I have been loving making my own Pura Vida-inspired bracelets ever since I made my first post about them. If you haven’t seen that DIY, definitely check it out. In this post, I am going to show you how to make your own Pura Vida-inspired seed bead bracelets that are super pretty.
I love making these simple, and beautiful bracelets because they’re so personal. You can customize the colors and really make it your own. These would be such a cute gift for your friend, or a fun project that you can make with a group of friends. But if you aren’t into DIYs, you could always buy a bracelet direct from Pura Vida; they have a ton of cute seed bead bracelets to choose from.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED
Here’s everything you will need:
If you’re familiar with Pura Vida Bracelets, you know that they use this wax string to make their bracelets. The wax string makes the bracelets waterproof, and it is also secures the knots when it’s melted.
I used 8/0 3mm glass seed beads from two variety packs that came with a bunch of rainbow colors. These beads are super tiny, but not microscopic like other seed beads I’ve seen. They are dainty, but still fit on the wax string pretty easily.
PURA VIDA-INSPIRED SEED BEAD BRACELETS
I really like this one because the drawstring tails are made of super dainty little braids, and it just looks really nice.
Getting Started:
Cut one (1) 18-inch strand of the wax string in whatever color you choose; this will be the main part of the bracelet that you put the beads onto. The ends of this string will be braided into the drawstring tails, so pick a color that you want included in the tails.
Cut one (1) 12-inch strand of the wax string in whatever color you choose. This strand will be braided with the 18-inch strand to make up the Drawstring Tails. I recommend choosing the same color as the 18-inch strand so all of the braid is the same color.
Cut one (1) 4-inch strand of the wax string in whatever color you choose. This is the tiny knot closure that holds the two drawstrings together and allows you to adjust the size of the bracelet. I suggest using the same color as the other strands to give it a cohesive, clean look.
Making a Pura Vida-Inspired Seed Bead Bracelet
Each strand of the wax string is made of two mini-strands twisted together. Separate the mini-strands of the 18-inch string by gently untwisting them. You will only need one of the mini-strands to make this bracelet.
Separate the mini-strands of the 12-inch string. Each of the mini-strands will become part of the drawstring tails.
NOTE: When you separate the wax string into the two mini-strands, it will be kind of curly. That’s totally fine. You can run it through your fingers to straighten it out if you want, but it won’t mess up your bracelet al all.
Measure about 5 inches from one of the ends of your 18-inch mini-strand and tie two knots on top of each other.
Fold one of your 12-inch mini-strands in half, and tie two square knots around the 18-inch mini-strand right above the two knots you just tied.
Braid the Drawstring Tail together with the end of the 18-inch mini-strand, and each half of the 12-inch mini-strand that you just knotted together.
Once you’ve braided about 4 inches, tie a knot at the end of the Drawstring Tail. Use your scissors to trim the ends to about 1/4″. Melt the ends carefully with your lighter to secure the Drawstring Tail.
With your one Drawstring Tail braided and secure, add 5 inches of seed beads onto the remaining 18-inch mini-strand. You can choose whatever color seed beads you want.
To secure your beads, fold the remaining 12-inch mini-strand in half, and tie two square knots around the 18-inch mini-strand as closely to the seed beads as you can.
With the remaining tail of the 18-inch mini-strand, tie two knots on top of each other right underneath the square knots you just made. This will hold the 12-inch mini-strand in place and keep your seed beads from slipping off.
Braid the second Drawstring Tail together with the end of the 18-inch mini-strand, and each half of the 12-inch mini-strand that you just knotted together.
Once you’ve braided about 4 inches, tie a knot at the end of the Drawstring Tail. Use your scissors to trim the ends to about 1/4″. Melt the ends carefully with your lighter to secure the Drawstring Tail.
Place your bracelet on a flat surface and position the two Drawstring Tails so they overlap each other. Tie a knot around both Drawstring Tails using the 4-inch string. Tie 2-3 square knots around both drawstrings to create the sliding knot closure.
Trim the ends of the sliding knot closure to 1/4″ with your scissors. Melt the ends of the sliding knot closure with the lighter until just before the actual sliding knot to lock everything in place.
I love these bracelets because they are so simple and delicate looking, but they’re super durable and waterproof because of the wax string. You can customize them in so many ways with different string colors, bead colors, or patterns. Each of your handmade bracelets is unique! You can wear your seed bead bracelet on its own for a subtle pop, or stack it with other bracelets to create an even more one-of-a-kind look.
If you enjoyed making these bracelets, share this post on Pinterest!
