Tutorial 8--Striped Friendship Bracelet

Friendship bracelets were all the craze in the 1970s.  Kids would make them and give them to each other, and see who could go to school with an arm or two covered with these bracelets.  Many would wear them until the bracelets fell off.

Friendship bracelets are made by tying knots.  I'll show you how to make a striped friendship bracelet in this free tutorial.  I recommend that you try Tutorial 7 first, as we will be using the Double Half Hitch knot repeatedly.  I'm going to make mine in 6 different shades of brown, but you can make them in whatever color you like.  Here's a colorful striped one in wikipedia.  I'll show you how to make some of the other ones in wikipedia in another tutorial.

The main part of the bracelet is striped, and the ends have been braided to form ties, which are used for tying the bracelet to a friend's wrist.

As usual, I recommend pinning your work to a corkboard or pillow, or even taping it to a table while you work.

Tutorial
Striped Friendship Bracelet

Difficulty Level
Very Easy

Time Taken
1 1/2 hour

Materials
Embroidery Floss, 6 different colors, 50 inches (125 cm ) of each color to make a 7-inch (17.5 cm) long bracelet with 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) long ties.
Scissors

Instructions
1)  Cut a 50-inch length of each of the 6 colors.

2)  Align the 6 ends of the cords.  Tie an Overhand knot 6 inches (12.5 cm) from the end, using all 6 cords.

3)  We will now braid from the Overhand knot towards the end of the 6-inch (12.5-cm) length, using 3 pairs of cords.  To braid, pick up the pair of cords on the right, and place them in between the other 2 pairs of cords.

4)  Pick up the pair of cords on the left and place them in between the other 2 pairs of cords.  Steps 3 and 4 complete one iteration of a braid.

5)  Repeat steps 3 and 4.  Here's a picture of what it looks like at this point.

6)  Continue braiding, keeping the braid tight, until you have 2.5 inches (7.5 cm) of cord left.  Tie an Overhand Knot.  Turn the cords around so that the long cords are now towards you.  Steps 2 through 6 form a tie about 2 1/2 inches (6.5 cm) long.

7)  We will now make the striped portion of the bracelet.  Separate the 6 cords.  Place the rightmost cord over all the other cords.  This is the holding cord for the next 5 Double Half Hitches.  The other 5 cords are the working cords.

8)  Lift the current rightmost cord and wrap it around the cord from Step 7.

9)  Tighten.  Lift the same cord from Step 8, and wrap it around the cord from Step 7 a second time.  Tighten.  Steps 8 and 9 form the Double Half Hitch, just like the one from Tutorial 7.  Make sure that the holding cord is straight, while the working cords wrap around the holding cord.

10)  Continue making Double Half Hitches, using the same holding cord, and each of the working cords.  There will be 5 Double Half Hitches.  In this firs row of Double Half Hitches, there is a tendency for the Double Half Hitches to be tied farther and farther away from the Overhand Knot.  This is fine.

11)  Repeat Steps 7 through 10, using the current rightmost cord as the holding cord and the other 5 cords as working cords.

12)  Continue in this manner until the bracelet is of the desired length.  I made mine 7 inches (17.5 cm) long.

13)  Tie an Overhand knot close to the last row of Double Half Hitches.

14)  Braid 3 pairs of cords to form another tie.

15)  Tie an overhand knot at the end of the final braid.

16)  Give it to a friend :) .