Friendship Bracelet
It's easy to make your own friendship bracelets, necklaces or key chains. It just takes
a little practice. Use twine, yarn, hemp or cotton string.
Various knots are used for friendship bracelets.
This pattern uses a series of common square knots.
"Why knots?" you ask.
Knots are a symbol of unity,
a bond that cannot be broken...much like the knots you can never remove from your shoelaces!
You'll Need :
Hemp, twine etc.
Various beads with Large
holes (optional)
Card board piece ~ 8" x 12"
Large clip or masking tape
To Make:
Measurements may vary depending on the size.
Cut a two yard piece of hemp. Loop your hemp to make 2-12" strands and 2 - 24" inch strands tie a knot about
one inch from the end. Cut the pieces to make four individual
pieces. You should now have 2 short strands and two
longer strands all tied
together at the end.
Secure the knotted end to a piece of card board, using a clip, or to a table with masking tape. Pull the 12" strands tight and secure to board or table.
These will be strands 2 & 3 on the diagram. To make working with the longer strands less unruly, gather each one up to a manageable length and secure with wire twisty.
Give yourself slack as needed.
Make the knots using the instructions to the right.
As you improve at your braiding you will no longer need to secure the hemp
to a board. But, at first this step really helps.
This is a series of basic
square knots.
Remember "over, under…..under over"
Square knot pattern
Cross 1 over 2 & 3 Pass 4 under 2 & 3 and under 4 3 and over 1
Tighten
Cross 1 over Pass 4 under
2 & 3 then 2 & 3 then
under 4
over 1 Tighten
Beads can be added at any point in the series of knots.
Slide them onto strands
2 & 3(together), then continue knotting around them. When the desired length is reached, tie a knot to match the loop you have created at the end .This will become your clasp.
You can add a bead if you wish for extra security or for decoration on a key chain.