How to Make a Paracord Bracelet 2

Because of the article I’ve written on my every-day carry kit as well as the How to Put Together the Ultimate Survival Kit article, I’ve had a number of readers ask me for the instructions on how to make a paracord bracelet.
Like I’ve mentioned in both of those articles, paracord is such a useful tool in survival situations that you should always have some amount on hand — and there’s no better way to always have some with you than by wearing it! The design may look complicated but making your own paracord bracelet is actually quite simple. Here’s the process:

How to Make a Paracord Bracelet – Step by Step

1. Get some paracord: You’ll want to have around 15 feet of paracord to ensure that you have enough.
2. Fold the paracord in half: Take the full length of paracord and fold it exactly in the middle so you’re left with two 7 1/2 foot lengths on either side of the fold. For ease of maintaining the fold I usually wrap some tape at the end where the fold is.
3. Make the left-sided knot:  
4. Take the single cord on the left side and pass it underneath the central strands.
5. Complete the knot: Now take the right side cord and pass it underneath the cord from step 3, over the two central strands and through the left-side loop created in the previous step.
6. Pull in the slack:  
7. Pulling both of the free ends on either side, tighten the knot to pull in the slack.

1. Make the right-sided knot: Take the single cord on the right side, pass it under the central strands.
2. Complete the knot: Now take the left side cord and pass it underneath the cord from step 6, over the two central strands and through the right-side loop created in the previous step.
3. Pull in the slack: Pulling both of the free ends on either side, tighten the knot to pull in the slack.
4. Create the slide holes: At this point I usually will take the two little loops at the top of the cobra-stitch pattern and open them up a bit with my fingers. These two little loops will be used as a sliding mechanism for tightening the bracelet when finished.
5. Repeat steps 3 – 7 until desired length is reached: You’ll want to continue the alternating pattern until the cobra stitch is almost at the very end of the loop — leaving about a half an inch of the loop open.
   As a side note, be sure that you are alternating the left-right pattern. Otherwise the knots become twisted in which case you can simply undo the last knot and continue with the alternating pattern again.
6. Insert the free ends into the slide holes: Depending on how much paracord you used in the “braiding” process, you will some amount left over (as you can see in the previous picture). You’ll want to take these free strands and put them through the slide holes you had made in step 9.
   If you originally cut the paracord to get your 15 feet, the cut ends will be frayed. At this point, it helps to burn them off to make a sharp tip. This will make putting the strands through the slide holes a lot easier.
7. Tie off the end: Taking the two free strands, tie a knot at the point where the bracelet is just large enough to fit over your hand. I like tying a square knot followed by a granny knot. This makes a nice round knot ball that will be placed in the loop to secure the bracelet.
8. Cut the extra pieces
9. Burn off the frayed ends: Using a lighter, burn off the frayed ends and while still hot, flatten the melted ends against the knot ball made in step 12.
10. Fit and secure the bracelet: Slide the bracelet on, pull the knot ball to tighten the bracelet, and insert the knot ball into the open loop to secure the bracelet. Viola! you have made your own paracord bracelet.