Waist Beads are an important part of African culture for many centuries. At present, women wear waist beads for traditional purposes or as a fashion jewelry. The waist beads are available in various designs yet you can design your own after learning how to make waist beads on your own.
Making waist beads requires some skills but it is not difficult. Any person, with proper knowledge and understanding about the process of making waist beads, can make her own waist beads with high quality beads, string, stones/charms and other materials.
In This Article
Should I Buy Waist Beads or Make My Own?
You should make your own waist beads if you want to create a unique color combination of beads with your desired stones, charms, string and other stuff. Making waist beads is neither complicated not time consuming. So, you can easily make your waist beads by following a simple process that I am going to explain here.
You should buy readymade waist beads if you get them in your desired color, design and quality preferences. If you are not satisfied with the waist beads available to buy then you should make your own waist beads. For that you need the materials required for making waist beads and a guideline to help you make high quality waist beads for yourself.
What Materials do I Need to Make Waist Beads?
The waist beads are made from various materials including beads, charms, stones/gemstones, string, crimp lock, jump rings and other stuff. You should get all materials and tools required for making waist beads before you start waist beads making process.
- A String (Nylon Recommended)
- Different Color Beads (Your Choice)
- Stones/Gemstones, Charms and Crystals of Your Choice
- Crimp Lock or Bead Stopper
- Jump Rings
- Lobster Lock
- Crimping Tool/Pliers
- Wire Cutter Pliers
When you have all the above mentioned materials ready, you can proceed to making waist beads by yourself.
How to Make Waist Beads
You should know the complete process of how to make wait beads to learn the method and follow it properly.
Now, I am going to explain step-by-step process of making waist beads of your choice at home, so read & follow the steps to make it happen.
- Measure Your Waist Circumference
- Cut the String with Wire Cutter Pliers
- Add Crimp Lock and Jump Ring
- Add Beads, Stones/Gemstones, Charms and Crystals
- Open a Jump Ring with Crimping Tool
- Attach the Jump Ring to Lobster Lock
- Add Crimp Lock and Jump Ring (Same as Step 3)
- Lock the String to Finish
Let us discuss all eight steps to make waist beads in detail as under.
01. Measure Your Waist Circumference:
Get a soft tape measure and measure your waist circumference. You should measure the waist area where you aim to tie your waist beads. Measure your waistline at least 3 times to get the proper measurement and note it down.
If you are making waist beads for your friend or daughter or sister, you need to measure her waist circumference. It is strongly recommended to measure your bare waist and not over the clothes. Considering bare waist will give accurate measurement.
02. Cut the String with Wire Cutter Pliers:
You should know the exact waist circumference before you cut the string for making waist beads. If you already know your waist size then take the wire cutter pliers in your hand and cut the string 8-inch longer than your waist size. The extra portion of string will be useful for tying the waist beads properly when it is ready.
03. Add Crimp Lock and Jump Ring:
After cutting the string, you should add the crimp lock and jump ring at one end of the string. Firstly, add the crimp lock, then the jump ring and loop it back in the crimp lock. Use the crimping tool to flatten it and you are done.
Adding crimp lock and jump ring at one end of the string will lock it so that the beads don’t fall off the string when you start adding them in the next step.
04. Add Beads, Stones/Gemstones, Charms and Crystals:
You should add beads to make your desired color combination of beads. You should also add stones, charms and crystals after every few beads to create a beautiful design/pattern in your waist beads. You should keep adding beads and other stuff over the string until it becomes equal to your waist size.
05. Open Jump Ring with Crimping Tool:
Now, you should get another jump ring and open it with help of crimping tool. Make sure that you don’t damage the jump ring while opening it.
06. Attach the Jump Ring to Lobster Lock:
Keep the jump ring open and attach it to the lobster lock.
07. Add Crimp Lock and Jump Ring (Same as Step 3):
Add the crimp lock to the other end of the string (opposite end of the one you considered in step 3). Then attach jump ring and loop it back in the crimp lock. Use the crimping tool to flatten it and make sure that the string is locked properly on both ends.
08. Lock the String to Finish:
Finally, wrap the waist beads around your waist and lock the string with the lobster lock. So, your waist beads are ready to use now, make sure that it fits well on your waistline and you are comfortable with it.
In this way, you can make your own waist beads with your desired colors, design and size.
Should My Waist Beads be Stretchy?
No, your waist beads should not be stretchy as you won’t notice any tightness even if you put on some weight. The waist beads should stay firm-tight on your waist and must not stretch so that you feel tightness when you gain weight and your waist/stomach area is expanded.
At the time of making waist beads for yourself, you should keep the purpose in mind. You can get a stretchy string for your waist beads to make them comfortable all the time. But your waist beads string should be non-stretchy if your purpose is weight control.
If you wear waist beads for weight loss or posture improvement then your waist beads must not be stretchy. In case you put on waist beads for fashion purposes, stretchy waist beads are good as you don’t need to adjust them even if you gain some weight.
Final Verdict: Is Making Waist Beads Worth It?
In this post, I have explained the easiest way to make waist beads at home. At the end, I assure you that making waist beads is worth it as it allows you to design your waist beads in your own style. Moreover, making waist beads is neither tough nor costly, so you can make waist beads just by following the steps I have explained above.
The waist beads are affordable and easy to make at home. You don’t need to be an artisan/technical person to make waist beads. For more queries or questions regarding waist beads making process, ask me in the comment section, I will answer your queries shortly.
FAQs about Making Waist Beads
The waist beads are easy to make for everyone but you should be clear about the materials and the procedure. Here I provide some FAQs about how to make waist beads and their answers in brief to help you make your own waist beads without any mistake.
Q.1 What is the best material to use for waist beads?
Nylon Cord is the best material to use for waist beads. The waist beads made with a string made of nylon are strong and durable.
Q.2 What beads are used for waist beads?
Glass, Metal, Wood and Plastic Beads are used for waist beads. People also use charms, stones, gemstones and crystals along with beads to make their waist beads more beautiful.
Q.3 How long does it take to make waist beads?
It takes 60 to 90 minutes to make waist beads on your own. You may make waist beads faster if you have made them earlier.
Q.4 How do you make high quality waist beads?
You can make high quality waist beads with help of a nylon string, high quality beads & stones/charms and durable crimp lock, jump rings and lobster lock.
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