How to Make Peruvian Name Bracelets

Floss string comes in a range of colors for complete customization of your bracelet.

Peruvian bracelets use knotted pieces of string to create attractive handmade jewelry and are often called friendship bracelets -- due to the tendency of children to make such bracelets to give to friends. Adding names to bracelets is a popular design style, which allows you to customize the bracelet to suit the friend you are making it for. Once mastered, the knots used to make a name bracelet enable you to create any style of letters on the strings.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Marker
• Floss strings
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Fill in squares on the graph paper to create a guide for your later knot tying, filling in squares in the shape of the letters in the name. For example, a basic design for a capital A can be made using a 4-by-6 section of the graph paper. In the first and last columns, fill in the bottom five rows, then fill in the cells of the top row and fourth-from-top row in the two middle columns.

2. Cut one string of the background color and one string for each each row required for tying the pattern. For example, in a pattern where letters are five rows tall, with a one-row header and a one-row footer around the letter, seven strings in the letter color are required.

3. Hold the strings so the background string is on the left, with the remaining letter strings side by side to the right.

4. Form a loop with all the strings, 3 inches from one end, then pass the loose ends through the loop. Pull to tie a knot 3 inches from the end of the strings.

5. Tie background colored knots across to the right until it is the rightmost string. Tie the background string back to the left with background colored knots. Continue moving the background string over to the right, then back to the left for the next row, alternating for the entire bracelet.

6. Begin tying knots in the pattern laid out on the graph paper when you reach the point you want the name to begin. To use the pattern as a guide, rotate the pattern 90 degrees so the bottom of the word in your pattern is running parallel to the loose ends.

7. Tie knots with the background strings in the spaces you did not fill in with marker on the pattern. Tie knots with the letter colored string in the spaces filled in with marker on the pattern.

8. Continue braiding until you have completed the name, then add background colored rows until the bracelet is as long as desired.

9. Tie a knot with all strings after the final row of knots, then snip the loose ends after the final knot so they are 3 inches long. Each end of the bracelet will now have a 3-inch-long set of loose ends.

10. Tie a knot at the end of each set of loose ends.

11. Tie a knot with one set of loose ends around the other set of loose ends. Tie a knot with the second set of loose ends around the first set. Each set will now have a knot tied around the other set. This creates an adjustable slide to slip the bracelet on and tighten around the wrist.

Tying with Background String

1. Pass the background string in front of the letter string being tied off on.

2. Wrap the background string around behind the letter string, then in front of itself.

3. Pass the background string in front of the same letter string, lower on the letter string than the first pass.

4. Wrap the background string around the letter string and over itself again.

5. Pull the loose end of the background string in the direction the progression is moving to tighten a knot with the background color.

Tying with Letter Strings

1. Pull the background string behind the letter string being tied.

2. Wrap the letter string around the background string on the side opposite the direction the progression is moving.

3. Pass the letter string in front of itself, completing a loop, then in front of the background string so that it is on the side of the first loop that matches the progression. For example, if tying left to right, drape the string in front to the right of the loop you just completed.

4. Wrap the letter string behind the background string, then over the background string, between the two points the letter string was passed in front of the background string.

5. Pull on the loose end to tighten the knot.