These colorful bangles are an easy to make recycled craft and perfect for a teenager or preteen! All you need are inexpensive bangle bracelets and some old t-shirts to make these pretty fashion statements. These would be a great girl scout craft or camp craft as well. 
Because the braided material will make the opening of the bangle smaller, it’s important to get bracelets that are big enough to allow room for your wrist to get through the finished bracelet. 
For example, due to my plus size frame, my wrists are considerably larger than my teenage daughter’s. Therefore, the bracelets fit her great while I was unable to get them on. 
[Full printable instructions below] Cut t-shirt material into strips, braid them together and wrap them around a metal bangle. Secure with hot glue!
More ideas you might like:
Looking for more fun bracelet ideas? Check out Suzy’s awesome bracelets made from craft sticks! She’ll show you how to make them too.
My friend Pauline with show you how to make friendship bracelets using a recycled plastic lid!
- T-shirts
- Bangle bracelets
- White craft glue
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun
- First you'll want to cut your t-shirt material into strips. My strips were about 16 inches long and approximately 1 inch wide. The material will stretch as well, making them considerably longer.
- To create a simple single colored bangle, first stretch the material out, tie the t-shirt strip in a loose knot around the bracelet.
- Wrap the material tightly around the bangle. If you run out of material before you get to the end, simply hot glue another strip to the end of your current strip and continue.
- When you arch the end, untie the first knot and tie the two loose ends together. Tie them tight and position the knot on the inside of the bangle, cut the ends and secure with some white craft glue.
- To make braided bracelets, gather SIX strips of material, 2 of each color you wish to use. It's best to choose contrasting colors. I used four tie-dyed strips and two white strips for one bracelet, and for the other I used two each gray, tie-dye, and pink.
- Use a hot glue gun to attach two matching strips, end to end to make one long strip. Repeat for the others. Stretch out the material, taking care not to pull them apart where they are glued. Tie the three strips together in a loop knot, leaving a couple of inches above the knot.
- Braid the strips together. When you get to the end, wrap in a rubber band or tie with some scrap fabric (only temporary). Wrap the braid tightly around the bangle. When you reach the end, loosen the knots on both ends and tie together. Secure the knot with white craft glue. Trim the fringed ends to a length that you like.
Amanda Formaro
Latest posts by Amanda Formaro (see all)
- Paper Plate Owl Craft - June 21, 2017
- Pinecone Owls - June 9, 2017
- Swirling Twirling Ladybugs - June 1, 2017
Any suggestions as to where we can get bracelets. Want to do it with girls at Ronald McDonald Oncology Camp so need quite a lot
You could probably find them at a craft store like Michaels in the jewelry making department. But I would also hit thrift stores and see if you can find any. Doesn’t matter what they look like since you will be covering them up :)
There are very easy tutorials on how to make continuous t-shirt string. Once you use this method you will never throw another t shirt away. The bottom part of an xl tshirt makes a good amount of string, once stretched larger than my fisted hand! Just search continuous tshirt string!
Love this idea. Hate that you have so many ads going on your site here that it makes it hard to read the post without accidentally clicking on a stinkin ad.
Sorry you had trouble Amy. The ads are a necessary evil in order for me to continue providing these tutorials for free :)
You can also braid them into headbands
Yep1 I have a tutorial for that too ;) http://craftsbyamanda.com/braided-recycled-t-shirt-headband/
These are great… I’m looking for some things my teen daughters and I can make for our Adoption fundraiser… may use your idea here???
Yes of course :)