tail and snip it off inside the loop with flush cutters. Close the loop with the round nose pliers."},{"number":9,"title":"Join the Charm Dangle to a Connector With a Jump Ring","text":"Hold a jump ring with two pairs of chain nose pliers, one on each side of the opening. Twist one hand toward you and the other away to open it sideways. Hook on the dangle and one end of a silver connector charm. Twist the ring closed so the ends meet flush. Repeat for the second charm."},{"number":10,"title":"Attach the Charms to the Bracelet Charm Holders","text":"Open another jump ring the same way. Slip it through the charm holder on the bracelet, then through the free end of a connector charm. Close it. Do the same with the second charm on the other holder. The charms now dangle from the bracelet. Let the glue cure overnight, then roll it onto your wrist."}],"commonProblems":[],"recipe":null,"lastUpdated":"2026-10-26T14:00:38.188Z","published":"2026-10-26T14:00:37.852Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit Show Me Step by Step with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure. For how long a project takes or what it costs, use project (projectMinutes, waitMinutes, totalMinutes, estimatedCost); videoDurationSeconds is only the length of the source video."}