If there is one thing girls who are required to wear medical ID bracelets despise, it is how un-fashionable but expensive they are. As a girl who not only loves fashion but is required to wear one, I thought it would be nice to help others in my position be able to make this a bit more fun and in style. If you already have one and hate wearing it because of making it match your clothes or style, it is really easy to create new strands for yourself to attach to the ID tag! A quick trip to the craft store can help you rack up on all kinds of beads and such to make this so you. Once you make your first custom strand, you will want to keep making more so that you have plenty to choose from! I have customized two strands already with plans for doing more! Now, you can always use different beads than I am using in this DIY. Just remember to make this yours!
Materials + Tools:
- Pair of Scissors
- Nylon Cord
- Measuring Tape
- Clear Nail Polish
- Tweezers
- Lighter
- Your Medical ID tag
- 2 Lobster Clasps
- 10-16 small, glossy black beads
- 4-7 large, round decorative beads (mine are blue)
- 3-6 medium, silver decorative beads (mine are hearts)
Instructions:
1) Measure your wrist with the tape measure then roll out your Nylon cord to that length without cutting it from the roll. Lay your ID tag at the end of the cording to account for it in the size of your strand.
2) Create a pattern with your beads that is the length of the remaining measured cording, using the black beads to border the two different decorative beads. The pattern would be like: Black Bead ● Large, Round Decorative Bead ● Black Bead ● Medium, Silver Decorative Bead ● Black Bead ● Repeat starting with the Large, Round Decorative Bead
3) String the beads onto the cord in the pattern you have created.
4) Secure the bed on the end of the strand by looping the cording back through the bead the opposite way. You will pull the cording upward causing all of the beads to move down the cording, which is why you do not cut your measured cord off the roll downward at least 3 inches. Then separate the bead on the end from the others by pulling it down towards the end of the cord. Move the cord down to the opposite end of the bead then loop it through the other side. Pull the cord back through the bead to where it is going back in its original direction.
5) Now it’s time to add a clasp! Take a Lobster clasp and loop the cord through the end. Slide the clasp downward until it is almost against the black bead that was just secured on the end. Before pulling the loop tight, insert the end of the cord through it. Pull that loop tight and repeat two more times.
6) The clasp now must be securely tied to the cording. Take the cord that is hanging from the end of the clasp and loop it around the small amount of cording between the clasp and the black bead on the end. Then insert the end of the cord through the loop and pull it tight. Repeat this two more times for a secure knot.
7) I like my clasps extra secure so I repeat the process of step five through the clasp again.
8) To make the bracelet strand even more secure, you will secure the large, decorative bead next to the end just as you secured the end one in Step 4. After you have looped the cording back up through the bead, you will use the tweezers to pull the cording that’s against the side of the bead upward. Then, loop the cording underneath that piece. After that, you will create a loop around the cording between this bead and the black bead on the other side of it, not the one against the lobster clasp. Insert the cord through that loop and pull it tight. Repeat this two more times.
9) Pick up the cord of your beads from the end that is still attached to the roll. Pull 2-3 inches of extra cord from the roll and cut it off. If the end of this cord is frayed, lightly paint the end with clear nail polish and allow to dry.
10) Repeat steps 4-8 on this end of the cord.
11) Once you have finished securing the beads and clasp onto this end of the strand, clasp one end onto your Medical ID tag and wrap around your wrist before securing the other end to the tag. Give it a quick test to see what your new fashionable, stylish, and decorative custom strand looks on your wrist!
12) Unclasp the bracelet from your wrist and cut the excess cording on the strand to where there is less than half an inch hanging off. Take a lighter and burn the ends of the excess strand to completely secure your bracelet. Please be careful to not let it burn too much or it will damage your bracelet, as it only takes a few seconds. Also, please be extra careful when using lighters.
13) Enjoy your new Medical ID Bracelet that now just looks like your regular in-style bracelet!
Have you used this to create one of your own? Show it off in the comments!
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