Learn to make a Tube Bead Stretch Bracelet using elastic cord, silver tube beads, and large gemstone beads. We love the way the curved tube beads make the bracelet look like a beaded bangle. And we especially love how easy it is to slip on and off with no clasp!
Disclosure: This post has some affiliate links for products we think you’ll like. Even if you don’t want to buy the items online, we think it’s helpful to see what they look like, so you can buy them at your local craft store. If you make a purchase from one of these links, we’ll make a small commission. There is no additional cost to you at all, but it helps us a little so we can pay for our web hosting and the tools and materials we use in these videos and blog posts. All opinions are our own from our own personal experience.
How To Make A Stretch Bracelet
Materials
6 Metal curved tube beads, silver, 20mm with 2mm hole
6 Faceted Amazonite gemstone beads, round, 8mm
12 Round spacer beads, silver, 2mm
20″ Elastic beading cord, .5mm width
Tools
Beading Needle
Scissors
Masking tapeor cellophane tape
Tape measure
Clear nail polish or Jeweler’s glue
Steps
We have a video showing how to make a stretch bracelet using gemstones. The technique is the same for this Tube Bead Stretch Bracelet. So if there are any steps you would like to see demonstrated, just watch our Gemstone Stretch Bracelet video.
1. To get started, fold a piece of masking tape or cellophane tape over one end of the 20-inch piece of elastic beading cord. This will keep the beads from sliding off.
2. Feed the other end of the elastic cord into the eye of the beading needle to thread it. (We love using a beading needle for a project like this, but you can actually make it without a beading needle because the elastic cording has a good amount of body to it.)
3. Feed a silver spacer bead onto the needle and slide onto the elastic.
4. Then feed a faceted gemstone bead onto the needle followed by a second spacer bead. Slide onto the elastic.
5. Next feed a silver tube bead onto the needle and slide onto the elastic.
6. Repeat this pattern until all the beads are on the elastic cord. Keep the needle on the elastic cord for the next few steps.
7. Circle the beaded elastic strand around to form a bracelet shape. Then use the beading needle to feed the elastic through all of the beads a second time. Keep a 2″ tail unbeaded at the tape end to use for the knot later.
8. After you have gone through all the beads with the elastic cord a second time, remove the tape. Gently pull the elastic ends to tighten the bracelet and remove any gaps between the beads. Tie the two ends of the elastic together.
9. To make the knot more secure, tie the ends together again. But this time wrap one end around and through the loop a second time. Gently pull the ends tight.
10. Finally, tie the ends together one more time. Gently pull the ends tight to finish the knot. Trim the ends to ¼”.
11. Add a dab of clear nail polish or jeweler’s glue to the knot. Slide the adjacent gemstone bead over the knot to hide it. Let the glue dry before wearing the bracelet.
To wear the Tube Bead Stretch Bracelet, roll it, rather than stretching it, onto your wrist. We think this would be a fun design to make in different gemstones and then wear as a stacking set of bracelets. If you have any questions about this or any jewelry project, post a comment and we’ll reply. We love helping you!
Happy Crafting,
Jennifer & Kitty
I bought a bunch of the tube beads when they came out and they all turned dark. Do they still do that?
Oh no! What a bummer! Do you think maybe they were silver or silver-plate and they tarnished? You could try polishing them. These are our favorite Pro Polishing Pads for removing tarnish from silver jewelry: https://amzn.to/31fRtPB
J&K
I am making a gratitude bracelet using 4 pearls but not sure how many tubes to use not 6 for sure. Will the tube keep pearl from moving.. also not sure how long to cut elastic cords? I have been holding on doing this because I don’t have all measurements. I have spacers and will use 2 around each pearl. I need these done for our woman’s Bible Retreat in middle of June! HELP! Thanks
Hi Carol,
You will likely use 4 curved tube beads to separate the 4 spacer/pearl/spacers. That would make a nice even pattern. Our bracelet when laid out flat measures about 192mm. It has 6 beads that are 8mm, 12 beads that are 2mm, and 6 curved tube beads that are 20mm each. So 6x12mm gemstone beads + 12x2mm spacers + 6x20mm curved tube beads = 192mm.
How big are your pearls and spacers? Add up their sizes and subtract from 192mm, then divide by 4 to get the curved tube bead size.
Hope that helps!
