These 3 strand pipe cleaner bracelets are SO EASY to make! They take less than 10 minutes! Just twist together a few pipe cleaners and add pony beads to create a super fun bracelet for yourself or your friends.
This low mess craft uses simple craft supplies that you probably already have at home. Wear a single one of these adorable bracelets or a whole group of them on your wrist. They’re so cute!
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How to Make a 3 Strand Pipe Cleaner Bracelet
Materials:
- 3 Pipe cleaners (3 different colours)
- 16 Pony Beads
Check Out The Video Tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies! We used pony beads that matched our pipe cleaner colours.
Step 2: Twist together pipe cleaners and add beads
- Line up the ends of the pipe cleaners and twist them together 5 or 6 times.
- Spread out the pipe cleaners and add a bead to the middle pipe cleaner, pushing it up all the way to the twisted end.
- Bring the pipe cleaners back together and add a bead to all three pipe cleaners. Push the bead up about 1/2 inch away from the first bead.
- Pull the pipe cleaners out and slightly away from the first bead. Shape the pipe cleaners so the bead is in the middle with the pipe cleaners on either side of it. Make sure you do this every time as you add the next bead, because it's very difficult to shape the bracelet at the end.
- Add a third bead to the bracelet, putting it on the middle pipe cleaner and, again, space it 1/2 inch away from the last bead.
- Add the next bead on all three pipe cleaners. Adjust the pipe cleaners around the third bead.
- Continue the pattern of beads (one on the center pipe cleaner, one on all three, repeat) until the bracelet is about the size of your wrist.We added 16 beads to the bracelet, ending with the colour we started with.
Step 3: Close off the bracelet
- Twist the ends of the pipe cleaners together 5 or 6 times (like you did in the beginning) to close off your bracelet.
- Cross the twisted ends over each other to create a round bracelet shape.
- Twist the ends together, making sure the sharp ends of the pipe cleaners stay on the outside of the bracelet (so they don't scratch your wrist when you put it on).
- Your 3 strand pipe cleaner bracelet is complete!
Helpful Tip:
- Leave larger spaces between the beads for a more open look, like on our 4 Strand Pipe Cleaner Bracelet.
- We added beads to match the pipe cleaner colours in an ABC pattern (ie. purple, green, blue, and then repeated), but you can add whatever colour beads you’d like!
What beads work best for 3 strand pipe cleaner bracelets?
We used pony beads with a 9 mm diameter and a 4 mm opening. You can use any bead, really, as long as it’s large enough to fit over three pipe cleaners.
Where’s the best place to buy pipe cleaner bracelet supplies?
Amazon is a great place to order pony beads. They have large bags of assorted colours, so you can pick out your favourites! Pony beads are also easy to find at the dollar store, Walmart, and Michaels (or any other craft store).
The dollar store is a great place to buy inexpensive pipe cleaners, though Amazon also sells a good variety for decent prices. If you order pipe cleaners online, just make sure you choose the 12 inch size, and not the 6 inch ones. (Those won’t be long enough to make bracelets with.)
What else can I make with pipe cleaners and beads?
We’ve had so much fun working with pipe cleaners and beads over the years! To celebrate holidays we’ve made Pipe Cleaner Shamrocks with Beads, Beaded Pipe Cleaner Indian Corn, and Pipe Cleaner Snowflakes with Beads.
We’ve also made Beaded Pipe Cleaner Flowers, Beaded Pipe Cleaner People, and Beaded Pipe Cleaner Butterflies. They’re all such fun and simple projects!
It’s so fun to choose the colours for these 3 strand pipe cleaner bracelets! They’re the perfect craft to make on rainy days or at birthday parties, sleepovers, summer camp, or to give as friendship bracelets.
Here’s even more DIY bracelet ideas:
Braided Pipe Cleaner Bracelets
How to Make a Paracord Bracelet
4 Strand Pipe Cleaner Bracelets
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |  Barnes and Noble |  Books- A- Million |  Indiebound |  Indigo |  Amazon Canada
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