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Cheap and Easy DIY 3-Ring Wood Bead Napkin Rings

Looking for a simple and affordable way to update your tablescape? Try making your own 3-ring wood bead napkin rings! It’s an easy DIY project that can be customized to match any décor.

Do you love to entertain?

Do you like to set a beautiful table for your guests?

Are you a host who likes to save money?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then you’re going to love this super easy DIY project we have for you today.

I enjoy entertaining and when I do it’s also fun for me to get my creative juices flowing and create different tablescapes.

But I’m also kinda cheap…well let’s say frugal…yeah that’s it…I’m just sometimes a budget-conscious hostess with the most-ess.

I like to have friends and family over but I also don’t want to spend a fortune entertaining.

I have some basic entertaining essentials that I keep on hand so that having a get-together doesn’t break the bank.

And it’s a good thing that my people aren’t bougie and expect me to roll out the red carpet at every dinner party. lol

Sometimes we gather in the backyard and eat great food on paper plates but other times I like to get a little bit fancy.

And by fancy, I mean use cloth napkins instead of paper… nothing outrageous.

The easiest way to dress up a place setting at your dinner table is to use linen napkins with a pretty napkin ring.

However, napkin rings can be a little expensive, so being a frugal mom, I decided to make my napkin rings.

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Why Choose 3-Ring Wood Bead Napkin Rings?

white bowl filled with small wood beads

Why did I choose 3-ring napkin rings with wood beads?

Well, that’s an easy answer…I saw some I loved in a store but they were pricey so I decided to recreate the look for less.

I loved the design of the triple loops connected to form one napkin ring.

Making napkin rings is an affordable and quick project that will elevate the look of your table.

You can customize your napkin rings to match your tablescape and home.

Wood beads are available in a variety of different colors and styles so you can easily personalize them to coordinate with your vibe.

What Materials Do You Need to Make Wood Bead Napkin Rings?

supplies needed to make 3-ring napkin rings laying on white wood table

You’ll only need a few supplies to make DIY napkin rings and some of them you probably already have on hand.

I chose a natural medium-tone round wood bead with a bit of a sheen to it.

The size of the beads I used is 10mm.

But this is the part of the project where you get to be creative and make it as unique as you are.

Here is a list of the supplies I used:

  • 10 mm wood beads
  • 24 gauge wire
  • needle nose pliers
  • scissors

I got the wood beads and jewelry wire from Hobby Lobby because it’s only 10 minutes from my house and I wanted to make these napkin rings that day.

But if you don’t have a craft store nearby you can always order your supplies online.

I’ve found some other great bead options for you below.

Use what you have at home…if you have tools for jewelry making that’s perfect.

But if not just grab a pair of rusty old needle nose pliers from your garage (like I did) and a pair of scissors and that will work too!

Supplies Needed for DIY Napkin Rings

Step-by-Step Instructions to Make 3-Ring Napkin Rings

  1. String your wood beads onto wire one at a time and leave it attached to the spool.
  2. Continue stringing beads onto wire for a total of 16 – 10mm beads.
  3. Cut the end of your wire that’s attached to the spool leaving enough wire to allow you to connect the ends together to create a closed loop.
  4. Wrap both ends of the wire together tightly as close to the beads as you can to make sure the ring is secure and won’t come apart.
  5. Trim excess wire with scissors after it’s connected together and secured.
  6. Use needle nose pliers to pinch the twisted ends together then push the wire into a bead and slide the bead over where the wires are connected.

Now you’ve completed your first of three rings!

Attaching Beaded Rings Together to Make a Triple Ring

two hands connecting three beaded rings together to create a napkin ring

You will follow steps 1 through 3 above for the second ring but before you attach the end of your second beaded ring together be sure to slip it through your 1st ring to connect the two.

Ask me how I know this.

Yup, I got ahead of myself and made two complete rings and then looked at them lying on the table and said…duh!

So don’t make the same mistake I did.

Before securing that second strand of 16 beads for your 2nd ring slide it through your first ring to form a double ring.

Then do the same for the third ring but slide it through both the 1st and 2nd rings then secure the ends.

two hands holding completed three ring wood beaded napkin ring

Once all three of your rings are complete and looped together it should look like this.

Tada…your napkin ring is done!

Wasn’t that simple?

And isn’t she so pretty?

The perfect neutral addition to your table.

six completed triple ring wood bead napkin rings on white wood table overview

Now you just need to follow the same steps to create additional napkin rings.

Don’t worry remember how easy the first one was to make?

It will be even quicker to make the rest now that you’ve made one…pinky promise!

I made a total of six 3-ring wood-beaded napkin rings for my table.

Tips and Tricks

3-ring natural wood bead napkin ring completed on white table

I’m not a super-experienced crafter by any means.

I’d even say at my ripe old age…ahem of 50-something…I’m still a novice.

But there were a few things I learned along the way when that I want to share with you to make it a bit easier.

  • 10mm was the perfect size bead if you want to make 3-rings like I did.
  • Put all your beads in a bowl or container to prevent them from rolling off your table while working.
  • Leave your wire attached to the spool when stringing your beads so you can work with both hands without having to worry about holding the end of your wire to prevent beads from sliding off the end.
  • If you do want to use slightly different-sized beads you will have to determine how many beads to use. This is why I suggest 10 mm because I’ve already done that part and 16 -10mm beads are a perfect size to create a triple ring and easily fit a napkin through it.

What Are Some Other Napkin Rings Variations?

If you don’t want to work with beads, Anne made simple jute-wrapped napkin rings a few years ago that are just fabulous.

But if you love the look of a beaded napkin ring there are so many styles you could create by using different beads.

  • For a more rustic look, use natural undyed wooden beads.
  • Add a pop of color by incorporating colorful beads.
  • Use metallic beads for a bit of sparkle and bling.
  • Create a pattern by using different colored beads on the same ring or make each ring a different color.
  • Experiment with different bead sizes and textures to create unique designs.

Another option would be to make a 2-ring or double ring rather than a 3-ring for your DIY napkin rings.

If doing two rings then I’d suggest either using a slightly larger wood bead size or fewer beads.

You could also make a simple single-ring napkin ring with larger wood beads.

I have all sorts of ideas for a single ring but that’s for another time and another blog post.

I guess I better get to creating those soon!

Displaying Your New Wood Bead Napkin Rings

completed triple ring wood napkin rings on table one styled on a linen napkin

Once your napkin rings are complete, it’s time to showcase them on your table.

Simply slip each napkin ring around a linen napkin and arrange them on your dining table.

Your guests will be impressed with your creativity and attention to detail.

beige fringed napkin with diy 3-ring napkin ring

Show us your DIY skills!

Share your finished napkin rings with us on social media.

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