Sizing bracelets for others not present

Long explanation and question for what to me is probably more complicated than it really is -

As I am getting into making paracord bracelets I am getting more and more confused about sizing for others that provide me with a wrist measurement. I have been practicing making bracelets for friends and family who are providing me there wrist measurement - using a tape measure or a strip of paper wrapped around the wrist and measured around the wrist. If the measurement is between a whole size and a half it is rounded up to the half and if it is between the half and the whole, it is rounded up to the whole. The problem comes when the measurement is exactly a whole number or a half. I have read all about sizing and found a formula on one paracord bracelet maker's website that includes the thickness of the bracelet in the calculation of what to add to the measured size to make a bracelet that fits well - which for the Cobra stitch consistently calculates to adding an inch to the measurement. With that inch it seems that any bracelet that I make for example for someone with an exact 7" wrist, making the bracelet at 8" results in a very, very snug fit and the measured bracelet come out to about 7 3/4" long rather than 8. There is no problem when rounding up to the nearest whole or half size as extra is added with that automatically in addition to the inch I am adding. I am using a jig and the jig is set to 8". I have checked the markings on the jig and they are correct as is the jig when set to a marking. The buckles that I am using are 5/8" buckles.

So while I can find a lot of instructions about how to size a bracelet on someone's wrist that you fit with the cord and check fit before finishing, I find nothing about sizing a bracelet when you just have a measurement. I can't have web orders come back for the wrong size - with that I might as well not even start selling. I know there has to be a trick to this.

Please share what you do. Thanks!

 

I am just trying to get my head around this to understand and see if I have it correct-

I measured the difference between the 1/2" buckle and the 5/8" buckle using a cloth tape measure. And the difference between the two slots on the 5/8" buckle.

The 5/8" buckle has a 1/4" difference between the two slots on the male end. I have been using the upper slot. So - had I used the lower slot the 1/4" that the bracelet that I made should then have fit when adding 1" to the measured wrist length. Or if using the upper slot, as I did, add 1/4" more and set the size on the jig to 1 1/4" more than the measured wrist length. (Just to repeat from my question - I my right wrist measures 7" and the bracelet that I made at 8" is too snug to be comfortable. My left wrist measures 6 3/4" and the bracelet fits that wrist fine - which is where I get this add a 1/4" for the large buckle from.)

Now, if using the smaller buckle - The difference between the 1/2" buckle and the 5/8" buckle with the female ends held equally from the end of the male slot on the smaller buckle to the end of the male upper slot on the larger buckle is 1/2" measuring over the curve. So this means - if I have this right - that I need to add the usual 1" plus the 1/4" that I add when using the upper slot and another 1/2" to accommodate for the difference in size of the buckles. So if using a smaller buckle I would need to add 1 3/4" to the wrist measurement on the jig. Wow!

Please let me know if this is correct.

I am proficient in a number of areas of handwork - cabinetmaking, woodturning, jewelry making - and this is the most complicated and challenging in preparation for such a simple process of actually making the bracelet. Most things you pick up a book or talk with a few who do it and it is all laid out. I hope that I have it now. ???

Thank you!!!

 

Just another follow up. I just made a bracelet with the 5/8" buckle - rear slot for my 7" wrist and added 1 1/4" and set the jig to 8 1/4". The bracelet came out perfectly - comfortable but does not slide on the wrist. So the extra 1/4" seems to work.

I used 9 feet for the bracelet just in case my guess was wrong about getting the size correct. I ended up with 27" of cord total left over including finishing by tucking under the bottom stitches rather than burning. I could have used 7 1/2 feet of cord to start and had just a few inches left over. For now, the extra is fine and I will be able to adjust this better as I go along. I still would like confirmation on my measurements for the smaller buckle before I start wasting cord experimenting - as asked just above. Thanks!

 

Thanks. Measuring with a tailor's tape measure around a wrist to a comfortable fit seems to work well. Also without a tape measure, a striaght strip of paper about a 1/2 to 3/4" wide wrapped around the wrist the same way, folded where the strip meets the end, seems to work just as well.

I did find an article about adjusting the wrist measurement to take into account the thickness of the bracelet and have used that calculation also. http://www.tiedinknotz.com/1/post/2013/05/the-secret-to-paracord-bracelet-sizing.html Complicated but comes down to one calculation and a good measurement of the thickness of the bracelet. This does seem to work and hold true for making bracelets in general.

 

Further follow up. Using my calculations for the smaller 1/2" buckle that i described above, the bracelet came out way too large. Trial and error brought me down to adding the same 1 1/4" to the measured wrist size that I have used with the larger 5/8" buckle. At least how my jig is set up with both of these same buckles used for attachment on the jig, the buckle size on this jig does not effect the finished size.