Embroidery floss comes in a wide variety of colors and textures, making it the perfect material for creating unique and pretty friendship bracelets. The floss is inexpensive and the steps are simple, so you can make one to match every outfit and enough to share with all your friends. Once you have learned the basic design, you may also modify the pattern to put your own touch on the bracelets.
How to Make a Braided Friendship Bracelet
Materials
* Embroidery floss
* Masking tape
Instructions
1. Measure four pieces of floss, each 25 inches in length. Tie all four strands into a knot about 2 inches from the end.
2. Tape the strands to your work surface so that they lay flat without overlapping.
3. Pick up the strand at the farthest left with your right hand. Pick up the strand next to it with your left hand; hold it between your first and second fingers.
4. Wrap the strand in your right hand around your left, first finger and over the left hand strand. Bring the right hand strand up from the bottom, through the figure four-shaped opening. Pull it tight. Repeat the knot with the same two strands.
5. Keep the same strand in your right hand. Now, pick up the next strand in your left. Repeat the knot twice with these two strands.
6. Hold the same strand in your right hand. Pick up the last strand with your left and repeat the knot twice with these two strands. This will leave the right hand strand at the far right side of the design.
7. Pick up the strand that is now on the far left with your right hand and the second strand with your left. Repeat the knots across the strands, using the same one in your right hand all the way across.
8. Continue the rows of knots until you reach about 2 inches from the end. Tie a knot with all four strands.
9. Tie the bracelet around your wrist or share it with a friend.
Decorating Your Friendship Bracelet
When you have mastered this basic pattern, embellish your design by adding small beads to the ends of the strands for tassels. You may also stitch beads on top of the braided section to add highlights and personal touches.
Make the bracelets in school colors and sell them to raise money for school clubs or service projects. You can also make the bracelets and share them with younger students, if your school has a peer mentoring program.
Use holiday colors of floss and add charms to the bracelets to celebrate holidays all year long. Use orange and black for Halloween, yellow and brown for Thanksgiving, and red and green for Christmas. For Valentine's Day, use different shades of reds and pinks, while St. Patrick's Day calls for varied shades of green. Easter means pretty pastels, and Independence Day, of course, needs red, white, and blue.
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