Happy summer!
There was a period in my life when sunny days brought tan lines where sandal straps criss-crossed my ankles and where friendship bracelets clung around my wrists.
While it has felt like summer for a couple of weeks already, the season didn't officially begin until now. To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to indulge in some nostalgic friendship-bracelet making.
You remember how, don't you?
Just in case, here's a little refresher (in the simplest stripey pattern) to jog your memory.
You'll need:
Embroidery floss - at least three strands, each about 60 inches long
Something to secure your bracelet to as you work - a clipboard works well. In a pinch, so does strong tape or a safety pin attached to your pants leg :)
Step 1: Line your strands up, then double them over and make a knot at the fold. Attach to your clipboard or safety pin to keep the bracelet stable.
Step 2: Separate your stands and arrange them according to the pattern you want to create - here, I've labeled each strand for reference.
Step 3: Take the strand on the far left (A) and cross it over the next strand in (B) in the shape of a '4.' Then draw strand A under strand B and pull up through the loop to create a knot.
Step 4: Make a second knot (A over B again) before moving on to the next strand (A over C). Continue down the line, making two knots for each strand.
Step 5: Once you've gotten to the end of the row, start a new one by taking strand B over C and so on.
Step 6: When the bracelet is as long as you want it to be, separate your strands into two equal sections and braid them. After about 4 or 5 inches of braiding, finish with a knot and trim. (I added some little charms to make the bracelets fancier).
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| I went with an ice-cream shop color scheme: spumoni, neapolitan and sherbet. |
