DIY Chan Luu Bracelet Tutorial

With a few simple materials and you can make your own DIY Chan Luu Bracelet!

The popular Chan Luu wrap bracelets are an iconic handmade wrap bracelet with bohemian flair and globally influenced design.

I’ve been coveting them for awhile, but these beauties are quite the pretty penny to buy. But luckily the materials to make them yourself are relatively inexpensive, so I thought I would try to recreated this designer favourite for myself and it turns out it’s pretty simple!

This a fun DIY bracelet tutorial for all ages and the results are just stunning! Made from leather cords, beads and thread, the design of these beaded wrap bracelets are simple, but versatile and make a great accessory to any outfit.

It’s easy to make a variety of combinations of the DIY Chan Luu bracelet by varying the types of beads you use, the colour leather cord, type/color of thread, and even the number of times it wraps around your wrist.

Best of all it’s super easy to make and uses a simple beading technique that stitches beads to a cord in to securely hold them in place.

Keep reading to learn how to make this DIY Chan Luu bracelet for yourself!

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• DIY Knotted Charm Bracelet
• DIY Wish Bracelet Tutorial
• 3 Dainty DIY Wire Jewelry Tutorials

DIY Beaded Wrap Bracelet Supplies:

• Greek Leather cord (or any sturdy, thin cord)
Greek leather cord comes in a variety of colours and I would suggest that you use cord in a 1mm-2mm in width. To determine the length of the cord required, you first need to decide out how times you want your DIY Bracelet to wrap around your wrist. In other words you’ll want to measure out the full length of the bracelet. Once you have that, double it, and add 5 inches as extra to finish the ends.

• Beads
For this DIY bracelet, try finding beads between 2mm-6mm.  Anything bigger is a little hard to hold in place. For this tutorial I used 4mm faceted czech glass beads,  a 5mm round gemstone beads, and 4mm faceted glass beads.

• Beading Thread 
Though nylon thread would probably be the best, but you could probably use any kind of thread. I’m just using plain red sewing thread because that’s what I had handy! 🙂  For reference: I used about 300 inches of thread folded in half for my bracelet that went around my wrist 3 times and my wrists are on the smaller side.

• Needle
You could used traditional needed or a separated eye style depending on the thickness of your thread and size of beads.

• Button
Buttons a loop in back works best. When it comes to size, try to get one about the size of a nickel.

DIY Chan Luu Bracelet Tutorial

1. Take the length of your leather cord, fold it in half and tie a simple overhand knot, leaving a loop above the knot is large enough to fit your button comfortably through.
   
2. Thread your needle, then tie the end of the thread just below the knot. Reinforce the knot by wrapping the thread in a figure 8 around the 2 pieces of leather cord 10-12 times.
   
3. Time to start beading: Wrap the thread once around the left cord, then string a bead
   
4. Wrap the thread around the right cord then thread back through the bead again. This picture below does a great job and visualizing the beading pattern for this bracelet. To summarize it, the basic stitch is to add a bead, wrap one side of the cord, go back through that bead, and around the other side of cord. It helps to hold the bead in place while you tighten up the thread.
   
5. Repeat steps 3-5 for the length of the bracelet.
   
   Here are some useful tips while you’re making your DIY bracelet:
   • Try to keep the stitches uniform in tightness
   • Watch that the direction of the thread when you finish one bead and add the next always wraps in the same direction.
   • As you go along, sometime the tightness of the two sides of cord can become uneven, causing it to bend.  Periodically straighten things out.
   • If you run out of thread, tie on a new piece with the knot close by the bead opening, and you can run the ends through when you’re done.
   
6. Once you’ve reach the desired length, run the thread through the final bead a few times and tie it off.  To secure the ends, wrap the thread around the cords in a figure 8 like you did at the beginning of the bracelet 10 times or so,  then knot off the thread. You can reinforce the knots with clear nail polish for extra security.
   
7. Now, knot off the cords in an over hand knot
   
8. Thread through your button through which will be your clasp and tie another knot. And voila! You’ have your own Chan Luu Style bracelet ready to wear!

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XOXO,