Kitty & Jennifer
Having trouble with tubes and elastic. Where the tube curves around the wrist, the round spacers between the tubes stretch, showing the hole of the tube. On an inner diameter of 3mm, I have been using a 5mm round spacer, just for the look of it. Should the round spacer match the Inner diameter, or does this just happen due the nature of the elastic? Thanks in advance,
Mary Ann
Hi Mary Ann, We did a little trial and error with our Tube Bead Stretch Bracelet to solve that very same problem. We used smaller beads on either side of the large rondelle bead so they would fit into the end of the tube bead. We also found if we stretch the elastic too tight or didn’t use enough beads, we got gaps that showed the elastic.
Hope that helps!
Jennifer & Kitty
Thank you. I have tubes and. Never used them on stretch bracelets. What a great idea. Have you use silicone spray to help gold or silver plate stay shiny?
Hi Helen, We’ve never tried silicone spray on our beads. We’ll have to look into it!
Cheers,
Jennifer & Kitty
What size tube should I use if I’m only putting 4 beads on the bracelet?
You might need to try the beads on and see if they fit. Start with 4 beads and 4 tube beads. Add more small silver beads to make up the difference.
Hope that helps!
J&K
What size tube beads.
Hi Carol,
We used 6 Metal curved tube beads in silver. Our tube beads are 20mm with 2mm hole. Hope that helps!
Cheers,
Jennifer & Kitty
You show the round spacer beads to be 2mm, but is that the size of the hole or the diameter of the spacer?
Hi Robert, the round spacer beads are 2mm. That is the diameter of the whole bead.
Hope that helps,
Jennifer & Kitty
I am having trouble finding 2 x 20mm tube beads. Where do you get the ones you use?
Hi Susan, Sorry you are having trouble finding those beads. We see some here one Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IUwPKL
And you can also look on Etsy.com and FireMountainGems.com.
Hope that helps!
Jennifer & Kitty
Where did you purchase the tree of life charm? I am having trouble finding one with the jump ring.
Hi Rosemary,
If you can’t find one with the jump ring attached, you can add the jump ring.
Here’s a how-to that shows how to open and close a jump ring to add it to a charm: https://runningwithsisters.com/how-to-add-a-charm-to-a-charm-bracelet/
Here are some Tree of Life Charms on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UxmT0j
Hope that helps!
Jennifer & Kitty
Than you so much for answer. Can I verify my findings for my gratitude bracelet to be sure correct
4 pearl beads (10mm) =. 40 mm
8 spacer (3mm). = 24 mm
Your math: 4×8= 32
8×3 =. 24
4×20=. 80
Total: 136 (192-136)=56
Divided by 4=. 14 mm. Yes, no I want these to be made correctly so sorry for bothering you again!
Hi Carol,
If you have 40mm plus 24mm for the pearls and spacers, you will need 4 curved tube beads at 32mm long each to take up the remaining 128mm..
4X10mm+8X3mm+4X32mm=192mm long
Maybe you can mock one up on paper to see.
Good luck with your project!
Jennifer & Kitty
Thank you. The only place to get curved tube beads in Amazon. Hobby lobby nor Michael’s here sell them.,,
Hi! I want to make a blessing bracelet(like the Hallmark blessing bracelet) and I am very new at this. I would like to use 4 metal curved tubes but do not know what size to order. I have 4 12mm simulated white pearl beads.
What size spacers and curved tubes would I use for it to look right? Thank you in advance from a beginner!
Hi Sherry,
Our bracelet has 192mm worth of beads strung together. We used 6 curved tubes beads with each measuring 20mm and totaling 120mm on the bracelet. We used 6 round beads that measured 8mm and total 48mm on the bracelet. Our 12 spacers, each 2mm take up 24mm on the bracelet. Totaling 192mm of beads.
6x20mm=120mm (curved tube beads)
6x8mm=48mm (round beads)
12x2mm=24mm (spacers)
Total 192mm
If you want to use 12mm simulated white pearl beads in our pattern, you will need 6 pearls. These will take up 72mm on the bracelet. The 12 spacers (each 2mm) will take up 24mm. 72mm pearls and 42mm spacers = 96. Subtract 96mm from 192mm total bracelet length = to get the total for the 6 curved tube beads. 192mm minus 96mm (beads noted above) equals 96mm of curved tube beads. So the total of all the curved tube beads need to fill 96mm. We need 6 of curved tube beads so we divide the 96mm by 6 = 16mm curved tube beads.
6x16m=96mm (curved tube beads)
6x12mm=72mm (pearls)
12x2mm=24mm (spacers)
Total 192mm
Beading can be very mathy! But it’s just a little puzzle to figure out.
So you will need 6 curved tube beads with each bead measuring 16mm.
Hope that helps!
Jennifer & Kitty