DIY Paracord Bracelet: The Ultimate Free Christmas Gift
Here’s how to make a two-tone paracord bracelet in 10 easy steps.
So, you’re looking for an easy, handmade gift for someone who loves outdoor adventure, survival and getting into nature?
Paracord bracelets are awesome outdoor gear items that make perfect gifts because they are easy and fun to make, practical to wear and can be life-saving in emergency situations.
We used red and green paracord, purchased at Michaels, for a holiday theme! You can also purchase paracord and the buckles on Amazon.
P.S. Don’t want to DIY? Buy a ready-made, multi-use paracord bracelet with a ferro rod fire starter, flint and whistle from explore’s e-store.
Materials:
- scissors
- a lighter
- tape
- two colours of paracord
- one buckle
Steps:
1. Cut two lengths of paracord.
You want each piece to be roughly 1.5 metres (five feet) long. Trim any excess strands that are sticking out.
2. Melt the ends with a lighter.
This stops them from fraying. You can use the end of the scissors to gently push the melted ends, squeezing them flat. (Be careful, it’s hot!)
3. Thread the paracord through the buckle.
Take the two colours and hold them side by side. Take one end and thread both paracords down through the male end of the buckle’s bottom slot (pictured at the top of the above photo). Feed the other loose ends down through the female end of the buckle so you can bend the paracord and the buckle will clasp correctly, without twisting the paracord.
Leave approximately one inch of excess cord on the end with the male buckle. Tape that flush with the rest of the cord (this will be removed later). The other side (female end) should have two long strands of different coloured paracord. This is what you’ll use to tie your Cobra Knot.
4. Measure to make sure it will fit.
Clasp the buckle, tying the bracelet around your wrist. Pull the long strands until the bracelet fits loosely around your wrist. You can use a permanent marker and a ruler or, in a pinch, a piece of tape to mark where the bracelet fits. If using tape, tape around both strands (as shown in the image below).
5. Start tying the Cobra Knot.
Place the bracelet flat on the table, with the female buckle at the top, and the end of the bracelet with the male buckle at the bottom. Place each coloured string beside the corresponding core colour.
Choose a colour to start with. This is called the “working edge.” In our example, that’s green. We’ll call this “A.” (Keep in mind the bracelet is currently inside out, so when it’s finished, green will be the colour in the middle as the bracelet’s primary colour, with red on the outside. See the image at the top of the article for reference.)
Take rope “A” underneath the core (“B” and “C”) and overtop of the other, different coloured working edge (in our example, the red paracord, labelled “D”).
Next, take “D” overtop of the core and thread it up and through the open space/loop created by “A.” Pull the knot tight, cinching around “B” and “C.”
Congratulations! You’ve tied your first Cobra Knot. (If you used tape to measure, now is the best time to remove that piece of tape.)
6. Keep tying the Cobra Knot.
Starting with the same colour every time, repeat Step 5: this time, create a backwards 4 shape with “A,” then bring “D” overtop the core, and up and through “A.” You will be working on different sides, but always starting with the same colour of paracord.
Repeat. After every couple of knots, push the previous knots up along the core. Pull each knot tight and keep going until you reach the tape at the end.
7. Remove the tape from the paracord bracelet.
After the tape is gone, you’ll need to hold the one-inch ends of the core tightly against the underside of the bracelet. Tie the Cobra Knot overtop of that, hiding the end strands. Flip over the bracelet to make sure the strands are hidden on both sides. You can tuck them in between existing knots if needed.
8. Thread the remaining paracord through the buckle’s open slots.
Flip the bracelet over. Take the two loose working ends and thread them down through the male buckle’s upper slot.
9. Hide the ends.
Take the final Cobra Knot you tied and loosen it slightly. Thread the two ends of the paracord down through that open space. Pull the slack tight. It can also be helpful to tie a tight, regular knot here.
10. Finish the bracelet.
Cut the excess strands and melt down the ends. You can melt the two colours of paracord together, tuck them under previous knots or melt them into the core of the bracelet, holding them against the core with the scissors.
Taa-daaa! Your bracelet is ready to wear!
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74 DIY Paracord Bracelet Tutorials
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