Some people love to make friendship bracelets as a hobby. If you like craft projects and handmaking things, then making friendship bracelets is very easy and fun. You can make some for everyone you know as a symbol of friendship. In some countries and some areas, friendship bracelets have caught on and you would see lots of people wearing them. If you make a lot of friendship bracelets, you can even sell them and make it a business.

What are friendship bracelets?

Friendship bracelets are special bracelets given from one friend to another as a symbol of friendship. They are handmade and usually made out of embroidery floss or thread. There are various styles and patterns, but most are based on the same simple half-hitch knot. The making of friendship bracelets is a version of macrame.

The amount of thread used in bracelets can vary. The smallest pattern, a double chain knot, requires two strings. The candystripe can have as few as three strings and as many as forty, based on pattern and thickness. Because of their versatility, they are worn by both males and females of all ages. They are particularly popular with pre-teen and adolescent girls and with present-day hippies, deadheads or Rainbow Family participants. Thicker bracelets are commonly worn by both male and female surfers.

History of Friendship Bracelets

The knot-craft and hand weaving used to create traditional patterns stems from Native American handcrafts, particularly from Central American tradition. According to indigenous tradition, the recipient of a friendship bracelet must wear it until the cords wear out and fall off naturally. The idea is that the friend paid for it with the hard work and love that made it, and the recipient repays the friend by honoring the work. Removing the bracelet before it naturally falls off is a sign that the friendship has gone sour. Another variation of this tradition is that the recipient of a bracelet is entitled to a wish. After the bracelet wears out and falls off naturally, the wish will come true.

How to get started making friendship bracelets?

You can buy kits to make friendship bracelets at craft stores and even Walmart  store. It is also as easy to get a book with lots of different patterns and instructions and then buy some thread or yarn to make your own. Below is a link to a great friendship bracelet kit and a book that will explain everything you need to know to make really cool friendship bracelets.

Friendship Bracelet Kit

Friendship Bracelets (Klutz)

Making Friendship Bracelets

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