How to Make a Paracord Bracelet
Because of the article I’ve written on my every-day carry kit as well as the How to Put Together the Ultimate Survival Kit article, I’ve had a number of readers ask me for the instructions on how to make a paracord bracelet.
Like I’ve mentioned in both of those articles, paracord is such a useful tool in survival situations that you should always have some amount on hand — and there’s no better way to always have some with you than by wearing it! The design may look complicated but making your own paracord bracelet is actually quite simple. Here’s the process:
How to Make a Paracord Bracelet – Step by Step
- Get some paracord: You’ll want to have around 15 feet of paracord to ensure that you have enough.
- Fold the paracord in half:
Take the full length of paracord and fold it exactly in the middle so you’re left with two 7 1/2 foot lengths on either side of the fold. For ease of maintaining the fold I usually wrap some tape at the end where the fold is. - Make the left-sided knot:
Take the single cord on the left side and pass it underneath the central strands. - Complete the knot:
Now take the right side cord and pass it underneath the cord from step 3, over the two central strands and through the left-side loop created in the previous step. - Pull in the slack:
Pulling both of the free ends on either side, tighten the knot to pull in the slack. - Make the right-sided knot:
Take the single cord on the right side, pass it under the central strands. - Complete the knot:
Now take the left side cord and pass it underneath the cord from step 6, over the two central strands and through the right-side loop created in the previous step. - Pull in the slack:
Pulling both of the free ends on either side, tighten the knot to pull in the slack. - Create the slide holes:
At this point I usually will take the two little loops at the top of the cobra-stitch pattern and open them up a bit with my fingers. These two little loops will be used as a sliding mechanism for tightening the bracelet when finished. - Repeat steps 3 – 7 until desired length is reached:
You’ll want to continue the alternating pattern until the cobra stitch is almost at the very end of the loop — leaving about a half an inch of the loop open. As a side note, be sure that you are alternating the left-right pattern. Otherwise the knots become twisted in which case you can simply undo the last knot and continue with the alternating pattern again.
- Insert the free ends into the slide holes:
Depending on how much paracord you used in the “braiding” process, you will some amount left over (as you can see in the previous picture). You’ll want to take these free strands and put them through the slide holes you had made in step 9. If you originally cut the paracord to get your 15 feet, the cut ends will be frayed. At this point, it helps to burn them off to make a sharp tip. This will make putting the strands through the slide holes a lot easier.
- Tie off the end:
Taking the two free strands, tie a knot at the point where the bracelet is just large enough to fit over your hand. I like tying a square knot followed by a granny knot. This makes a nice round knot ball that will be placed in the loop to secure the bracelet. - Cut the extra pieces
- Burn off the frayed ends:
Using a lighter, burn off the frayed ends and while still hot, flatten the melted ends against the knot ball made in step 12. - Fit and secure the bracelet:
Slide the bracelet on, pull the knot ball to tighten the bracelet, and insert the knot ball into the open loop to secure the bracelet. Viola! you have made your own paracord bracelet.
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Hey Erich we should do this some time for scouts i think that would be great
im in scouts and that would b great how much
Good idea Jake. Let’s plan for it next month.
Is a good blog and article
Thanks Tom!
I’m going to try making a belt from paracord, so as to have a longer, and possibly thicker, piece of rope handy. What do you think?
Okay, so you already came up with that idea… Great minds blah, blah, blah. Good idea, my friend! So, perhaps making shoulder straps on a pack frame this way would be a good idea as well?
Paracord belts are great. Here’s an article I wrote about making one: Paracord Belt. I’m also making one with the Slatt’s rescue knot and when I get some extra time I’ll finish that one up.
Now THAT’S a great idea! Thanks Frank! Replacing your shoelaces with paracord is another way to carry more cord.
Congratulations on a great article! I appreciate the straightforward language and the helpful pictures.
It may also be cool to fold the three or four times instead of two times initially. This way you end up with more length and a wider (and cooler) bracelet
Great tip Ed! Since I have to remake mine I’ll give that a go.
Wow, this is the first time I’ve attempted such a craft, your instructions are very clear and I managed to make a bracelet on my very first attempt. I am an eagle scout and you can be sure I will be recommending this site to my entire troop. Keep up the great work TI!
thanks Ben! My scouts liked this too. Glad to be of help for some fellow scouters.
This is the first that I’ve heard of paracord. Can you tell me what it is used for in emergencies? Thanks.
Hi Dani,
Welcome to the site and sorry for the late response (i missed the comment some how)!
Paracord is really one of the most resourceful items to have in your survival kit — whether that is a bug-out bag, wilderness survival kit, automobile kit or for home use. Because it is so strong and the cord is actually a combination of an outer nylon sheath and 7 inner strands of smaller size, the list of uses are so extensive. So much so that I couldn’t list them all in this comment but here’s some for starters:
I’m currently out in Afghanistan providing communications to our fine Marines. I got about 50 feet this stuff lying around. I believe I’ll try this!
Good deal Dale. Thanks for visiting and stay safe out there.
I don’t know if this has been pointed out, but I feel the article could benefit if you add in that need to size the bracelet to your wrist before you begin braiding or it will be of any varying size.
Thank you Amber,
I appreciate the suggestion. I’ll make that update.
