The Deceptively Cool but Insanely Easy Friendship Bracelet Pattern
There’s nothing like a new easy friendship bracelet pattern to get your bracelet making mojo up! This classy simple pattern gives the illusion of chain links and is so fun to wear! This post contains affiliate links.
I love, love sitting and designing new bracelets
It sure puts a little fun into refereeing battles between two little boys who love each other… to death.
I sit on the LaZ boy with a stash of string and try different things.
My favorite simple friendship bracelets use very basic, well-known knots to create some sort of illusion or image. I did this with my zig zag friendship bracelet pattern but that one was slightly more complex.
This easy friendship bracelet pattern is so stupid simple, I am waiting to see it somewhere else, already having been invented – like the zig zag one that I designed in my bedroom as a teen trying to make a 3D ribbon look out of ombre.
But as the expression goes “there is nothing new under the sun” and sometimes it can be my brainchild but have been someone else’s too.
With this pattern, I can’t know for certain that I never saw it before conceiving it like I knew with the zig zag bracelet (having been before Pinterest, before I really had access to the internet or saw many patterns).
But I do love it and I’m ready to share.
Using color to your benefit when making friendship bracelets:
One of my favorite things to do – as you can see from my zig zag bracelet too – is that I love to use color to my advantage to get a new look.
I am a formally trained graphic designer, but my passion is color, so this comes to play in crafts like this.
Color play is used two different ways to make an easy friendship bracelet with a super sharp look. You start with four strings (really 2 folded in half) and you can play with the color combination however you’d like. If you need a little help, try finding color inspiration here.
On one, I alternated colors.
On the other, I used two shades of the same color side by side.
When making even an easy friendship bracelet pattern, using good color play can get you snappy results.
To make this easy friendship bracelet pattern, you’ll be alternating two very basic knots: forward knots and backward knots. Alternating keeps your knots from spiraling “chinese ladder” style.
Love adding a little bling to your designs? This pattern is just begging to be blinged up. Simply add beads to the sections where you switch links.
Finally, finishing off your piece with actual findings turns it into “real” jewelry.
So level up and get crafting!
Loved this and want to learn how to make jewelry out of anything? Get the book!
Supplies needed to complete this easy friendship bracelet pattern:
- Embroidery floss in two colors. Size to cut: I just work with the breadth of my arms stretched out.
- Thread snippers
- Optional: washi tape, a safety pin, or a clipboard
Optional finishing findings:
- Cord ends
- Jewelry making pliers (2 pairs, at least one chain nose)
- Clasp and connector/jump rings
How to make simple and gorgeous friendship bracelets:
1. Fold your strands in half and knot to form a loop.
2. If you want, tape your bracelet down to your work surface. A clipboard works too. As kids, we’d pin it to our clothing to work with! You can also work with it right in your hands – I do it this way!
3. Separate your strands. If you’re separating your colors by right/left, you’ll want both of one color on the right and the other on the left. If you’re doing separate color links then you’ll do one of each on each side.
Start by knotting the second from the left around the left in a backward knot.
4. Using the same strand around the same knot, tie a forward knot.
5. Keep alternating backward/forward knots using the same string as your tying string, and the same one as your center string. Do this until you’re satisfied with the length of your “chain link”.
6. Repeat this process with the right two strings, starting with the inner string, making a forward knot around the outer string.
Keep alternating forward/backward knots until it’s the same size as your left portion.
7. To connect the two halves, you’ll be tying ONE string at a time around TWO strands. Do it in a way that’s mindful of how you want your colors placed to keep the effect the strongest.
Tie the leftmost strand in a forward knot around the center two, followed by a backward knot.
8. Repeat with the second color – first tying a backward knot with the right-most strand around the center two, and following with a forward knot.
Continue making links until your bracelet is just a drop smaller than you want it to be. Loosen up/open your links to check the real size. You don’t want it to stretch. You want some natural slack.
Finishing off friendship bracelets beautifully:
9.To finish your bracelet, knot tightly. Add a cord end to each end, and crimp into place. Trim your string.
10. Attach a clasp to one end and a connector to the other.
And your bracelet is ready to wear with lots of pride! Find more friendship bracelet ideas and tutorials here and comment with your feedback!
What’s your favorite easy friendship bracelet pattern? Comment below!
Print your instructions below:
How to Make Easy Friendship Bracelets
Materials
- Embroidery floss in two colors. Size to cut: I just work with the breadth of my arms stretched out.
- Thread snippers
- Optional: washi tape, a safety pin, or a clipboard
Optional finishing materials
- Cord ends
- Jewelry making pliers (2 pairs, at least one chain nose)
- Clasp and connector/jump rings
Instructions
- Fold your strands in half and knot to form a loop.
- If you want, tape your bracelet down to your work surface. A clipboard works too. As kids, we'd pin it to our clothing to work with! You can also work with it right in your hands - I do it this way!
- Separate your strands. If you're separating your colors by right/left, you'll want both of one color on the right and the other on the left. If you're doing separate color links then you'll do one of each on each side. Start by knotting the second from the left around the left in a backward knot.
- Using the same strand around the same knot, tie a forward knot.
- Keep alternating backward/forward knots using the same string as your tying string, and the same one as your center string. Do this until you're satisfied with the length of your "chain link".
- Repeat this process with the right two strings, starting with the inner string, making a forward knot around the outer string. Keep alternating forward/backward knots until it's the same size as your left portion.
- To connect the two halves, you'll be tying ONE string at a time around TWO strands. Do it in a way that's mindful of how you want your colors placed to keep the effect the strongest. Tie the leftmost strand in a forward knot around the center two, followed by a backward knot.
- Repeat with the second color - first tying a backward knot with the right-most strand around the center two, and following with a forward knot. Continue making links until your bracelet is just a drop smaller than you want it to be. Loosen up/open your links to check the real size. You don't want it to stretch. You want some natural slack.
Finishing off friendship bracelets beautifully:
- To finish your bracelet, knot tightly. Add a cord end to each end, and crimp into place. Trim your string.
- Attach a clasp to one end and a connector to the other.
And your bracelet is ready to wear with lots of pride!
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Great bracelet idea!! I like your suggestions for use of colors. This bracelet design is also a fabulous way to practice making loops for the beginning of a bracelet as the design is the same. Thank you for sharing!!