Mala Bracelets have been essential accessories since humans learned how to make jewelry. Wrist mala bracelets were among the first jewelry humans developed, along with ring mala necklaces. They are extremely simple to make, and you can make these three accessories from virtually anything, after all. We have already discussed how to make Beaded Mala Necklaces before, and the process of making modern rings are a bit too complicated for us to discuss here. So let’s talk about How to make a Mala Bracelet here.
If you noticed our subtle hint above, we would primarily talk about the process of making mala bracelets from beads.
But before we start talking about this DIY Guide to making beaded mala bracelets, let’s get a small thing cleared first!
What is the difference between Mala Neckalce and Mala Bracelet?
In all honesty, there are not many differences between these two religious and spiritual accessories. The primary difference between these two malas is the number of beads involved and where they are worn.
The two major differences between Mala Necklace and Wrist mala Bracelets are:
Number of Beads
- Mala Necklace: 108 or 109 with the inclusion of Guru Bead
- Wrist Mala Bracelets: 54, 27, 21, 18, 1 or None
Note: The wrist Mala Bracelets with one or no beads are hand-knotted wrist mala
Where they are worn
- Mala Necklace: They are worn around Neck and Chest Area
- Wrist Mala: Wrist Malas are worn around the wrist, preferably right wrist
Besides these two differences, the wrist mala bracelets are a mini version of beaded mala necklaces. With the exception of the hand-knotted wrist mala, the rest of the wrist mala can be used just like a beaded mala necklace for all forms of spiritual and meditation practices. The number of beads in wrist mala is just a division of the total bead number of wrist mala necklaces.
Hand-knotted wrist beaded bracelets are used for the strength of knots, threads and the guru bead involved.
Now that we have cleared the primary differences between Mala Necklace and Wrist Mala bracelets, let’s talk about making wrist mala bracelets.
What are the Materials Needed to Make Mala Bracelet?
To make a mala bracelet, you will need loose beads, thread, and guru beads. The regular and prayer beads can be anything from simple mala beads to prayer beads. These are the main materials you need to make beaded wrist mala bracelets, but you can add Charms and Tassels as needed per your wish. Additionally these additions might also depend on if you are making the best beaded bracelet for men or best beaded bracelets for women.
The specifications for the materials required to make a mala bracelets are:
- Regular Beads
- Size: 6 mm or 8 mm
- Number: 54, 27, 21, 18, 1
- Thread
- Materials: Cotton or Hemp
- Length: Roughly 1.5 Feet
- Guru Bead: 1
- Tassels: As per your wish
- Scissors: 1
- Polish or Glue: As needed
Exception: Wrist Mala Purely Made from Hand Knots and Guru Beads
How to make Mala Bracelets?
To make mala bracelets, you must take the beads and thread them in a loop before tying off the end with a guru bead, mala charm, tassel or adjustable knots. That said, including mala charm, tassel and adjustable knots are completely optional. Regardless here is the step-by-step DIY guide to making a Beaded Wrist Mala.
Step 1: Gather the Materials
This is an obvious step, as you cannot make a beaded bracelet without the materials. That said, you may be confused about choosing the perfect beads for your beaded mala. If you are confused, please refer to the article on “How to make Beaded Mala” that we have linked earlier. We have addressed this query of “How to choose the perfect beads for beaded mala?”.
Step 2: Thread the Beads/ Stringing your beads
After you gather all the materials and have chosen the perfect set of mala beads, thread and guru beads for your mala bracelet, you need to thread the beads with the few pieces of string along with the guru bead. This process is also known as stringing your beads.
Step 3: Tie the end knot
This is the final step in this DIY guide for making the beaded wrist mala bracelet if you want to make a simple version. As the title of this step states, all you need to do is make a simple knot at the end of the guru bead. For this, you will need the guru bead with two openings; the knot will be tied at another end.
Additionally, you can end wrist mala bracelets with adjustable knots and tassels. You can also add counter beads in between the regular beads to enhance the aesthetic and effect of the beaded bracelets as well.
How to make adjustable Mala Bracelet?
To make an adjustable Mala Bracelet, you first need to start with the base of regular wrist mala bracelets. Once you have the base, you need to add an adjustable knot on top of the Guru Bead or replace the guru bead entirely with adjustable knots. But for this, you will first need to know the steps for creating Mala Bracelet Knots or adjustable knots. So –
How to make Mala Bracelet Knots?
To make adjustable knots, you will need to:
- Bend one end of the thread back about 4 inches creating a half loop
- Take the opposite end of the thread and pull it under the loop
- Put the bottom of the thread behind the top creating two parallel lines
- Wrap the end of the thread three times
- Pass the end of the thread through the remaining small loop
- Pull the thread from one end while pushing the loop in the other direction to tie the knot
- Repeat the same process on the other end of the thread
- Trim the excess
Do note that you should thread the beads before making adjustable knots.
How to make a Mala Bracelet with Tassels?
This is another optional method of making a wrist mala bracelet, and as you may have guessed, you will need to make a mala bracelet before adding in the tassel. Unlike Adding adjustable knots with some restriction, you can add tassels to any wrist mala bracelet, given that it does not have an adjustable knot. If this small criterion is met, you can follow the process below.
- Take a small square card and wrap the thread around the card
- Slide the card out from the loops
- Take the two pieces of strings hanging from the beads
- Tie two knots inside and secure it
- Glue the knot and let the glue dry
- Cut off excess thread
- Take another piece of thread and wrap it around the loop
- Tie a double knot and trim the ends
Adding in tassels enhances the innate aesthetic of the wrist mala and, depending on the thread used, can even provide you with additional spiritual benefits.
Where to Buy Malas and Mala Bracelets?
The best place to buy Malas and Mala Bracelet is naturally from Nirvana Mala, one of the best wholesalers and distributors of beaded mala and wrist mala in Nepal. So if you have the query of where to get mala beads and want to buy a mala necklace or bracelet, we are among the best options you have. But apart from Nirvana Mala, you can purchase beaded accessories from all the major religious and spiritual hubs in Southeast Asia.
So, Can I make Mala my own Mala beads Bracelets?
Ultimately, making wrist mala and mala is a simple process. As long as you have the materials, almost anyone can make mala on their own, and you can do it too.
The only issue with making the mala on your own is that if you are doing so for spiritual reasons, we recommend you take aid from a spiritual leader and do a compatibility test with the beads you are using to prevent any undesirable effects.
We hope you found this interesting and helpful. And as always, thank you for reading till the end.
FAQ
Q: How many beads are in a mala wrist bracelet?
A: The total number of beads in a wrist mala will vary between 54, 27, 21, and 18 if the wrist mala is made using traditional methods. You can also have wrist mala with only the guru beads and instances where beads are replaced with hand knots. In these cases, the specific number of the bead will be uncertain.
Q: What wrist do you wear a mala bracelet on?
A: You can wear a wrist mala bracelet on any wrist, but traditionally, it is preferred for you to wear a wrist mala bracelet on the right hand.
Q: What materials do you need to make a mala?
A: You will need beads, thread, and scissors to make the base form of mala.
Q: How to make Mala Beads?
A: The process of making mala beads will vary on the material but the general procss is to harvest the material, shape and polish them and then purify the materials.