How many beads do you need for a bracelet?

We add 1 cm of fit allowance to wrist circumference. Band width is divided by estimated bead spacing; length is divided by bead diameter for loom or by 75% of diameter for staggered peyote and brick stitch. Rows × columns gives the bead count, then count ÷ beads per gram gives weight. Clasp length, tension, edge treatments, and repeats are not included.

Example: an 18 cm wrist with a 2 cm band
With Preciosa 10/0 beads on a loom, the estimate is 12 columns × 83 rows = 996 beads, or about 10.9 g, including 1 cm of fit allowance but excluding a clasp.

It depends on the wrist, band width, stitch, and bead size. Enter those values above for an estimate; a 2 cm loom band for an 18 cm wrist uses about 996 Preciosa 10/0 beads before clasp or waste.

Measure the clasp and subtract its finished length from your target beadwork length. This simple calculator includes 1 cm for fit but assumes the whole length is beadwork, so its result is a safe starting estimate rather than a cut list.