FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS

All Ages
DESCRIPTION
Making friendship bracelets is a classic activity,
and don’t you love to share your creations with
your besties? This activity includes instructions for the classic technique as
well as three variations: binary code friendship bracelets, puzzle piece
necklaces, and the Kumihimo knotting technique. Instead of bracelets, you
could also use the same techniques to make backpack dongles or
bookmarks.
CLASSIC FRIENDSHIP BRACELET
MATERIALS
• Safety pins or tape
• Embroidery floss in assorted colors (3–6 stands of 30 inches per
bracelet)
• Scissors
• YouTube Video: How to Make DIY Friendship Bracelets Beginners
(Diagonal Pattern)

STEPS
1. Place the three (or more) strands of embroidery floss together.
2. Tie a knot roughly 1–1.5 inches from the end.
3. Safety pin or tape down the knot.
4. Pick up one strand of floss furthest to the left and place it over the
next strand creating a “4”.
5. Pull the end of the working strand through the loop and pull up
creating a knot. (This knot is called the forward knot.) Repeat again to
make two knots on the same strand.
6. Continue with the same working strand, moving from left to right until
the row is finished.
7. Pick up the next strand furthest to the left and repeat steps 5–6 until
the desired length is reached.
8. Tie a knot to finish the bracelet.
BINARY CODE FRIENSHIP
BRACELET
MATERIALS
• Beads in at least two
colors and/or shapes
• String or pipe cleaners
• Binary code alphabet sheet (included)
STEPS
• Binary code is a type of code used by computers that uses a series of
1s and 0s. Using beads of your choice, designate one color or shape to
represent “1” and another color or shape to represent “0.”
• Tie a knot on one end of the string or twist one end of the pipe cleaner
so the beads don’t fall off as you are making the bracelet.
• String the beads onto the string or pipe cleaners until you reach the
desired length. Use the binary code alphabet sheet to organize your
beads into words or your and your friend’s initials!
• Tie a knot or twist the pipe cleaner to finish the bracelet.

PUZZLE PIECES FRIENDSHIP BRACELET / NECKLACE

MATERIALS
• Recycled puzzle pieces (two interlocking
pieces per necklace pair)
• Paint, brushes, and containers
• Glue
• Small beads, fake flowers, or other craft
items
• Push pins to make holes
• String for the necklace chains (two per necklace pair)
STEPS
1. Assemble the puzzle pieces and paint the section with a base layer of
paint. Separate the pieces while the paint is still wet to prevent them
from sticking together. This base layer makes it easier to paint and
prevents the old design from showing through.
2. Once the puzzles pieces are dry, use a push pin to make a hole where
you can string a piece of string through.
 3. Decorate the pieces however you want. Paint some cool designs, glue
on some little crafty items, whatever you want!
4. String some string through the hole you made with the push pin. You
can make the string as long or short as you want, depending on if you
are making a bracelet or a necklace. Trade with a friend; now you
have connecting puzzle piece friendship jewelry!

KUMIHIMO FRIENDSHIP BRACELET

MATERIALS
• Cardboard disc 4 inches in diameter (one per
participant, template provided)
• Embroidery thread cut into 24-inch pieces (seven per
participant)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• YouTube Video: Easy DIY Friendship Bracelets with
Cardboard Disk for Beginners | Kumihimo Bracelet
Tutorial w/ Loom
STEPS
1. Cut a circle out of the cardboard using the template, about 4 inches in
diameter.
2. Make a hole in the center of the cardboard circle.
3. Divide the circle into eight parts (or any number of parts up to 32!)
4. Cut 1 inch into the cardboard on each part.
5. Tie the seven strings together. Push the knot below the center hole.
6. Distribute the seven strings one per slot (there will be a vacant slot).
7. With the vacant slot towards you, move the third string to the right
into the vacant slot.
8. Rotate disk so the new vacant slot is towards you. Repeat step 7.
9. Continue steps 7 and 8 until you reach the desired length.
10. Remove braid and tie the ends together around your wrist.

RELATED BOOK

DB 51552 - FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS by Camilla Gryski

LETTERS IN BINARY CODE
LETTER BINARY CODE
A 01000001
B 01000010
C 01000011
D 01000100
E 01000101
F 01000110
G 01000111
H 01001000
I 01001001
J 01001010
K 01001011
L 01001100
M 01001101
N 01001110
O 01001111
P 01010000
Q 01010001
R 01010010
S 01010011
T 01010100
U 01010101
V 01010110
W 01010111
X 01011000
Y 01011001
Z 01011010