How to Make a Rosary Bracelet

A rosary bracelet is a one decade rosary that can be worn around the wrist. The rosary bracelet in this tutorial is made up of 12 beads - one for the Our Father, ten for the Hail Marys and one for the Glory Be. It also has a crucifix and a religious medal. I prefer to use an 8mm bead for the Our Father and smaller beads for the rest, but this is not necessary. Also, the length of this bracelet is 7 1/2 inches. The size can easily be adjusted by shortening or lengthening the chain.

In an earlier blog, I provided a link to rosary-making instructions from the Rosary Shop. Since the procedure is basically the same, I am adapting most of the steps into this tutorial.

You will need:
1 - 8mm bead
11 - 6mm beads
12 eyepins
4 pre-cut chain links (two 3-link and two 5-link)
2 large jumprings
1 small jumpring
1 lobster claw clasp
round nose pliers
flat nose pliers
wire cutter


1. Take one eyepin and open the eye on one of the ends by twisting the free end of the wire sideways. Insert a 5-link chain into the open eye, then close the eyepin by twisting the free end back into its loop.

2. Place the 8mm bead on the eyepin. Bend the wire in such a way that it is perpendicular to the eye on the other side. Using a wire cutter, snip the wire so that about 3/8 of an inch of wire extends past the bead.


3. Move your round nose pliers down to the end of the wire. With a firm grip, rotate your wrist, rolling the wire toward the bead to make a nice loop. Leave a small gap in the loop (for the next step). This step is a little bit tricky and it requires some amount of practice to perfect your loops, so be patient.

That's a nice, round loop right there!

4. Insert a 3-link chain into the gap, then close the loop.


5. Take another eyepin and repeat step 1. Slip the other end of the 3-link chain into the open eye then close the loop. Using a 6mm bead this time, repeat steps 2 and 3. Place the eye of the next pin through the gap. String the next 9 beads to form the decade. On the last bead, leave the eye slightly open.



6. Slip the 2nd 3-link chain into the open eye, then close.


7. Open the last eyepin and hook into the chain. Close the loop. Place the last 6mm bead into the eyepin. Make the loop on the other side, in the same way as in the other eyepins. Put the last 5-link chain on the open loop before closing.


8. Get the small jumpring. Gripping it on either side of its opening with round nose and flat nose pliers, bend the metal sideways in opposite directions to open it. Insert the lobster claw clasp through the opening.

9. Attach the jumpring with the clasp to the 5-link chain (on the 8mm bead side). Get one large jumpring, open and attach it to the other end of the bracelet. Make sure the jumprings on both sides are securely closed.


10. Take the last large jumpring, open and insert the medal and crucifix. Hook the jumpring through the chain between the 8mm bead and the first 6mm bead. Make sure the crucifix is on top of the medal. Close the jumpring.


11. That's it! You are done. The rosary bracelet is ready to be worn and used for prayer anytime you need it!

Hope the instructions were clear enough to follow. Feel free to comment or send me photos of your bracelets. If you need instructions on how to recite the rosary, click here.