The How of Making Homemade Prayer Beads or Necklace, or a Christian or Baha'i Rosary
Orthodox Baha'i Prayer Beads I Made
Credit: Picture is by the AuthorPrayer Beads and Rosaries
Many religions have prayer beads or rosaries, number of beads and the designs vary from Faith to Faith. If you have a friend that uses one, this could be the perfect gift, and a unique one as well. I will be describing Orthodox Baha'i prayer beads, you would simply make changes in the basic design to match your needs for the particular religion or spirituality that will be its use.
Suggested uses of the beads besides for counting repetitions of prayers, would be for the Catholic Rosary, and for Hindu and Buddhist mantras, to keep count of them. Further uses I am sure may come to mind as you develop your prayer beads including branching off into necklace making.
Common Elements in Prayer Bead Making
The first thing in prayer bead making is to have a good needle and a waxed string. The second items will include a large diameter bead (enough of the same kind to match the number of prayers). A pearl as in a pearl necklace size is good, a smaller diameter bead to fit in between the larger beads, so that the fingers can "feel" the beads pass through them for the count. Third, you will need a longer "bone" like piece of bead. I recommend the Native American Trading Post or someplace like Tandy to get this item. Finally, you will need a couple of silver end pieces. You can refer to the picture above showing my prayer beads.
Making Orthodox Baha'i Prayer Beads
In Orthodox Baha'i Beads there are prayers that are said 5 times, others 9 times, even others 19 times, and some 99 times.
Taking the waxed thread thread your needle, make sure you have more than enough thread to thread all of you beads. Tie knots over and over on each other on the end of the thread length to make a small ball to big to go through the beads and silver end piece and bone.
Thread the first end piece and make sure the knot is hidden inside the bell like shape and is too big to go through the threaded hole. I have used gold beads for the 5 prayers and silver smaller beads to separate the gold. I used 3 gold beads (I will use two more at the end to make 5. I then use the longer bone piece which I use again at the end of the beading process to help tie off the beads.
Now using alternating small silver and large black beads, I thread 9 black beads for those prayers requiring 9 repetitions. Then a small 5 silver break and then 10 jade beads with smaller silver beads separating them. With the black beads and the jade beads we now have 19 beads for those prayers requiring 19 repetitions. Again a 5 small bead break, and then I add 80 pearl beads with smaller silver beads in between each pearl bead. This gives a total count of 99 beads of pearl, jade, and black, for those things requiring a repetition of 99 times.
I then string back through the bone, and add the last two gold beads with silver in between, and finish by stringing through the silver end piece that is shaped somewhat like a bell. I take the thread off the needle and make a knot of the same type as the beginning of this article as close to the opening of the bell as I can then slip the bell over the knot hiding it, and cutting off any remaining thread.
Using your imagination and your understanding of the needs you are to use the beads for, you can make a very lovely gift for yourself or a friend, (you can check my blog for more information on homemade prayer beads) whether it is information in Infobarrel at Orthodox Baha'i prayer beads, or a gift of homemade jewelry.
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