Friendship Bracelet

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Embroidery floss
• Scissors
• Tape

DIRECTIONS:

1. To determine the length you need to cut your strands, measure your wrist diameter and multiply by 5. Or approx 30 inches should be a good length.
2. For beginners, 6 strands is good to start with. You can add more once you get the technique perfected. Cut the strips and tie them together with an overhead knot at one end.
3. Tape at the knot to a table.
4. The way you make the ridged, woven looking surface of a friendship bracelet is by making lots of small knots. First you need to decide what order you want your strands to be in. This will determine the order of the color of your rows. If you want thick stripes, place the same same strand colors next to each other. Or you can mirror the colors from side to side.
5. Once they're in order, grab the first two strands. The strand farthest to the left is going to create your first row. You'll be knotting it around the other strands of floss/yarn to achieve this. Take the first strand, and pass it over the second strand, and then behind as shown in the photo. It is important you knot OVER the second strand, it'll give it the right look. Now hold the second strand taut, and pull the first strand up and towards the large knot. Pull until you meet resistance, but not any harder! This will create a small knot on on the second strand. Make another knot by tying the first strand around the second strand again - just repeat what you did before. Continue moving across to the right, using the first strand to create two knots on each strand of floss/yarn in the bracelet. Once you've knotted all the way across to the right and reached the last strand of floss/yarn, begin again using the first strand on the left. Make sure you're making TWO knots on each strand. Keep going until you have 3-4 inches of knotting done.
6. Once you've got 3-4 inches worth of knotting done, you're fine to finish up your bracelet. Make another overhand knot right at the end of the main part of the bracelet. From that knot, braid three inches and then knot again. Now cut off the extra floss/yarn from both ends of the bracelet.

CHEVRON PATTERN

1. To determine the length you need to cut your strands, measure your wrist diameter and multiply by 5. Or approx 30 inches should be a good length.
2. For beginners, 6 strands is good to start with. You can add more once you get the technique perfected. Cut the strips and tie them together with an overhead knot at one end.
3. Spread the thread in a pattern like 1 2 3 3 2 1. The left should mirror the right side.
4. Start at the left string. Make a knot by making a number “4" over the second string, go under and through the hole, and then pull tight. Do another knot — you should have 2.
5. Repeat until you get to the center. Then grab the most right string and repeat working to the center. Then knot the center strings together.
6. Then you will start the process over, starting from the left until you get the string to the center, then go start at the right.