How To Make a Friendship Bracelet

Friendship bracelets are fun to exchange with your friends and show others your bond. Creating one is also a great way to pass the time while gossiping on a field trip or surviving study hall. With a few simple steps, you will be on your way to making a friendship bracelet of your own.

Materials:
Embroidery floss (in at least 3 colors)
Scotch tape
Flexible tape measure
Scissors
Safety pin

1. Choose your colors. The more embroidering string you use, the thicker the bracelet will be. Start with at least six strands. If you are using three colors, start with two strands of each color for a total of six. You can use as many colors as you want. If you use a single strand of each color, the bracelet will have thin stripes. If you group two or more strands together of the same color, the stripes will be thicker. For your first try, start small with six strands total. Later you can work your way up to ten, twenty or more.
2. Cut the string into 18” lengths. If your wrists are smaller than 7” around, you could cut less string but it’s easier to work with extra.
3. Group the string together and tie a knot at one end. Make sure the knot is secure so the strings don’t shift and destroy the design pattern.
4. Secure a safety pin through the knot. Now you can pin the bracelet to your bag, your jeans leg or the back of a seat to hold it still while you are working. You could also use tape to secure the ends when taking a break.
5. Separate the strings. Lay them out so that there are no knots forming at the other end.
6. Start with the string on the far left (string 1) and cross it over the string to its right (string 2).
7. Loop string 1 under string 2. While holding string 2 straight, pull string 1 through the loop and up into a knot. Pull until the knot is snug.
8. Since this is the starter knot, use string 1 to tie a second knot on string 2. After the first row, you will only need to tie a single knot at each string.
9. Use string 1 to tie a knot around string 3, then 4 and so on. Tie knots until the end of the row. String 1 will now be the last string.
10. Start with string 2 and repeat the process. Loop string 2 over string 3, then under and up through the loop to tie the knot. Continue until string 2 is the last string.
11. Keep tying knots with the next string until you have a series of diagonal rows. After the all the strings have been used once you will see the pattern that will repeat throughout the bracelet.
12. Repeat the process to create the pattern until you have enough length. Test the length a few times to make sure you have enough before you tie it off.
13. Tie the end in a knot around your friend’s wrist. Make sure the knot is tight or tie a double knot.
14. Cut any remaining loose threads. There should be extra string hanging loose. Cut these fringe pieces.

Be patient while making your friendship bracelet. If you are using several strands of different colors to create a wide bracelet it may take several hours to complete. Above all, have fun with this creative project.