Learn how to make stunning bangle bracelets with this easy DIY guide! Perfect for beginners, this step-by-step tutorial covers all you need to create your own unique designs.

Colorful Handmade Bangles

I’m thrilled to share my latest DIY obsession with you – making bangle bracelets!

Have you ever started a fashion project and found yourself having way more fun than you expected? That’s exactly what happened to me with Mod Podge jewelry, and now I can’t stop decorating bangles!

I may have discovered a new calling in creating bangle bracelets, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite decoupage projects.

Pretty bangle with pennant flags

It all began with a simple order of some unfinished wood bangles, and things escalated from there. Now, I’m crafting bangles like there’s no tomorrow, and I’m excited to show you how to make your own.

But fair warning – once you start, you might just lose track of time. Whether it’s family, work, or that ring around the bathtub, everything else might take a back seat because these bangles are just that addictive.

So if you’re ready, let’s start by gathering what you’re going to need.

DIY Bangle Bracelets

Gather These Supplies

For all Bracelets

Here are the additional supplies you’ll need for each design:

  • Pennants – brads in coordinating colors, piece of yarn, Silver Sharpie
  • Pink Floral – velvet scalloped ribbon, pink floral jewelry embellishment, candle, sandpaper
  • Bracelets with Beads – Mod Podge Dimensional Magic, microbeads, tissue paper or vellum, tape, candle, sandpaper

Let’s get started!

Cut the Paper

Before you do any painting, you’ll cut the paper to fit your bracelets.

For any bangle with flat sides, you’ll need to do a little preparation. Using a vellum scrap and a pencil, rub around the edge of the shape to make a template for cutting paper – kind of like pencil rubbings you did when you were little.

tracing the paper on the edge of bracelet with a pencil

Tape the vellum down to your sheet of scrapbook paper and then cut out the five separate shapes.

Also cut paper to fit your flat bangles as well. Test fit and trim if necessary. Set all the paper aside.

cutting the scrapbook paper with a craft knife

Paint the Wood

Basecoat all of your bangles with craft paint. Give at least two coats and allow to dry. I did the insides as well as the outsides.

Painting the wood bangles with various colors of paint

Distress if Desired

A few of my creations are distressed. You can distress easily by rubbing a wax candle all over the bangle, especially on the ridges.

rubbing wax candles on the painted bracelets

Rub firmly and then brush off any extra wax chunks that are left. Remember that the more wax you add, the more distressed your DIY bracelet will be.

Paint your second color directly over the wax and the first color. Paint until the first coat is completely covered and allow to dry.

painting over the top of the wax

Rub a piece of medium grit sandpaper over the top of the bangles – you’ll see the areas where the wax is just rub away (quite easily), and you can see the first layer color beneath.

sanding the paint off of the bracelets to distress

Isn’t it super cool? Sand a little bit more for more distressing.

Attach the Paper

Add the paper pieces to your distressed bangles with Mod Podge. Allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes, then give them a top coat. Add a few coats of Mod Podge to seal.

Attach paper to the surface using Mod Podge

For the longer strips of paper, you might need to apply a section at a time. Hold the paper until it sticks. If you’re having problem with the paper holding, use rubber bands to secure.

Let all the paper dry before moving onto the next sstep.

applying Mod Podge to a wood bangle and wrapping the paper around

Add Embellishments

Add the microbeads. To do this, paint on Mod Podge (with a smaller brush) on the areas of your choice and then sprinkle the beads on.

They adhere nicely (as does glitter). If your bead line goes a little wonky, just wash the Mod Podge off the paintbrush and then run it around the edge to wipe some of the beads and clean it up.

applying the microbeads with Mod Podge and then adding Dimensional Magic on top of the scrapbook paper

I worked each oval shape one at a time, sprinkling beads and allowing to dry. I used a styrofoam bowl to catch the beads.

Once the beads and Mod Podge are completely dry, add Mod Podge Dimensional Magic to the bangle in any areas you like, right on top of the paper.

Unfortunately this *may* a slow process, but only because of dry time. You may have to let dry overnight, rotate the bangle, apply more, and on and on. Just be patient! You’ll love the 3D glass effect the Dimensional Magic gives.

Finishing the Pennant Bracelet

Since this bangle was a little different than the others, I want to share how I did it.

I started by measuring the circumference with a piece of yarn. Once I had the circumference, I laid the yarn out onto a ruler and divide the bangle into five equal parts.

I marked the yarn with a pencil, and then taped the yarn back around the bangle. I marked the bangle where I wanted each intersection of flags to be (where the brads would go).

wrapping yarn around the bangle and marking with a pencil

I then cut out the mini-flags from the paper using my craft knife. I free handed the flags (I knew about what size I wanted them), and then I went back and trimmed them after I was done, making sure they were all the same size and would fit four flags between each pencil mark.

cutting small pennant flags out of scrapbook paper

Using the pencil mark as a guide, Mod Podge down the mini-flags. Allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes and then give the entire bracelet a coat of Mod Podge. Repeat.

Add the pennant string with a silver Sharpie. Then break the heads off of your brads and glue them down at the five intersections at the pencil mark.

I used a toothpick to help me get the right amount of glue in the right place.

adding the paper with Mod Podge and the brads with craft glue

The last thing to do to finish up your bracelets is glue on any ribbon and final embellishments. You’re done!

Before you wear any of your bangles, you should let them dry completely. Overnight.

DIY floral bangles with scrapbook paper

This is one of the most fun projects I’ve done in a long time. Now that you know some decorating techniques for these, I highly suggest these for girlfriend gifts. Enjoy your bangle decorating – I definitely am.

Let me know what you think of this tutorial in the comments! I’d also love for you to check out these other jewelry craft ideas:

I've been crafting for over 40 years! Professional writer with blogs, books, and a product line. I can teach you how to make just about anything.

Similar Posts

41 Comments

  1. I’ve often looked at those wooden bangles at the craft store and wondered what I could do with them. Great idea 🙂

    Reply

  3. These are so adorable, especially that bunting design one!!! Thanks for sharing some how-to tips on these – definitely adding to my “to-do” list.

    Reply

  7. Wow, those look amazing! Especially the bunting bangle! 🙂

    I didn’t know you could get the distressed look with a wax candle – thanks for the tip!

    Reply

  17. the tub can wait! the wrists MUST be properly adorned at all times! these are ADORABLE! what paint didja use?

    Reply

  23. wow these turned out nice! Love them!

    please come and share this to my linky party and come join my giveaway to anne franklin designs!

    Reply

  24. Oh, this is waaay too cute. And I just bought some wood bangles at the fabric outlet, thinking i would think of something to do with them…

    Thanks for the inspiration!
    ~Amanda

    Reply

  26. They’re all so cute, but the pennant is my absolute favorite. If I can find bangles that fit, I will have to try this.

    Reply

  34. i love love love the pennant one! so darling can’t even say. how great that you ENJOYED making them so much…the time just flies then!

    Reply

  37. I just adore these bangles, Amy!! Are the bangles themselves something that Plaid is now carrying, or are they from an outside company?

    Reply

  40. Thanks for the idea! We just had my oldest daughter’s birthday party and she wanted a Circus theme. So we made up 14 of the pennant bangles and put the name of each guest on a bangle and gave them out with her party invitation rolled up and slid into the bangle. Everyone went nuts over them! I think I’m going to have to do it again next year. Thanks again!Jeanie

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *