Directions to Make V-Shaped Embroidery Floss Friendship Bracelets
Friendship bracelets are made of embroidery thread or yarn woven and knotted into a variety of patterns. The tradition of creating friendship bracelets originates in Central America as part of Native American handicraft traditions. The bracelets are given by one friend to another, symbolizing their mutual affection. The giver of the bracelet ties it around a friend's wrist; the recipient of the gift then wears the bracelet until the threads wear away. There are many friendship bracelet designs available, including a "v-shaped" pattern wherein the colors are worked to form a visible "V" or chevron pattern.
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Instructions
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Measure three pieces of embroidery floss (one in each color you are using), each 6 yards long and cut with your scissors. Align the strands together and then fold the strands in half. Tie a knot an inch down from the folded end, creating a loop. Clip the loop to the clipboard. You now have six strands of floss to work with.
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On your clipboard, rearrange the strands to create the "V" pattern. The pattern is created by working a left strand to the center and then working a right strand to the center, completing each row in the middle. Looking down at your six strands of floss pinned to the board, strands one and six (for example) are yellow, two and five are blue, and three and four are red.
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With strand one, tie two knots around strand two and strand three. Let strand one fall to the right of strand three. Pick up strand six; working right to left, make two knots on strand five and then on strand four. With strand six, make two knots on strand one, completing the pattern.
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For the next row in the "V" pattern, take strand two and tie two knots around strands three and six. Let strand two fall to the right of strand six. Pick up strand five, working right to left, tie two knots around strands four and one. With strand five, make two knots on strand two, completing the bottom of the "V."
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Continue each row this way, working the left-hand strand halfway across the row, and then working the right-hand strand left to right, back to the center. Continue making knots, completing each row in the chevron pattern, until 2 inches of unknotted thread remain.
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To finish the bracelet, slide three floss strands through the beginning loop at the top of the bracelet. Tie the remaining three strands to the strands in the loop and knot around the loop.
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Tips & Warnings
If your bracelet starts to twist as you tie knots, apply tape down the length of the bracelet as you work to keep it flat.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit thread image by Mikhail Basov from Fotolia.com
