Paper Twine Knit Bangles: Step by Step Loom Knitting Tutorial to Make for Yourself or as a Gift

There is something deeply satisfying about making your own jewellery, especially when the finished piece looks far more complex than the process required to create it. Paper twine knit bangles are exactly that kind of project. They look polished, textured, and completely unique, yet they can be made at home with a knitting loom, a few metres of paper twine, and a bit of patience. Whether you are a seasoned loom knitter or someone who has never picked up a hook before, this tutorial will walk you through every single step so that you end up with a beautiful bangle you will actually be proud to wear or give as a gift.

This project is especially popular among makers who sell on Etsy Canada because it uses affordable materials, produces a lightweight and durable result, and photographs beautifully. If you are thinking about adding something new to your shop or simply want to try a fresh creative project on a quiet afternoon, paper twine bangles are a wonderful choice.

What Are Paper Twine Knit Bangles?

Paper twine knit bangles are rigid or semi-rigid bracelets created by knitting paper twine around a base form, usually a wooden or plastic bangle blank, using a small knitting loom. The twine wraps and loops around the peg structure of the loom, then is slipped off and shaped around the bangle. The result is a woven, textile-like covering over the bangle that gives it a natural, earthy, craft-market aesthetic.

The appeal of paper twine as a material comes from its texture and strength. Unlike regular yarn, paper twine holds its shape without being stiff or uncomfortable to wear. It also comes in a wide range of natural tones and dyed colours, making it easy to match to any wardrobe or gift recipient’s taste. The material is also inexpensive and widely available at craft supply stores and online retailers across Canada, which makes this project accessible regardless of your budget.

Materials You Will Need

Before you start, gather all your supplies so the process flows smoothly from beginning to end.

Paper twine: You will need approximately 10 to 15 metres of paper twine per bangle depending on the width of your base. Standard natural kraft paper twine works beautifully and gives an organic, neutral look. For a more colourful result, dyed paper twine in shades like terracotta, sage green, navy, or dusty rose works equally well.

A knitting loom: A small rectangular or round knitting loom works best for this project. The peg spacing should be small enough to create a tight, dense knit. Many crafters use a 24-peg or 36-peg round loom, but any small-gauge loom will work. Craft stores across Canada stock these in the needlepoint or fibre arts section, and they are also easy to find online.

A loom hook or knitting pick: This is the small hooked tool that comes with most loom sets and is used to lift loops over pegs. If you do not have one, a crochet hook of a similar size will work.

A bangle blank: These are plain, unfinished bangles usually made of wood or sturdy plastic. They are available at craft stores and on Etsy. For this tutorial, we will be using a standard round wooden bangle with an inner diameter of approximately 65 millimetres, which fits most adult wrists comfortably.

A tapestry needle or yarn needle: This is used to weave in the ends of your twine once you have finished knitting.

Scissors: A sharp pair will make clean cuts on the paper twine without fraying.

Optional — craft glue or clear-drying fabric glue: A small amount can be used to secure the ends of the twine to the inside of the bangle if you prefer extra security over sewing alone.

Understanding Loom Knitting Basics Before You Begin

If you are new to loom knitting, here is a quick primer so the step-by-step instructions below will make complete sense.

A knitting loom consists of a frame (usually oval, round, or rectangular) lined with pegs or pins. You wrap yarn or twine around these pegs in a specific pattern, then use a hook to lift the lower loop over the upper one, creating a knitted stitch. The repeated action of wrapping and lifting creates a chain of interlocked loops — a knitted tube or flat piece.

For this bangle project, we are not knitting a traditional tube. Instead, we are creating a flat or slightly tubular strip of knitted fabric long enough to wrap around the circumference of the bangle. This strip is then secured around the bangle by slipping it over the form and joining the ends together.

The basic stitch used throughout this tutorial is the e-wrap knit stitch, which is the most fundamental stitch in loom knitting and creates a clean, stretchy fabric that hugs the bangle form beautifully.

Step One: Measure Your Bangle

Before you cast on, you need to know how much knitted fabric you will need to cover your bangle. Wrap a soft measuring tape around the outer edge of the bangle to get the circumference. For a standard round bangle, this is usually somewhere between 20 and 25 centimetres. Write this number down. This is the length your knitted strip needs to be before you remove it from the loom.

Also note the width of your bangle. A narrow bangle might be 8 to 10 millimetres wide, while a chunkier style could be 15 to 20 millimetres. The number of pegs you use on your loom will determine the width of your knitted strip, so you want them to match reasonably closely.

Step Two: Set Up Your Loom

For this project, you will work on a flat section of the loom rather than the full round. Count out the pegs that correspond to the width of your bangle. If your bangle is 10 millimetres wide, using 4 to 6 pegs will give you a strip of the right width. If your bangle is 18 millimetres wide, you might use 7 or 8 pegs.

You do not need to use the entire loom. Simply work your e-wrap stitch back and forth across the designated pegs in a flat, back-and-forth pattern to create a flat strip rather than a closed tube.

Step Three: Casting On

Cut a tail of paper twine about 15 centimetres long, then hold the end against the loom frame. Begin wrapping the twine around each peg in an e-wrap motion — this means you bring the twine from the front of the peg, loop it around the back, and bring it forward to the next peg, creating a shape that looks like a lowercase “e” on each peg.

Wrap across all your working pegs from left to right. This first row is your cast-on row.

Wrap back across the pegs from right to left, creating a second layer of loops on each peg.

Now take your loom hook and, starting at one end, lift the bottom loop on each peg up and over the top loop, letting it drop to the inside of the loom. This is your first row of actual knitting. Continue across all pegs.

