DIY Football Team Colors Bracelet Craft

Polymer Heishi Bead Football Team Colors Bracelet

Make this football team bracelet craft to show spirit for your favorite professional football team or a youth sports team.

The bracelet can easily be customized using clay heishi beads in colors to represent your team.

This jewelry making activity is fun and, of course, the bracelet can be worn and enjoyed after you’ve made it.

Kids and adults can make this bracelet on their own or as a group activity.

The bracelets are great for gift giving and fun to wear on game day.

Colorful Polymer Clay Heishi Beads

Traditional heishi (pronounced hee-shee) beads are formed from a clay made from ground up shell or stone powder.

Today the term is used for a variety of flat disc shaped beads.

The most common type of heishi beads used for DIY jewelry crafts are made from polymer clay and come in a wide variety of colors.

They can be purchased as strands of beads, packages of loose beads and boxed jewelry making kits with beads organized by color.

Typical size of the beads is 6mm wide by 1mm thick with a hole that is 2mm in diameter.

Beads are readily available to match the team colors of your favorite team.

Sports Ball Beads

Football shaped beads look great and are easy to use, just like any other bead.

There are beads just like mine and others that have a slightly different color or style.

I chose football beads with holes going side to side instead of end to end, but both types can work for this team bracelet craft.

If you are just into football, you can get a whole pack of beads that are all footballs.

Or you can also get a mixed package of beads that includes other sports balls, as well.

Elastic Thread for Making Bracelets

Stretchy, elastic thread is great for making these heishi bead football bracelets.

The thread comes in a variety of widths, usually between .4mm and 1mm.

The thin .4mm elastic thread can be used with tiny seed beads.

A thicker thread is better for the polymer heishi beads with 2mm holes, since it will be stronger than the thin thread.

I used .7mm elastic thread for this bracelet, but you can also use .8mm or 1mm.

It will still be easy to use, but will result in a stronger bracelet.

If all you have is thin elastic, you can double it up when making this football bracelet.

What Size Is A Bracelet?

A standard women’s bracelet is between 6.5 and 7.5 inches and a child’s would be 5.5 to 6.5 inches.

Use that as a general guide, if you can’t measure the wrist of the person you are making it for.

The best way to get a good fit is to measure the wrist of the person who will be wearing it and then add 1/4″.

That is how long the finished bracelet will be, but you’ll need to cut a piece of elastic thread several inches larger than that to allow room to easily string the beads and knot the bracelet.

You want the bracelet to rest comfortably on the wrist and then stretch to slide it off and on.

The football bracelet that I made is sized for a child.

Tape Measure or Ruler

A tape measure or ruler can be used to get the proper size, when you are beading.

I use a tape measure that can measure the wrist and then be set at the appropriate length to refer to it as I’m working.

Best Knot for a Stretch Bracelet?

Crimp beads will cut into and break the elastic thread, so they are not recommended for these bracelets.

The flexible thread can easily be tied into a secure knot that will hold as you wear and enjoy the bracelet.

A surgical knot is a good knot to use, so are others.

The thread is looped through an extra time, instead of a single time like you would for a regular knot.

Tuck the knot inside one of the football beads to hide it when your bracelet is worn.

Where to Buy Jewelry Supplies Online

AliExpress has a huge selection of jewelry making supplies at super low prices – incredibly low prices. Plan ahead when you order, since shipping can take longer than US based companies.
Amazon also has a good selection of supplies and shipping can be very fast.
Beebeecraft has beads from around the world, jewelry findings and craft supplies with free shipping on orders over $25.

DIY Football Team Colors Craft

Supplies / Materials

Flat Polymer Clay Heishi Beads in Team Colors
3 Football Beads
Elastic Beading Thread (.7mm to 1mm)

Tools/Equipment

Tape Measure
Tape
Scissors

Instructions

1) Determine the size of the bracelet (see tips above) and cut a piece of elastic thread that is several inches longer than that.

2) Make a plan of how you want to arrange your beads. They can be in a pattern like mine or the colors can be threaded randomly.

3) Tape your elastic to your work surface to keep the beads from falling off as they are threaded.

4) Start with a football bead, so that the knot will be next to it.

5) Add other football beads and heishi beads until the bracelet is the desired length.

6) Tie it off with a surgical knot (tips above) and carefully trim the excess thread with scissors.

7) Tuck the knot under the nearby football bead.

8) The football team bracelet is ready to wear!

DIY Football Team Colors Bracelet Craft