If you find yourself wanting to make some Kandi bracelets, it’s either due to a crafty project or you’re about to attend a festival or rave, there’s hardly any in between. Either way, making Kandi bracelets are terribly easy and the process can also be terribly fun!
If you’re not aware, Kandi bracelets are popular among the rave scene, traded among the party-goers as symbols of a new friendship. They acquire many colorful beads and very simple assemblage. So, gather up the pony beads, and let’s go on a Kandi bracelet-making journey together.
The Beads You’ll Want To Use
Not all beads are the same and mixing the types of beads together can make for some sweet Kandi. Before we move on to the step-by-step instruction, down below is a detailed list of all the beads you can expect to find online and in-store.
- Pony Beads will be your main beads to use. Plastic pony beads come in varieties of colors and make for some bright bracelets. You can acquire these beads either in packs, buckets, or special tubs. They can be used for single-strand bracelets and Kandi cuffs, but those will require more time and more beading.
- Letter Beads are for those who want to spread a message with their Kandi. Whether it’s fun adjectives or simple statements, you can use letter beads to spell out anything you want. The coolest effect can be made when interspersed with the other pony beads. You can also buy these in packs with pony beads or just by themselves. Letter beads usually come with a wide selection of beads of different styles for a more versatile look.
- Charms are purely decorative and make for a more stylish Kandi bracelet. They also make your Kandi more customizable depending on any themes you want to promote. Whether it’s a pumpkin for a Halloween look or a red heart for a Cupid theme, there are endless charms to choose from. These shaped beads can make a simple row of beads on a piece of string more personalized.
- Perler Beads (optional) are for the more advanced Kandi makers, but how can you know if you’re good at it if you don’t try! These beads aren’t made for stringing, instead you fix them into a design, flatten it a bit with some heat such as ironing, and then attach it to your Kandi bracelet. To achieve an awesome Perler bead design all you need is some creativity and imagination.
What You’ll Need
Now, gather all the materials you’ll need before moving forward with the bracelet-making process. Luckily, given Kandi’s simplicity, you don’t really need much to get it going.
- Your choice of beads (pony, letter, etc.)
- Elastic string
- Scissors
- An iron for Perler bead designs (optional)
Step-By-Step Instruction: Making the Kandi Bracelets
Step 1: Plan out your Kandi design. If you’re going for only pony beads, then come up with the desired color pattern. If you want to add letter beads, then plan out the word you want to put. This is where you get to let your creativity shine! After familiarizing yourself with the single-beaded kandi design, you can even move onto the various 3d cuffs.
Step 2: Grab the end of the string from the roll, and wrap it around your wrist. This is so you have a nice measured length that is sure to fit on your hand when finished. Be sure to leave a little extra room for tying the Kandi bracelet down. Nothing is worse than getting to the end, only to realize it won’t fit around your wrist! One tip I also like to use is to go slightly bigger, especially if you are planning to trade the bead bracelet or have them on your wrist over time. Some people may have a slightly bigger wrist and the elastic-plastic string will make sure it still fits snugly on your arm.
Step 3: Then, once you have the desired length, use the scissors to cut the piece of the roll. Now you’ll have a good measured piece to cut more strings for other bracelets. It’s better to cut more pieces of the same length before you tie it off.
Step 4: Stretch out that string and place your first bead. This helps to stretch the elastic craft string and make sure you are beading on the full length of the string. Then, once that’s finished you can tie it off at the end. Now you can continue placing your beads without the worry of them falling out the other side. This lets you work with any pattern of beads much more efficiently and easily.
Step 5: This step is the easiest. Now, you just keep adding your beads, one by one. Be aware of the pattern you’re making, because making an early mistake will be more agonizing to correct later on. We’ve all experienced dumping our beads back out because we put two of the same colors together. Learn from our mistakes! I also like to make sure I lay all my beads out beforehand so if I am working with a charm or special bead, I can make sure that it is centered in the color pattern.
Step 6: Be sure not to fill the entire string! Remember that you still have to tie it off at the end. Once you’ve completed stringing all the beads, use the extra string you left empty and tie the two ends together and into a simple tight knot. I prefer doing a double knot, but with some smaller beads, sometimes a double knot can be too big.
Step 7: Use the scissors to cut off the excess string coming out of the knot. There you go, you have a handmade Kandi bracelet and now you can make some more and maybe even move onto more advanced cuff styles.
Conclusion
If you’re a first-time raver, trying to get into the world by making some Kandi for your first time, it’s also important to know about P.L.U.R. This is a part of the ritual when it comes to exchanging Kandi. First, you’ll make a peace sign with your fingers and touch those fingertips against the other person. This means P for peace. Then, you’ll make a heart together which means L for love. After that, interlock your hands and this is U for unity. As for the final, you’ll exchange bracelets while holding each other hands and this is R for respect.
Whether your interests in Kandi stop short of making friendship bracelets, there’s no denying the fun and creative process it brings. Beads usually come in a whole bucket of beads making for a fun and inexpensive craft even for kids. In sheltered times such as these, it’s good to find outlets for that energy, and what better way than creating some colorful bracelets and having a good time!