How to Make a Friendship Bracelet Out of Wire and Crystals

Crystal beads make dazzling jewelry and are perfect in friendship bracelets.

A friendship bracelet is made out of crystals in the colors of the two friends’ birthstones. Making two copies of the same bracelet, one for each girl, is especially meaningful. Add a half-broken heart charm to each bracelet to reflect the special nature of the relationship.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth tape measure
• Jewelry wire cutters
• Needle-nose jewelry pliers
• 4mm clear bicone crystals in birthstone colors
• Sterling silver lobster clasp
• Closed silver ring
• 2 Crimp beads
• 49-strand flexible steel jewelry wire

Instructions

1. Measure the girl’s wrist using the tape measure, and add 4 inches to the measurement for a total amount of wire needed.

2. Cut the desired length of wire with your wire cutters.

3. Run a wire end through the closed silver ring; then wrap the wire back around itself and make a knot, pulling it tight. Both wire ends should now be facing away from the ring – the shorter will be about 1 inch long.

4. Thread the first clamp bead onto the long wire, pushing it over the short wire tail as well, and settle it on top of the wire knot. Crimp the bead down with your needle-nose pliers.

5. String your crystals next, alternating each girl’s birthstone color and making sure to bury the short wire tail with the beads. Add crystals until the desired length of bracelet has been reached, using equal numbers of the colors. Finish with the second crimp bead.

6. Thread your wire into the end of your lobster clasp; then wrap it back around itself like you did with the silver ring and make a knot that you pull tight. Run the wire back through the crimp bead and finish pulling it tight. Finish threading the tail back through as many of the crystals as needed to hide all of the wire. Crimp the bead onto the knot with your needle-nose pliers.