7/07/2013

DIY ☀ Chevron Bracelets (Friendship Bracelets)

This DIY is dedicated to chevron bracelets. You might remember this type of bracelet from when you had friendship bracelets when you were young. They have made a return and are really cute for summer! If you are restless like me, they are great for keeping your hands busy while watching tv or in your spare time. There are tons of ways you can customize them, but I will show you the basic technique for making these types of bracelets and how to add a little extra.















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You will need:
Embroidery thread
Tape/safety pin/clip board
Scissors
Thread
Needle

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Step 1:



















(The picture shows my bracelet after I had already completed the full pattern twice, it is easier to differentiate the strings this way, they end up placing themselves. When you first start it will take a couple lines to look like something decent, don't worry, pay attention, keep going!)
Choose 5 colors for you bracelet. Each can be a different color or your could have thick stripes and use two of the same color like my example. When you have chosen 5 colors, cut your embroidery thread into 5 pieces, 30 inches each. Fold the 5 pieces in half and tie a knot on the looped end. Keep a bit over 1cm slack, or enough to fit around around finger comfortably.

Step 2: 














Tape or clip the top of your knot to a flat surface. (Binder, clipboard, book, table) Spread out the thread so that the colors reflect each other, so that they are parallel. In my example, 1 and 1 are opposite, 2 and 2, 3 and 3, and so on, until the middle colors are beside each other.

Step 3:














Picking up the thread on the far left, make a "4" shape using the thread directly to it's right. (If all colors are different this will be a different color, in my example it's also red)















Once the "4" is made, take string 1 and bring it under string 2 and up again through the loop you just made, pull towards the top of the bracelet.





















Make this same knot twice. Essentially all you are doing is making double knots on each string. Make the 4, loop it under and pull up, repeat twice, move on to the next string.

Step 4:














Keep making knots to the right until the color you have been knotting with gets to the middle. You should have made knots on 4 out of 10 threads by now.

Step 5:














On the opposite side, take the thread of the far right, and start knotting it with the threads to the left. On this side, you will make a backwards "4" or a "P"















Bring the far right thread under the thread to the left and up through the loop created.
If it helps, I think of making the knots as arrows, pointing in the direction of the side I am currently working on, so when you work on the left side, the "loop/arrow/knot" points left, when I am working on the right side, the "loop/arrow/know" points right. Pull tight!

Step 6: 




















Knot until you get to the thread in the middle, the thread you were previously working on. Knot/ make the "4" in the same direction you've been doing (a "P") Don't forget to make two knots. Take the thread you were knotting with and bring it to the left. This ends a row of knots.


Step 7:














Continue making knots. To re-cap, when working on the left side, make the loop on the left side.  When working on the right side, make the loop to the right.






Pull tight!










Don't forget to double knot each thread!



























Step 8:




















Separate the remaining threads into 3-4-3, and braid the remaining strands.
Cut off the loose ends.

Step 9:














Adding a button- Double thread a needle and tie one end making a little ball/knot. Figure out how you want your button to sit, you want it to face the same side the front of your bracelet does.
Starting from the bottom, thread the needle up through the bottom of the knot, through a button hole, through another hole, and to the bottom of the knot again. Keep doing this until you feel the button is secure.















With both ends of the thread coming out the bottom, separate them into 2, and thread one end onto the needle.
Push the needle through any part of the knot, and tie the two threads together.  Securing the threads.

At this point you are done making a standard bracelet! The button goes through the finger loop you made in the beginning!

☀☀☀☀ If you wanted to add more ☀☀☀☀

Gather some small beads, and double thread a needle. Make sure your of thread matches the bracelet. Place the beads along the pattern of the bracelet in an even fashion. (Or however you like it)





















Thread the needle through the bottom of the bracelet.
Sew the needle up through the bracelet and the bead, and then back down through the bracelet to secure the bead. Bring the needle back up where you want the next bead to be, continue until finished.

















Secure all your knots, cut off all ends. Now you are finished the bracelet!















































Really cute, you can do tons of things with them, and they are a great way of making your wasted time not so wasted.

Hope you liked reading!

Hailey

2 comments:

  1. Nice DIY idea :)
    Check out my blog at: http://beauty-fulll.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thankyou, glad you like it! :)
      Followed your blog, thanks for stopping by!
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