How to Host a Bead Party [Party Activity Idea & Tips]

Add a fun and creative activity to your next party or event with DIY jewelry beads & supplies that fit your event theme. Making beaded bracelets and necklaces will be a nice way to spend time and bond with with your friends and family.

You can set up a colorful beading table as a decorative element for your event along with color coordinated balloons and flowers - don't forget yummy and color coordinated cupcakes, sweets and snacks.

Whether or not you or your friends are experienced with beading and jewelry making, this will be a great way to try out a new hobby that everyone will love so much that it will become a routine get-together event.


Jewelry making and bead crafts are fun, creative activities that guests of all ages. Friends and family will have adorable, custom made mementos to bring home with them, or they can trade and share their beaded creations. In addition, you can create bead inspired goodie bags that include a small beading kit to make jewelry at home plus colorful candy and snacks.

A jewelry making or arts & crafts activity is great for BBQ's, bridal showers and birthday parties. Our colorful selection of pony beads will allow you to match bead colors with your party theme. DIY jewelry is also perfect for baby showers - you can create bead kits as a cute gender reveal gift.

How To Set Up a Beading Table or DIY Jewelry Station

You just need a few simple supplies to get started. Once you decide on the basics, you can add charms, shape beads, jewelry pouches and other accessories.

Create a colorful display beads inside bowls or glasses. Ceramic or glass bowls are more stable, but plastic bowls and containers will work too.

You can choose bead colors to fit a specific party theme or use a variety of bead colors to create a rainbow display - let your table be a part of your party decor.

To create stretch bracelets, you only need elastic string. To create clasped bracelets, you will need beading wire, this is a thin, flexible cable wire that needs to be attached to a clasp with crimp beads using a crimp tool.

Additional supplies include rulers and scissors. A fabric tape measure is also handy for measuring wrist sizes. It is also helpful to place a fabric table cloth on the table or give everyone a fabric placement, this helps keep beads from rolling or bouncing off the table.

How many beads do you need to make a bracelet or necklace?

To give you some reference points, it takes about 51 pony beads to create 12" of length. To make a bracelet that is about 7" in length, you will need about 30 pony beads. To make a necklace that is about 18" in length, you will need about 76 pony beads. To make a necklace that is about 24" in length, you will need about 102 pony beads. 4 pony beads is equal to about 1 inch (0.94")

• 150 pony beads can make about five 7" bracelets or two 18" necklaces
• 500 pony beads can make about sixteen 7" bracelets or six 18" necklaces
• 1000 pony beads can make about thirty three 7" bracelets or thirteen 18" necklaces
• 2000 pony beads can make about sixty six 7" bracelets or twenty six 18" necklaces

*Above info based on 6mm wide beads. If you use different size beads, the amount of beads you need will change depending on the bead size.

Supplies for Making Stretch Bracelets 

• Elastic cord per bracelet, about 11-12" per bracelet
• 6x9mm pony beads and alphabet beads, plus a variety of other beads
• a bead board or soft place mat
• scissors
• bead stopper, clothes pin or binder clip
• beading needle (optional, but can be faster for stringing beads)

How to Make Stretch Bracelets

1. Cut 11-12" or elastic cord
2. Attach a bead stopper (or clothes pin / binder clip) to one end of the elastic to keep beads from falling off while you are working
3. String beads in the desired order
4. When finished, double knot the elastic and trim the access
   
   

Tips for Festivals, Markets and Large Groups

DIY Bracelet Station will create a unique and meaningful experience at your event. If you are serving a lot of people or want to keep the "line" moving, here are some additional tips:

• pre-cut elastic cord - 12" will be long enough for most people, you can have elastic on hand to custom cut for just a few people, thicker cord is usually easier to work with for all ages.
• limit the color selection - sticking to a limited color scheme will keep people from lingering due to indecisiveness. We have bead kits and pre-mixed bead combos in different color schemes to help you with your planning.
• alphabet beads - if providing alphabet beads, provide several bowls in different spots around the table so people will spread out and not crowd around one bowl of alphabet beads. Be sure to provide extra vowels and popular consonants like L, N, R, S and T. J and Y are also popular letters for spelling names and making name bracelets. We offer alphabet beads in specific letters, numbers are available as well.
  
  

More Ideas

• CONCERTS & FESTIVALS - Use beads to make friendship bracelets to give and trade at concerts and festivals. Add alphabet beads to spell out special words and phrases.
  
• PARTY FAVORS - create custom bracelets as party favors that match your party theme, a bundle of bracelets can be tied together with a pretty ribbon. Another party favor ideas is to assemble a colorful mix of beads in a cute jar or container and add to a goodie bag of sweet treats for your guests.