I made a belt using this method here. I used 50 ft but depending on your waist size you may need more. Typically 100 ft is more than enough. If you do a single row it will be thin but if you go back over it it will be thicker and look more like a mens belt. Here is the
URL I also used.
http://chubbysurvivalist.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/braided-survival-belt-with-550-mil-spec-paracord/
Thanks for the great link Megan.
I’ve been interested in this ever since my dad came home from work (he’s a firefighter) and showed me his. You’re instructions are the best out of all the sites I’ve searched. Thanks!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading Kax!
Nice! I will definitely be making one of these soon!
Where did you buy your paracord? Are there different sizes?
Not to advertise on your website, but you should look up the steps to make the “zombie apocalypse” bracelet, done by jd from Tying It All Together (TIAT). He has recently stated on his Facebook that all of his designs, inclucing that, are fine for you to sell, or use for your own in any way. Of course, giving him credit is cool. Anyway, I made this bracelet and it is awesome. You use 12 ft. of paracord and once made, looks great and takes only a few seconds to take totally apart! Just undo the end knot and pull the two sides and it all comes undone. Just thought it would be a great addition to your website, as you and JD are the only two website hosts that actually respond to their fans, you’re the only two hosts I like.
Dan,
Check out vtarmynavy.com, they have awesome prices and just about any color you could possibly imagine being on paracord! Hope I helped.
These are very cool, and I have just recently bought some paracord off of eBay. My high school colors are black and orange, so I bought those colors. I am planning on making Black and Orange paracord bracelets and selling them at school as a fundraiser for our football team.
This tutorial shows how to make a single-colored bracelet. How do u make a two-colored one?
people are selling these for 10 bucks!!! it crazy its such a rip-off. thank you for posting this
you’re very welcome chris.
I’d like to make several of these and be able to put some basic beads in them. Would that work if I put the beads in near the knots? Also, do you think hemp would work for the cord material?
Dave,
Hemp would definitely work however it would likely be a lot thinner of a bracelet. I’ve never done beading with this but it should be possible. Good luck and thanks for visiting!
I started making those bracelets a few years ago. I moved into all kinds of things like necklaces, lanyards. Working at Safeway, I sold a bunch to my friends who work there. I made enough to pay for my supplies.
I enjoy making knots and suggest this book to increase your knowledge for anyone who loves knots as much as I do. The Ashley Book of Knots. One of the most famous old time books around.
I signed up for your email and I put your link in my blog roll.
Will visit often and thanks.
Terry
Thanks for the tip Terry!
Where do i start it?
It was so easy i wanted to know how to make these because ppl at my troop who went to phylmont (boy scout camp) learn so i like this becase it is clear
U r a lifesaver!! U are going to save me so much money. I was about 2 buy one from my friend 4 $4. I dont have 4 dollars. this is way cooler that wut poeple r selling at my school too. I just have 1 question. Can you make this with some shoelace? I’m all out of paracird right now and need 2 go 2 the store, but im addicted 2 it
Hi,
I just wanted to say thanks. Being a former scout I always like to be prepared and have been looking at the paracord bracelets for a while.
When I bought a USB wrist strap memory stick off eBay and the leather strap was too small I figured I’d make my own.
Following your directions it was very easy although I did wonder how to finish it as, although one lent itself to the two screws easily but the other end also needed two loops. Glad reef knots are not too unsightly.
Thanks again, I’m now prepared for my data emergencies and if I need 8ft of rope, I’m sorted.
Chris
im in scouts and that would b great
I started a site to offer people a kit that has everything you need to make a survival bracelet
It comes with instructions and different colors of paracord 550,
The buckles that are included are contoured side release and also available is stainless steel shackles. Check them out at http://www.survivalbraceletkits.com
Thanks Rob
Can you please explain how to do this using more than one color? I’m interested in using 2 colors to make them for my niece’s military support group. Her husband’s unit is currently deployed in Afghanistan. It’s the same stitch I used years ago in macrame. Thanks!
Pamm,
The way they do multiple colors is to “join” two equal lengths of paracord by melting them together. Then just follow the standard instructions.
Thank you. Since I don’t have access to paracord right now, I thought I might try this using yarn, and see how it turns out. I have camo colored yard for the first color and will use red for the second. Red is the color for the Sappers…my nephew’s unit.
this will consume a lot of time unravelling. a daisy chain knot is better. the chain is about a 10th of its total rope length, stronger than the usual braided or twisted original rope, can be folded to as many starnds as you want, so the length is dependent on how much you are willing to carry. the best thing is, everything unravels in just 1 pull after you untie the end knot. and yes, you can make belts, wrist bands or as much as your imagination takes you.
how far from the “loop” made with the tape do you start making the “braid”? do you make it as wide as your wrist with a little extra for ties?
Hi Andrew,
Great question. That loop should be able to wrap around your wrist completely with a little bit extra (about 1/2 to 1″ more).
Just wanted 2 tell ya i thought your how 2 on this subject was pretty awesome. I don’t own a PC at the moment (which i know is crazy since every1 has had a puter since like 90) and i do everything from my phone. Its a little older phone so i have a really hard time watching vid’s sometimes. But your step by step was ez and and seeing that you actually answer questions and generally come across as a pretty good dude i will definitely b back 2 learn some more random, awesome, helpful (and not 2 mention fashionable) things. Thank u my friend and take care
Thanks for the encouraging words Sean. Much appreciated!
I just wrapped the knuckle guard on my bush knife with this knot and some paracord I had in my B.O.B. Your pictures and descriptions made it easy. Thanks a bunch.