Stripes Galore Bracelet

This is one of the most popular styles of friendship bracelet and, if you are beginner, it is a good one to start with. The more threads you have, the wider the bracelet will be. The more colours you use, the brighter it will be.

Handy hint

This bracelet consists of wide stripes in three colours, but you can also braid it using six threads of different colours. The stripes will be narrower, but your bracelet will be much more colourful. To make this really stripy bracelet, choose six threads of contrasting colours and follow the instructions in steps 1 to 6.

Materials Needed:

Scissors

Stranded embroidery thread

Electrical Tape

1. Cut six threads, two of each colour and each colour and each 100cm (10in) long. Knot them together, 10cm (4in) from the top of the threads. Fasten the threads to your work surface with tape, close to the knot. Lay the threads out as shown.

2. Start with the thread on the far left (in this project it is a pink thread). Take the thread over the pink thread next to it, then back under the pink thread, through the loop and over itself. Pull the thread gently to make a knot.

3. Repeat step 2. Still using the same thread, make two knots on the purple thread. Continue to knot the remaining purple and green threads with the pink thread in the same way until you reach the end of the first now.

4. Go back to the new thread on the far left, which is another pink thread, and repeat steps 2 and 3 to make another row. Now the new thread on the far left will be a purple thread. Knot it in the same way.

5. Continue knotting each new far left thread over the other threads to build up stripes of the three different colours. Keep braiding until the bracelet is the right length to fit around your wrist or ankle.

6. Tie the threads at the end of the braid in a knot. Plait the loose threads at both ends of the bracelet for 6cm (2½in) and secure the plaits with knots. Carefully trim any uneven threads with scissors.