ALRIGHTY!!! You're in luck girlfriend. I just don't have any pictures up of these particular prayer chains (just the traditional buddhist is up on my site) up yet. I forgot that our computer crashed and the pictures were lost before I could get the buggers up. ROTFLMAOL!!!

You don't need a 3 holed finding. In fact, you don't use one unless you really, really, REALLY want one. Making a proper mala, you just run both ends of your string (typically you use silken cord, but you know me. I use the sterling silver I buy from Isreal) from the top of the bead through to the bottom then tie off. Or you could use a crimping bead and crimp it inside the tassel.

Now, there's actually 3 types of mala. What I explained above is for the wrist one (23-2 and then the traditional (108 beads).





There's also another one, with the 108 beads, but there's an addition of two more tassels added at these point counts (between the 25th and 26th beads on right and on left-mantra points). In this case, you're running 2 thin cords through the beads, but the 2nd one only runs from the upper portion of your chain, the ends left dangling at both of those points, then additional beads and focal added then closed off with a tassel as well. Here's a picture of what I'm explaining...



I've got to get running for a bit, but when I get back, I'll add my store's link to my profile so you can look at the buddhist one's I've got made and pictures of. In the meantime, these pictures will give you the idea of the malas I was describing.