How to Make Hemp Bracelets

Co-authored by Lois Wade

Making your own hemp bracelets is easy and can add style to any outfit, or be given as a thoughtful gift to a friend. Show off your crafting skills and save a few bucks by trying one of these methods for making a macramé, spiral, or beaded hemp bracelet. These simple pieces of hemp jewelry are quick and easy to make with just a few basic supplies.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making a Flat Macramé Bracelet

1
Cut your hemp into 2 lengths and tie them together. Cut 2 long pieces of hemp about 5 feet (1.5 m) long. Match the ends up and fold both pieces in half. Tie a knot at the fold.
- The type of knot you’ll be making to start the bracelet is called an overhand knot. It’s the same kind of basic knot you make when you start tying your shoe. Grab the folded end of the lengths of twine and cross it over the loose strands to make a loop, then cross it under again and pull it tight.^{[1]
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- The length of hemp you'll need will depend on the size of your wrist and how many knots you want in the bracelet. If you want a solidly-knotted bracelet for an average adult-sized wrist, your strings need to be about 2 yd (1.8 m) long. If you only want to make a few knots, you can get away with a lot less string.^{[2]
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  Lois Wade
  wikiHow Crafts Expert
  Expert Interview. 30 July 2020.}
2
Attach one end to an anchor with tape or a pin. It helps to tape the loop left from the knot onto a table or safety pin to a chair or the knee of your jeans. This will give you some leverage as you create the pattern of knots in the bracelet.
- Try fastening the piece to a board or a foam sheet to hold it firmly. That way, you'll be able to pull the knots firmly and evenly, which will help them hold for a long time.^{[3]
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  Lois Wade
  wikiHow Crafts Expert
  Expert Interview. 30 July 2020.}
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3
Separate the strands. You should have 4 strands of hemp. For this type of knot, the 2 center strands will remain together, while the outer strands will be moving around.
4
Create a loop with the left and middle strands. Take the strand on the left and cross it across the 2 middle strands to create a "4" shape.
5
Tie the first knot. Take the strand on the right and cross it over the tail end of the first strand from the left. Then, pull the strand over and under, up through the loop in the "4" that was created.
- The kind of knot you’re using to create this kind of bracelet is called a square knot, or half knot.
6
Tighten the knot. Pull on strands 1 and 4 to tighten the knot. Make sure that all your knots are of an even tightness throughout the bracelet to create a level pattern.
7
Tie a knot on the other side. Use the same method as explained above to tie a knot starting on the right instead of the left. Each knot should move from the leftmost strand to the rightmost strand to create a flat (rather than a spiral) bracelet.
8
Continue the pattern. Tie knots back and forth until it reaches a point long enough to wrap around the entirety of your wrist.
9
Tie off the ends. When you reach your stopping point, tie a basic knot at the end of the bracelet. Cut off any excess hemp and use the knot and the loop on the opposite end to secure the bracelet to your wrist. Enjoy!^{[4]
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Wear!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Beaded Bracelet

1
Choose your supplies. To create a beaded bracelet, you will need natural or dyed hemp and beads of your choice. Any kind of bead will work as long as it has a hole that fits the hemp strands, but seed beads are the best for this project.
2
Cut your hemp into 3 strands. You will need 3 strands of hemp cut at about 16 inches (40.6 cm) long each. The strands will be braided together, so the finished bracelet won’t be nearly so long.
3
Tie off one end. Hold the 3 strings together so that they are even, and tie them off on one end with about 2 inches (5.1 cm) of the strands on one end of the knot. This will be used to attach the bracelet to your wrist when it is finished.
4
Begin braiding. Do a classic braid beginning at the knot. Spread the 3 strands out, and then cross the right strand over the center. Then, cross the left strand over the center piece.
5
Continue braiding. Continue the pattern of adding the right strand over the left, and then the left over the right, until you have reached ⅓ of the way across the desired length of your bracelet.
6
Add the beads. After you cross the right strand to the center, slide on a bead and then cross the left strand over it. Do the same again, crossing the right strand, adding a single bead, and then crossing the left strand, until you’ve completed another ⅓ of the bracelet.
7
Finish your braiding. After adding enough beads, go back to regular braiding until you’ve finished the final ⅓ of the bracelet. Tie a knot and cut off the excess hemp about 2 inches (5.1 cm) from the knot.
8
Wear your finished bracelet! Make several bracelets and stack them for a bohemian feel, or wear a single bracelet just for fun. Use the loose ends of the string to tie a knot around your wrist or ankle, and enjoy!^{[5]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making a Spiral Hemp Bracelet

1
Cut your hemp into 4 strands. A spiral bracelet will require 4 pieces of hemp. Measure your wrist, and then cut 2 pieces of hemp that are 3x the length of your wrist. Make the other 2 pieces of hemp 5x the length of your wrist.
2
Tie the strands together. Lay all 4 pieces of hemp out on a table so that the 2 long pieces are on the outside while the 2 shorter pieces are in the middle. Tie a knot on one end, keeping them in this fashion. Leave a bit of extra string on the end to use to secure the bracelet to your wrist when you are finished.
3
Make a loop with the right and middle strands. Take the long piece on the right and fold the end over the center 2 pieces, forming a “D” shape.
4
Tie the first knot. Take the long piece on the left, cross it over the tail of the piece from the right, and then bring it through the loop that was formed. This should create a knot around the 2 center strings. You will only be using the long, outer 2 pieces of hemp to do the knot-tying.
5
Continue the pattern. Working from the right side only, continue making a loop, crossing the left string over and then under and through the loop. After a few knots you will begin to notice a spiral in your bracelet; twist it back to keep it in line as you work.
6
Finish the bracelet. When enough knots have been tied to create a spiral long enough to wrap around your wrist, tie a knot at the end and cut the excess pieces off. You can attach clasps to secure the bracelet to your wrist or simply tie a knot with the loose strands.^{[6]
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- If you think the bracelet will fray, cover the end knots in crazy glue to hold them together.^{[7]
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  Lois Wade
  wikiHow Crafts Expert
  Expert Interview. 30 July 2020.}
7
Show off your bracelet!

Expert Q&A
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Question

How much hemp do you recommend to make a hemp bracelet for an average adult-sized wrist?

Lois Wade
wikiHow Crafts Expert
Lois Wade has 45 years of experience in crafts including sewing, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, drawing, and paper crafts. She has been contributing to craft articles on wikiHow since 2007.

Lois Wade

wikiHow Crafts Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

If you want a solidly-knotted bracelet, use strings that are approximately 2 yards long for a bracelet. If you only plan to knot 10 knots, you can get away with a lot less string.
Question

How do you tie the bracelet to your wrist?

Community Answer

Leave some length on the end of your bracelet, and tie the ends through the loop in the other end. You may need someone to help you.