Brilliant Bracelets


Friendship bracelets are easy to make, look great on your wrist, and best of all, they can be made into very inexpensive but stylish jewelry. Being that I am a college student and have many expenses, I was looking for a cheap way to accessorize my outfits to match many different colors. I began to make a variety of different bracelets with solid colors and then added more of a unique pattern as I got more practice and became better at making them. I then began adding beads to the bracelets to give them even more pizzazz. Once you understand the basic instructions on how to make the bracelets, you can then expand your bracelets into anklets or necklaces, for example, or give them your own creative touch.


Steps:


1. Buy embroidery thread or floss to begin your bracelet. You can usually find this at Walmart, Michaels, Joann Fabrics, or any of your other local craft stores.


2. To measure your string, wrap the string around your wrist 2-3 times. This should give you a fairly accurate estimate of the length that will fit your wrist correctly, but you can always add extra length if you plan to make your bracelet bigger.


3. Cut all of your other strings to the same length. You can have as many different colors as you like, with two at the least. The more different colored strings you add, the wider your bracelet will become.


4. Tie all of the strings together with a knot, leaving about an inch of string which will be used to finish off the bracelet.


5. Begin by taking the first color and crossing it on top of the other strings in the shape of a 4, then taking the string around the back of the other strings and through the hole to make a knot. Repeat this step more or less than 10 times depending on how long you want each color to be in your bracelet. Once you have finished your first set of knots with the first color, repeat this step with all of the remaining colors.


6. Continue this process alternating the strings until you reach your desired length. Tie a knot at the end of the bracelet. The two ends can then be tied together to hold the bracelet on.


Tips:


- Taping the end of your bracelet to a table or desk is helpful in keeping the bracelet in place while you are making it.


-For easy removal, you can tie a loop at the top of your bracelet and then tie a bead on at the end to allow the bracelet to hook together and come apart whenever necessary.


-Pull the strings tight when wrapping a color around them to ensure that the pattern will not become deformed because of knots occurring in the wrong place along the string.


-Give them to all of your best buds for even more enjoyment!!