Bag charm DIY: 5 ways to make your own Purse Charm

Pick one method (beaded elastic, charm chain, letter beads on paracord, square-knot cord or a safety pin stack), make pieces of different lengths in one color palette, then gather them on one clasp.

• Secure every end: a double knot and glue on elastic, a flattened crimp bead on stretch thread, a melted tip on paracord.
• Use large-hole pony beads on paracord; regular ones fit tightly and bunch the cord.
• Tie each strand to its own jump ring so you can move it later.
• Beads and charms are small parts, so keep supplies away from children under 3.

Supplies for a bag charm DIY kit

A bag charm DIY kit is short. Here is what each supply does.

Add beads, charms, safety pins and a key ring. Before you buy, check old necklaces and bracelets; their chains and beads can go straight into a new charm.

Beaded bag charms on elastic cord

This is the most forgiving method.

1. Fold elastic cord in half, push the loop through a jump ring or clasp base, pull the ends through the loop and tighten. Repeat for a double knot and leave extra cord.
2. Lay out your bead order first, then thread beads over both cord ends. Seed beads can go on one end only.
3. Hold the strand against your bag to judge length. Different lengths look better together.
4. Knot the end several times until the knot is bigger than the last bead’s hole. If the hole is wide, seal it with glue, then trim.

For a firmer stack, use stretch thread: after the last bead, add a small bead and a crimp bead, squeeze the crimp flat with pliers and trim.

Charm chain made from a bracelet chain

A bracelet chain or jewelry extender works, and craft and hardware stores sell chain; larger links look chunkier.

1. Attach the chain to the clasp with a jump ring.
2. Pry a jump ring open with pliers, hook it through a charm and a link, then close it.
3. Space charms evenly, include a couple of larger ones and keep one theme.

If you already own a bracelet chain, this is the quickest purse charms diy route.

Chunky letter beads on paracord

A pre-knotted paracord keychain skips the hard starting knot.

1. Thread chunky letter beads onto one strand to spell a name. Push letters together or separate them with pony beads.
2. Fill the second strand, leaving a little over an inch at each end for a big knot.
3. Clip a carabiner through the paracord loop.
4. For extra flair, fold about a foot of elastic, knot it near the top, bead both legs, knot a charm on the end and thread the tail back up to hide it. Clip it on.

Mixed alphabet packs often come with uneven letters, so buying single letters costs more but avoids gaps.

Square-knot cord with charms woven in

This is the summer-camp knotted cord. Only the start is tricky.

1. Pull two equal pieces of paracord halfway through a jump ring.
2. Cross them in an X, with the crossing inside the ring.
3. Fold both ends of one cord up and over to make two loops.
4. Feed the other cord’s ends through the two loops and pull all four tight into a square knot.
5. Repeat. To add a charm, slide it onto one strand before the next knot.
6. Knot all four strands, trim them evenly and briefly melt the ends with a lighter so they don’t fray.

Spread charms out so they don’t all sit on one side.

Safety pin bead stack

Stack beads onto a safety pin, close it and add a jump ring. Letter beads can spell a short word; mixing small and large beads in one palette keeps it tidy. It’s meant to hang beside longer strands.

Putting every piece on one clasp

Slide the finished pieces onto a key ring or carabiner. A beaded strand, a chain, a knotted cord and a pin stack together give contrasting lengths and textures, and extra charms can go straight on the ring. A cluster of two to five pieces in one palette looks planned rather than crowded.

Attaching DIY handbag charms to different bags

Most diy handbag charms move between bags as long as the clasp fits the hardware: a handle ring or strap loop on a handbag, a zipper pull on a backpack. With two clasps, clip both to one side, or clip one at each side so the chain drapes across the front.

For diy bogg bag charms, use clips that fit the tote’s holes and build a cluster from rubber charms, silicone beads and a short chain. BagCharms is not affiliated with Bogg Bag; see our website disclaimer.

DIY purse charms without beads

Not every diy purse charms project needs beads:

• Pom-poms and tassels from pom-pom and tassel makers.
• Crochet shapes, such as a mushroom with a hollow stem that holds lip balm.
• Polymer clay miniatures finished with UV resin.
• Felt shapes covered in beads and sequins.
• Shrink plastic charms colored from a rubber stamp.
• Satin ribbon bows with faux pearl strands.

Fixing common bag charm problems

Most problems show up at the ends of a strand.

With kids, older children can thread beads while an adult ties the final knots. Under CPSC small parts rules, a small part is anything that fits entirely into a test cylinder sized to the throat of a child under 3, so keep beads away from toddlers.

Conclusion

Homemade charms rarely fail in the middle. They fail at the ends, so a double knot, a sealed tip or a flattened crimp decides whether a charm lasts or sheds beads in your bag.

Start with one beaded strand on elastic, then add a chain or knotted cord for mixed lengths. For ideas, browse bag charms by style and trend or watch bag charm styling and trend videos.