Friendship bracelets are
typically made of thread and are given to a friend as a token of friendship.
However, you can easily make friendship bracelets to add to your own collection
of accessories, or sell them to make a profit. If you want to know how to make
a friendship bracelet, just follow these steps.
Choose several strands of
embroidery thread in a variety of colors. Choose as many strands of
thread as you like, as long as you're using three or more, and pick any number
of colors that would look good together in a pattern. If you only use one color
of thread, you won't be able to create a pattern. 4-6 strands will make a
narrow bracelet, and 8-10 strands will make a thicker one. The more strands you
chose, the wider the bracelet will be.
Measure and cut your first
strand. Measure a length of thread slightly longer than the distance
from your fingertip to your shoulder and then cut it. This will be long enough
for the bracelet to stretch around your wrist to create a pattern. It's better
to cut the string a bit too long than too short.
Use the cut strand to measure and
cut the remaining strands. Hold the cut strand up to the remaining
strands and cut them to be the same length as this strand.
Tie the strands in a knot and pin
them to a stable surface. You can pin the bracelet to your pants, to a
pillow, or to another stable cloth surface that you won't damage. You can also
get creative and tie it around your toe instead, but pinning the knot to a
surface is your best bet. Pinning is better than taping because the pin ensures
that the bracelet will stay in its position.
Spread the threads out. Before
you start the system of knotting that will create a pattern in the bracelet,
spread out the threads so that the colors are in the order you'd like the
striped patterns on the bracelet to be. To make the knotted end of your
bracelet less bulky, try not to cross the threads over one another too much.
Make
a few short braids in the bracelet before you begin making the pattern
(optional). You can start the bracelet by creating three separate threads
from the the threads (you can group them in groups of two or three) and then
braiding them just as you would braid a three-strand bracelet or braid of hair.
Knot the thread on the far left
around the thread immediately to its right. You need to make the
"half-hitch" knot to do this correctly. First, move the first thread
(the green) over the front of the second (the pink), leaving a loop on the
left, to create a figure "4" look. Then, pull the first thread around
the second, and thread it through the loop you created and pull it up, until a
knot moves up to the top of the second thread. Hold the thread that you're
making the knot around tightly to make sure that the knot is tight and
positioned correctly.
Knot the thread that was
on the far left around the remaining threads from left to right. Now, repeat
making the "half hitch" knot with the green thread you started with
around each of the remaining threads from left to right. Make two of the same
knot on every thread before you move on. When you're done, the green thread you
started with on the far left will move all the way to the far right.
Continue knotting the thread on
the far left around the remaining threads from left to right. Every
thread will end up on the right when you're done, and you'll start with a new
color of thread every time, unless you've placed two threads of the same color
together.
Braid the ends of the bracelet
(optional). If you braided the first few strands of the
bracelet, you can do the same before you finish the bracelet. Braid as many
strands at the end as you braided at the beginning.
Add charms or beads to the end of
the bracelet (optional). To give your friendship bracelet some more
flair, thread some small beads or charms onto the strands and then tie them in
a knot to secure them.
Tie the second end of the
bracelet in a knot. Make sure that the knot doesn’t take up any of
the length you need to wear the bracelet.
Trim away the additional string. If you
still have a lot of string left over, you can cut it short with a pair of
scissors.
Tie the bracelet together. Now that
you've knotted both ends of the bracelet, just tie the strands of the bracelet
together. If you have a friend putting on the bracelet for you, then you can
also have the friend knot the bracelet after you put it on if you want it to be
really tight.
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