Bracelet Length Calculator - Bracelet Sizing

The bracelet shown here is the Kumihimo Bracelet
with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord Kit 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever made a bracelet, and when you were all finished, it was either too snug or too loose?

Here is a guide for making bracelets that will fit wrists perfectly. It is especially important for bracelets that have a certain thickness, such as beaded kumihimo bracelets, crochet rope bracelets, or bracelets with large beads. For thin bracelets you can skip #3 as the diameter of the bracelet becomes negligible.

Before making the Bracelet, you need the following:

#1. Wrist Size
Measure with a flexible measuring tape at the place where yo want to wear the bracelet. This will also work for an anklet.  

#2. Type of Fit

Tight Fit - Do not add anything

Snug Fit - Add 1/4“ to 1/2” (0.25" to 0.50") / 0.6 cm to 1.25 cm

Comfort Fit - Add 1/2“ to 1” (0.50" to 1") / 1.25 cm to 2.5 cm 

Loose Fit - Add 1“ to 1 1/4” (1" to 1.25") / 2.5 cm to 3 cm

#3. Braid Diameter/Bracelet Thickness

That's the measurement between the inner and the outer circumference.  

 

CALCULATOR

Enter all the input numbers in inches or cm and in decimal form - no fractions. The calculator work with inches or cm but do not mix the two.

Then of course if you are making a bracelet with a clasp, take the clasp length in consideration.

For the Kumihimo Bracelet with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord shown above, the magnetic clasp covered by a peyote sleeve is 1 inch/2.54 cm long. Braid a first short section with no beads that will be wrapped and glued into the clasp. Braid the beaded kumihimo section. Then another short section with no beads for the other end of the clasp. The braid is 0.38"/0.96 cm thick, so the adjustment for the bracelet thickness is 1.19"/3.02 cm. Minus the clasp from that and you get 0.19"/0.48 cm. So make the beaded section just a tad longer (0.19" - that's a 3/16"  or 0.48 cm longer) than the wrist size adjusted for the type of fit desired. The clasp length will make up the difference. 

REFERENCES

This chart shows average sizes for both women and men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR MATH PEOPLE....

The math is all Pre-Algebra and Geometry… Yikes that was a long time ago...

Circumference = π x Diameter

Diameter = Circumference / π

π = The Number Pi = 3.14

From this, we can deduce the following:

Inner Diameter = (Wrist Size + Type of Fit) / π 

Middle Diameter = Inner Diameter + Bracelet Thickness

Middle Circumference = π x (Inner Diameter + Bracelet Thickness)

Difference between Inner Circumference and Middle Circumference = π x Bracelet Thickness

So the adjustment for the bracelet thickness is as follows:

Adjustment for Bracelet Thickness = Bracelet Thickness multiplied by Pi

Adjustment for Bracelet Thickness = Bracelet Thickness x 3.14

I recently got an email asking me how long a beaded braid section needed to be for one of my kumihimo bracelet kits. After really pondering on this question, I had to write this post and create the online bracelet length calculator. I hope this will help you for your next bracelet! - Marion