Step Four: Knitting the Strip

Continue the process of wrapping and lifting until your strip reaches the circumference of your bangle. Each pass across the loom adds approximately 2 to 3 millimetres of length to your strip, so for a 22-centimetre circumference, you will be making roughly 70 to 100 passes depending on the tension of your wraps.

Take the tension of your wraps into account as you go. Paper twine is not as stretchy as yarn, so your loops should be snug but not so tight that lifting them off the peg is a struggle. If you find the loops are very difficult to lift, loosen your wraps slightly. The finished strip should feel firm but have a small amount of give.

Check your work periodically by holding the strip up to your bangle. When the strip looks long enough to wrap around the outside surface of the bangle from one edge of the opening around to the other, you are ready to cast off.

Step Five: Casting Off

When you have reached the right length, cut the working twine, leaving a tail of at least 20 centimetres. Thread this tail onto your tapestry needle.

Starting at one end of your working pegs, slip the loop from the first peg onto your tapestry needle, then onto the second peg. Lift the original loop on the second peg over the loop you just added, as if you were performing a bind-off in traditional knitting. Repeat this process across all pegs until you have one loop remaining. Pass the tail of twine through this final loop and pull snug to secure.

Step Six: Attaching the Strip to the Bangle

Now comes the satisfying part. Take your knitted strip and wrap it around the outer face of the bangle, pressing it gently against the surface as you go. The strip should fit snugly around the bangle. If it is slightly too long, you can ease in the extra length by stretching it slightly or by folding a small tuck at the join. If it is slightly too short, you can stretch paper twine very gently and it will accommodate a small amount.

Once the strip is in place, thread both end tails onto the tapestry needle and use a whip stitch or mattress stitch to join the two ends of the strip together at the back of the bangle. Pull the join firm and weave in both tails along the inside edge of the knitted fabric where they will not be visible.

If you are using craft glue for extra security, apply a thin bead along the inside edge of the knitted strip where it meets the bangle, press it flat, and allow it to dry completely before wearing or packing the bangle.

Step Seven: Finishing Touches

Once the join is secure and your ends are woven in, give the bangle a final look over. Smooth down any areas where the strip has shifted slightly during attachment. You can use a damp fingertip to gently press any loops that have come loose back into alignment — paper twine responds well to a small amount of moisture and can be reshipped very subtly this way. Allow the bangle to dry flat if you have used any moisture.

At this stage, some makers like to apply a very light coat of clear craft sealant or fabric stiffener to the outside of the bangle to protect the twine and give it a slightly polished finish. This is entirely optional but does extend the life of the piece, especially if it will be worn frequently or given as a gift.

Tips for Making Multiple Bangles as Gifts

Paper twine knit bangles are one of the most giftable handmade items you can make, and once you have completed your first one, the subsequent bangles will come together much faster. Here are a few ideas for turning this into a gift set.

Consider making a set of three bangles in graduating widths — a narrow 8-millimetre band, a medium 12-millimetre band, and a wider 18-millimetre band — all in the same shade of twine. This creates a cohesive set that looks intentional and elegant when worn together.

Another option is to make a set of bangles in complementary colours — natural kraft, terracotta, and sage, for example — all in the same width. This kind of colour coordination looks lovely packaged together in a small kraft paper box or muslin pouch, which suits the natural aesthetic of the materials perfectly.

For a more personalized gift, consider the recipient’s preferred colour palette and whether they lean toward natural, neutral tones or bolder, more vibrant hues. Paper twine is available in enough colours that you can almost always find something that fits the person you have in mind.

Selling Paper Twine Bangles on Etsy Canada

If you are a maker on Etsy Canada or thinking about opening a shop, paper twine knit bangles are an excellent addition to your product range for several reasons.

The materials are inexpensive and widely available. The finished product is lightweight and easy to ship, which keeps your shipping costs and packaging requirements simple. Because each bangle is handmade, every one is genuinely unique, which is a selling point that resonates strongly with Etsy’s customer base.

For your product photography, natural light and simple backgrounds work beautifully with these bangles. Try photographing them on a wooden surface, a piece of raw linen, or against dried florals. Close-up shots that show the texture of the knitting are especially effective at communicating the handmade quality of the work.

In your product descriptions, be specific about the materials used, the dimensions of the bangle, and any care instructions. Paper twine bangles should be kept away from prolonged moisture and stored in a dry place. Including this information builds trust with buyers and reduces the likelihood of returns or complaints.

Variations and Adaptations to Try

Once you are comfortable with the basic technique, there are several ways to push the design further.

You can experiment with combining paper twine in two colours, alternating between them every few rows to create a simple striped pattern. You can also try working in a twisted stitch rather than an e-wrap to create a denser, more textured fabric surface.

For a more dramatic look, try using a wider bangle blank and knitting a strip wide enough to cover the entire surface of the bangle, then adding a second narrower strip in a contrasting colour alongside it.

Some makers also incorporate small beads into the knitting by threading beads onto the paper twine before casting on and sliding them into place between stitches as they work. This adds a jewellery-like detail that elevates the finished piece considerably.

Final Thoughts

Paper twine knit bangles are one of those projects that deliver a great deal of creative satisfaction in a very small amount of time. The technique is simple enough for beginners and interesting enough to keep more experienced makers engaged, especially when they begin exploring colour combinations and design variations.

Whether you are making a single bangle for yourself, putting together a thoughtful handmade gift set, or building inventory for your Etsy Canada shop, this tutorial gives you everything you need to get started and keep going. The only thing left to do is pick up your loom and your twine and start wrapping.