# Fumbling around wasting paracord and effort.



## Granny6

I'm a few weeks into this obsession. Making bracelets with buckles for young grandchildren - very happy consumers. I've made the cobra and fishtail with few problems. When I tried Jagged Ladder from Bored Paracord I was delighted with the pattern, until I finished and found that the thickness of the bracelet made it much smaller on the wrist. QUESTIONS: how do you know, when the rule of adding 1 - 1 1/2 inches to the measured length is not enough? Has anyone assembled a list of the weaves that require more length? I can't tell from the photos from the top. Do the Paracord books help with adjusted measurements? Are there bracelet patterns that leave the length an adjustable option, until nearly complete besides the break-apart buckle? 
These tiny wrists, with big hearts, do not allow a lot of wiggleroom. Seems to go from too tight to falling off the wrist. Can you help this OCD Granny? Thank you.


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## Ready_Cords

This is one of the finer points of sizing that is rarely addressed in print, and it took me a lot of trial and error to get it right. 

With thicker braid patterns, I add an extra 1/2" of length. I call this the "king cobra rule." Even though the bracelet is the same length, the extra thickness means that when it is made into a circle, the inside diameter is noticeably smaller. With wrist sizes under 6.5", this effect takes place even with normal braids, because the thickness of the braided cord is exaggerated by the small diameter. For that reason, you will need to add anywhere from 1/8-3/8" to compensate. 

So, if you were making a thick pattern, such as a king cobra, for a kid with a 5" wrist, you would probably need a finished length of about 6 7/8" for a proper fit. 

There are one or two patterns out there that can be adjusted before finishing, but I'm not sure which ones. The more bracelets you make, the better feel you get for fitting. 

Hope that helps.


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## Granny6

Thank you so much Ready_Cords! Your answer to my dilemma was just right... Logical and detailed. I feel better equipped to re-enter the world of paracord. Thank you for taking the time to explain it to me!


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## venatic

This is a formula I picked up somewhere. First, tie an inch or so of the pattern as a test piece to determine the bracelet thickness. 

Length of bracelet = wrist measurement + (3.14159 X bracelet thickness)

Add anywhere from 1/16" to 1/4" for comfort.


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## venatic

Found the source for the formula! Go to paracordguild.com and read the article on "Bracelet Sizing." It explains it fully!


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## Granny6

Thank you venatic! Testing the pattern with a test piece should have been obvious... But the logic was over ruled by the excitement of this new adventure. Pi in the formula?! Seems the math teachers were right... We would use that stuff in the future. Who knew? Thanks, again for your time and your help!


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## SolomonItch

Ready_Cords said:


> This is one of the finer points of sizing that is rarely addressed in print, and it took me a lot of trial and error to get it right.
> 
> With thicker braid patterns, I add an extra 1/2" of length. I call this the "king cobra rule." Even though the bracelet is the same length, the extra thickness means that when it is made into a circle, the inside diameter is noticeably smaller. With wrist sizes under 6.5", this effect takes place even with normal braids, because the thickness of the braided cord is exaggerated by the small diameter. For that reason, you will need to add anywhere from 1/8-3/8" to compensate.
> 
> So, if you were making a thick pattern, such as a king cobra, for a kid with a 5" wrist, you would probably need a finished length of about 6 7/8" for a proper fit.
> 
> There are one or two patterns out there that can be adjusted before finishing, but I'm not sure which ones. The more bracelets you make, the better feel you get for fitting.
> 
> Hope that helps.


Awesome tips. I'm very weird, I am very eccentric when it comes to the way my projects come out looking but one thing I never do is measure and I need to take time out to start doing that. I'm good at eyeballing, actually really good. but when it comes to bracelets if it's not my wrist I'm gonna use these tips.







venatic said:


> This is a formula I picked up somewhere. First, tie an inch or so of the pattern as a test piece to determine the bracelet thickness.
> 
> Length of bracelet = wrist measurement + (3.14159 X bracelet thickness)
> 
> Add anywhere from 1/16" to 1/4" for comfort.


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## Ready_Cords

venatic said:


> This is a formula I picked up somewhere. First, tie an inch or so of the pattern as a test piece to determine the bracelet thickness.
> 
> Length of bracelet = wrist measurement + (3.14159 X bracelet thickness)
> 
> Add anywhere from 1/16" to 1/4" for comfort.



The only issue I see with this method is that it does not account for the difference in sizing that is needed for small wrist sizes, under 6.5". I have seen that article, and I remember meticulously measuring the thickness of a Solomon bar, and then inputting all the calculations, to find out that I needed to add about an inch.


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## Ready_Cords

One other tip - different closure types can make a difference in sizing. Those flat 5/8" whistle buckles require an extra 1/2" of bracelet length to fit the same as a curved buckle, and when I make one with a metal shackle on my jig, I have to add an extra 1/8" because the loops attached to the adjustment bar stretch out on the jig more than they do in use. A lot of it is just trial and error, and your friends will benefit from your learning process with free "oops" bracelets.


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## frodo

I did it the hard way, 

I tied a whole 42'' gun sling, took it apart and measured it

now I know the length of each piece


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## Ready_Cords

If you measure the amount of cord you start with, then subtract the amount you cut off when you finish, you'll know how much cord is contained in the piece.


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## frodo

Ready_Cords said:


> If you measure the amount of cord you start with, then subtract the amount you cut off when you finish, you'll know how much cord is contained in the piece.


yeah, thats true!!!!


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