Hey guys! Welcome back! Today I’m super excited because I am going to try something a little different than book recommendations and share with you something that I love to make. It’s called a Mala Bracelet. I recently learned how to make these yesterday. For my bracelet, I went for a beach theme, and it ended up looking really good! What me and my family were really happy about was that we originally intended to buy these bracelets, but when we looked on Etsy they were nearly 30 dollars! That‘s pretty expensive for one bracelet, so my mom had the idea of making our own. We went to Joanns for supplies, but they had a limited selection, so we ended up getting most of our materials from Michaels, which had an endless array of beads and string. You don’t have to be super crafty to make these bracelets, we found that they are actually really easy to create. And the best part, when we finished they all looked pretty professional, and we still have more supplies to make many more, which is a way better deal than spending $30 on one online. Additionally, you don’t have to limit yourself to bracelets, either. You can make mala necklaces as well! Today I’m going to show you how to make a mala bracelet and much more. Before we get into this, here is a picture of how my mala bracelet turned out:
What is a mala bracelet?
To begin, the term mala refers to a string of beads. These are called mala beads, and they are the main component of your bracelet. Most of the beads I used are wood, but you can also use stone, glass, metal, or plastic beads as well. A mala bracelet allows you to wear the beads whenever you feel like it, as opposed to simply holding them.
But what are mala beads for? Well, a mala is a string of beads used in meditation. They can also be used to count mantras or recite prayers. Even if you’re not a fan of meditation, they are great for concentration and focusing. They are very spiritual, and they are typically used in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, a
Shinto, and Christianity. They also look really cute and boho.
How to make a mala bracelet:
To make a mala bracelet is really easy and fun. First, you’ll have to visit your local craft store and pick up supplies.
To make a mala bracelet you’ll need:
-Stretch Magic wire: https://www.michaels.com/stretch-magic-bead-jewelry-cord/10347419.html?cm_mmc=PLASearch-_-google-_-M To make this bracelet you’ll need some sort of wire. You want it to be stretchy and flexible, so you can easily take it off or put it on. There are many other elastic wires out there, but the kind we used was called Stretch Magic and it worked very well. It was about $4.
Beads: Any kind of bead will work, it doesn’t necessarily have to be ”mala.” As I mentioned before, me and my mom like to use either wood or real stone beads because they look prettier and are more authentic. You can find these at a craft store like Joanns or Micheals, but we’ve found that Micheals has a bigger and better selection, so I‘d recommend going there.
Bead seeds: For some reason I think this name is really funny, maybe because it rhymes, but honestly it’s just fun to say. Shout out to whoever came up with it. Moving on, these beads are the beads you place in between your mala beads. They should be pretty small, and its better if you don’t use a lot of them. Too much bead seed (lol) might make your bracelet look cluttered.
Glue: Glue isn‘t necessary, but if you want to include a tassel on your bracelet, you’re probably going to need some. We used cement glue for ours so it stays better.
Embroidery floss: This also isn’t necessary if you don’t want a tassel, but if you do, you’re going to need some embroidery floss to make it. We got ours at Joanns, because their colors are really pretty and they’re only $0.56 each.
Scissors
*If you want you can also include extra details and decoration, such as charms. Directions:
1) Once you have your materials and work station ready, you’re going to first measure the length of your wrist, leaving a little bit extra wire for later when you have to tie it.
2) Next you’re going to pick your bead design and arrange them on the wire the way you like it. Don’t put on too many beads, because then you won’t have room to tie it, but also don’t put too little, because then the wire will show.
3) After that you’re going to tie off the bracelet. But be extra careful because if you’re too rough your beads might fall off. You’re also going to want to tie it in a knot multiple times, so it’s nice and strong. If you want to make a tassel, save some wire room at the end of your knot.
After that, you’re all finished! Simple right? Now you have a cute mala bracelet to wear whenever you want! If you just want to look nice, or even try a meditation or prayer practice with it, now you can! And it was super easy and affordable. (It also looks pretty professional ) If you want, keep reading to learn how to make a tassel for extra charm.
How to make a tassel:
For this extra step you’re going to need embroidery floss, scissors, and glue.
1) First you’re going to wrap the floss around your hand about 15-20 times. Then you’re going to cut it off.
2) Second you’re going to take your extra wire room at the knot, and tie it around the middle of the tassel. Once it’s secure, fold it in half and take another piece of the same color floss and wrap it around the top of the folded floss. Then you’re going to glue that on.
And there you go! Soon you’ll be making mala bracelets like a pro. It’s been pretty boring if you’ve been in quarantine like me. So here is something crafty you can do that will keep you entertained, and is also really fun. If you want, add a lava stone onto your bracelet. If you have essential oils, you can put them on the lava stone and it will keep you smelling good all day.
If you enjoyed this post, check out my other ones! You can read about me, or tune in to my book recommendation series. I still have three more genre lists to share with you guys that I think you will enjoy. And if you haven’t already, join me on the wix app for more stuff about my blog! Bye! 👋
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