If you’re new to the rave world then you may not know what exactly a ‘kandi’ is. Worry not, that’s going to change. Kandi are the cute ass little bracelets that you see ravers wearing with various colors, shapes, and sizes. (Make sure you check out the perlers that you can also make to decorate your kandis!)
So what’s the point of kandi? It’s a way to connect with the people around you and leave more than just a fleeting impression. I don’t know about anyone else, but I treasure the pretty kandi’s that I get at festivals, some of them even being near and dear enough to my hear that they’re untradeable. So, I always strive to create kandi’s that are going to also leave a lasting impression. Luckily enough though, they’re easy to make.
Supplies
- Pony Beads: I personally looooove this set. There were enough that I could make quite a few! I made over 30 regular sized bracelets before Bonnaroo last year and still have a lot of beads left over! Here are some more options because personally, I think kandi are fun to make and even though this is a good start, there are SO MANY options besides just these!
- Elastic String: You gotta have something to hold your designs together! Just like before, this is the string that I personally use, but just having any elastic string will do! You want something that will be stretchy so you can trade it with others when you PLUR! Which you can see how to do here!
- Scissors: Obviously, you probably have these laying around somewhere in the house but just get yourself something to cut your string with!
Pretty easy list right? TBH, the most strenuous part of this all is going to be just deciding which pony beads you want to buy and how you want to design them! So onto the fun part: making the kandi!
Step One: Measure Your String Length
I’m personally a fan of “work smarter, not harder.” With that being said, I like to find a length of string that works the best and cut a million of them so I don’t have to keep doing it every time I finish one!
Step 2: Create Your Kandi Design
Once I’m happy that I’ve cut enough string I go to work on deciding how I want my kandis to look! Which is personally my favorite part of the whole thing (:
I like to line mine up on the table or whatever my work surface is so I can visualize without having to put them on the actual string! I recommend spelling out words with some fun letter pony beads, either your name or your favorite artists, tbh anything! Get creative!
Step 3: Tie Off Your Kandi
Hollah! Now all you need to do is tie it off! I found this was the hardest part because I was slightly blonde and didn’t think I need to knot the end more than twice.
Rave Hack: Knot the end a ton of times. You want it to hold together when you’re pulling it on and off.
Step 4. Learn How To PLUR
Yeah-yuh! I still remember the first time I learned what ‘PLUR’ was and how to do it. I thought it was awesome. Like what a more awesome way to meet people then literally GIVE them something just to make them feel good? I loved it. So ANYWAY: what does it mean?
P.eace L.ove U.nity R.espect
Now that you know what it means, wanna learn how to do it? Check out the video below!
S/O to Marc Freccero for an A1 how-to!
