Making a child's bracelet is the same process as making a bracelet for an adult, but the sizes and amount of materials will be smaller. If you have to make several bracelets, or just one, for a child, you will need to know what and how much you should be buying so you don't end up with too few or too many supplies.
Bead strands
To figure out how many beads, or strands of beads, you will need for a child's bracelet, you need to know how many come on a strand. A strand of beads is between 15 1/2 and 16 inches of beads, temporarily strung for hanging and display. Types of beads that are strung are typically semi-precious stones, Czech glass beads and pearls, all appropriate materials for making a child's bracelet. While a bracelet can be made up of one size of beads, often two or more sizes are used for variety.
Sizing
A child's bracelet will be between 4 inches for a newborn's bracelet and 7 1/2 inches for older children. To measure the exact length of a bracelet you need, including the clasp, hold a cloth tape measure around the child's wrist, at the widest part of the bone, and then add up to 1 inch so that the bracelet can drape and not restrict the wrist. Measure both sides of a clasp, fully extended, so you do not over estimate too much when sizing your bracelet.
Bead sizes
Crystals, glass beads, pearls and semi-precious stones have a standard sizing measured in millimeters, based on the diameter of the bead. This diameter will typically range from 2 mm for very small beads up to 20 mm or more. There will be approximately 200 2 mm beads on a 16-inch strand, 100 4 mm beads, and approximately 67 6mm beads on a 16-inch strand. Most bracelets for children will use beads from 2 mm to 6 mm., with 4 mm for the bulk of the bracelet, 6 mm for focal beads, and 2 mm beads to act as spacers between the larger beads.
Patterns
To determine how many beads will be used for a child's bracelet,know what type of pattern you will be using. If you are just stringing one size of bead with no spacers in between them, for a 6 -inch bracelet, assuming 4 inches of beads, you will need approximately 33 4 mm beads, 22 6 mm beads, or 66 2 mm beads for your bracelet. For the same size bracelet alternating 2mm and 4 mm beads, you would need 22 4 mm beads and 22 2mm beads.
References
Writer Bio
D.K. Bernhard is a freelance writer and professional blogger who writes tutorials on crafts, computers, Internet marketing and home improvement. He holds a graduate degree in English literature and currently works for a major window and patio door manufacturer.
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