The guide for making a friendship bracelet below may look quite complicated at first glance, but once you've made a couple of rows you'll realise it's actually a very simple and fun craft! It's best to learn using four different coloured strands of thread, as I've used in this tutorial, but once you've got the hang of it, it's easy to experiment with different colours, patterns and numbers of strands.
You will need:
Embroidery thread (floss / yarn)
Scissors
Sellotape / safety pin
Cut four strands of embroidery thread to equal lengths (I've used yellow, purple, orange and blue in these instructions). I recommend making them about 30cm as it is better for them to be too long than too short (you can always trim the excess).
Knot the strands together at one end. Leave about two inches above the knot - you'll need this for tying the completed bracelet around the wrist.
Tape it to your work surface or stick a safety pin through the knot and secure it to a cushion.
Step 1: Pass the yellow thread over then under the purple thread. The end of the yellow thread should pass through the centre of the loop you have just formed.
Tighten this half knot by holding the purple strand and pulling the yellow strand taut.
Repeat the above actions and you will have formed a completed knot on the purple strand.
Step 2: The yellow strand should now be between the purple and the orange.
Repeat step one, but this time bringing the yellow strand over and under the orange.
Step 3: The yellow strand will now be between the orange and the blue.
Repeat step one, but bringing the yellow strand over and under the blue.
The yellow strand of embroidery thread will now be on the right hand side - you have completed your first row!
Repeat steps one to three for the purple strand (bringing it over and under the orange, the blue and finally the yellow).
Repeat steps one to three for the orange strand (bringing it over and under the the blue, yellow and purple).
Repeat steps one to three for the blue strand (bringing it over and under the yellow, purple and orange).
Carry on until the friendship bracelet has reached the desired length. Secure the threads with a knot and trim any excess thread so the 'tail' is a couple of inches long.
When tying the friendship bracelet to a wrist, do not do it too tightly. Leave it loose enough so that you can comfortably insert two fingers underneath it.
