How to Make Friendship Bracelets

Friendship bracelets made with custom colored threads are a traditional keepsake of friendship. You can gift the bracelet to someone you love or add to your accessory collection. If your friendship bracelet technique is very delicate, you can sell your finished product! Start with the basic bracelet technique, then add flair by braiding, adding beads and embellishments.

Table of Contents

Start making bracelets

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Choose a variety of embroidery threads in different colors. You are the artist who decides this. The number of threads is chosen entirely according to your preference, as long as it is three or more strands. Choose a color combination that creates beautiful textures. Feel free to be creative! If you only use one color, you cannot create a pattern for the bracelet. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Four or six threads will make a small bracelet, and six to ten threads will make a thicker bracelet. The more thread you use, the bigger the bracelet will be.

Measure and cut the first thread. Measure the length of the thread so that it is slightly longer than the distance from your fingertips to your shoulder and cut it off. This length will be enough to create a textured bracelet that will fit your wrist. It is better to use a thread that is too long than too short, so you should cut the thread a little longer if you are afraid that it is not enough.

Use the first thread to measure the remaining threads as you need to create a nice and even bracelet. Wet the cut thread with the rest of the thread and cut the thread to the same length. Seam the yarns out in the order of the colors you want. In order for the knot of the bracelet not to be too rough, try not to let the threads cross too much.

Pass the first thread over the second thread to tie the knot. To do it right, you have to tie the front half knot. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You first pass the first thread over the second thread. Remember to take part of the first thread out to make a circle.
Bring the first thread behind the second and then pull through the circle.
Hold the second thread firmly while you pull the first thread. When you do this, you should see a knot move above the second thread. You have now completed the first knot. Not too bad, right?

Make another similar knot with those two threads. After creating the second knot with the first and second thread, you use the first thread to make two more knots on the third thread, then the fourth and so on. Continue doing this until each thread has two knots. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Remember to pull the thread until it feels tight. However, be careful not to pull too tight! If some knots are tighter than the rest, the bracelet will look messy and uneven instead of neat and flat. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
Continue making the knot with the first thread with the thread right next to it, from left to right, until the stitches are finished and the first thread is moved to the rightmost position. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Continue the knot pattern

Repeat the operation one more time with the leftmost thread. Congratulations on completing the knots in the first round! Continue tying. The leftmost thread will be the first new thread. Each thread will end on the right when you’ve finished one loop, and you’ll start over with a new colored thread. Repeat the double knot technique with the leftmost thread, moving from left to right until the thread is on the rightmost thread. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Continue until the bracelet is long enough and fits the wrist. You’ve worked hard to make a beautiful bracelet, so try to make it fit! Wrap your arms around your wrist. You should create enough space for you (or the person to whom the bracelet is given) to fit two fingers between the bracelet and the wrist.

Tie the other end of the bracelet into a knot. Make sure the knot doesn’t take up the extra length of the bracelet.

Cut off the excess thread. If there is still excess thread, you can cut it off with scissors.

Bracelet tie. Now that you’ve knotted the ends of the bracelet, just tie the bracelet’s threads together and you’re good to go! If you want the bracelet to fit perfectly, you should ask a friend to help you knot the bracelet after putting it on.

Tet and attach more beads for bracelets

Tet just in a simple style. If you want the bracelet to stand out more, you can add a basic braid. The braid will work on any end of the bracelet, so you’ll need to tie the braid before creating a knot for the main design. Gather the threads next to each other in pairs or triplets so that you have three sections just for braiding (left, center, right).

Squeeze the right thread over the middle. You take the right thread and pass it over to the middle thread. This thread has now moved to the middle position. Next, you will take the left thread and pass it over the middle thread so that the left thread moves to the middle position. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Now you will repeat the operation! Continue this process – right to center, left to center – until you have the desired length, about 2.5 cm or less.

Tie the knot before starting the main pattern. After braiding in a basic style with the desired length, about 2.5cm or less, you tie a knot before starting to create the pattern for the bracelet.

Tet the remaining head of the bracelet. Once you have the pattern with the appropriate length, you braid a short thread to complete the bracelet.

Add beads or decorations at the end of the bracelet. If you feel the bracelet needs more decoration, you can attach beads or decorations to the threads while braiding. Tie a knot to hold the decoration in place. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

It is done! You can give the bracelet to a close friend, try to sell it to someone else or keep it for yourself if you don’t want to leave the beautiful bracelet.

Advice

In order for the threads to pull easily when making bracelets and to avoid breaking when stretched, you should first apply wax to each thread. To apply wax, you can pull the thread back and forth on the old candle..
Choose colors carefully. You can use the bracelet’s favorite color or choose a color according to the meaning (eg red = love, yellow = joy, etc.).
Loosely tie the threads together to see if the colors go well together.
Don’t make knots too tight or too loose. If the knots are too tight, the thread may break or the pattern will not be visible. Conversely, a loose knot will quickly loosen.
Try to complete the bracelet in one go so you don’t forget how far you’ve come. If you are afraid of forgetting the color order, you should write a note.
If you are making two knots for each thread, be sure to do the same for the rest of the threads. Tying two knots on each thread will help keep the bracelet flat.
If the bracelet is twisted, you can iron or use a paper clip to flatten it. Move the paperclip while you do it. You can also use clamps.
If you make the knot backwards, the angle of the pattern will be reversed. You can use this technique to make bracelets with arrows or zigzags.
If you make a lot of bracelets, you can sell them for more money.

Warning

Very fine embroidery thread. Therefore, you should be careful not to tie knots in the wrong place. However, if that’s the case then there’s nothing to worry about, you can always untie the knot with tweezers or a pin, but this is a bit tricky and can sometimes cause the thread to snap or break. Knots on embroidery thread are often very difficult to remove.
Do not tighten the bracelet too tight on the wrist; you need to create some space for the blood to circulate!
Try not to get your fingers tangled in knots or tangles.

Things you need

Embroidery
Drag
Needle tape, clamp board or masking tape
Beads and/or decorations (optional)

Steps