RaeChild

Calligraphy and Design based in NYC

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Summer Camp *friendship bracelets

With just three last official days left of summer join me in denying that it's really over, with one more summer craft project from my Maine excursion, before inevitably deciding on your halloween costume and consuming large amounts of pumpkin candles.

You don't have to be a certain age to wear friendship bracelets. In fact, the older I get, the more I appreciate a great true-blue and am ever more ready to sport this age old tradition of the wrist, even if that means pushing corporate casual boundaries. Start by making this Chevron Style bracelet and you'll be able to downgrade to the Single Angled Row easily.

 {DIY Friendship Bracelet}

Materials Needed: 

// \\ Embroidery Floss // \\ Scissors // \\ Heavy Card Stock or Chip Board // \\ Friend // \\

  • Embroidery Floss is available at any craft store, just pick your colors. I suggest 3 - 10, the more colors you have the wider it will be. Also, the more colors you have the longer your threads need to be before starting. 
  • There's no science behind how long to make your threads before cutting, I would start with about 72" in length, then fold it in half and tie a knot - so that your strings are each 36", you have a loop at the end and two of each color.
  • Cut a 1" Slit at the top center of a piece of chip board (could be the back of a notepad) Tape your loop and knot behind this, leaving your strings dangling in the front. 
  • Cut several more 1" Slits along the bottom of the chip board about 1/2" apart - you want more slits than you have strings so as you work you continuously have a place to secure your string.  
  • Arrange your strings according to how you want them to show up in your bracelet. The ones along the outer edges will end up meeting up in the center, so alternating these gives a variegated effect (as I've done in the photos) 

 {Step One}

 {Step Two}

  • Now that your ready to start, here are a few tips: You're always going to start on the Outside and work towards the inside and you'll essentially be making (2) knots on each string using the string that you have picked up. 
  • Pick up the first string and start the 1st knot... Create a sort of "4" going over the string your about to tie a knot on, then going under, and then back up through the loop you just made. 
  • Pull that string up and through and viola! You've made your first knot!  Now you'll just be repeating that twice on all strings until you get to the center...

{Step Three}

 {Step Four}

 {Step Five}

 {Step Six}

  • Then start on the other side, again, working from the outside in...

{Last Steps} 

 (finally}

  • Each round makes one set of stripes on your bracelet, so you just have to keep going - perfect for a long car ride!

I wish you luck on your friendship bracelet making, let me know if you need clarification with any of these steps by posting a comment!