Today, I’m going to show you a fun and easy macrame bracelet that is a twist on the traditional friendship bracelet. This two-tone woven bracelet can be made from any kind of twine or embroidery floss and is easily removable by adding a button (or bead) closure. This fun little piece is proof that the very best crafts can be simple!
Supplies needed to make your own macrame friendship bracelets:
- Hemp Twine or Bamboo Cord (I found the 20lb weight is perfect)
- Buttons (You can also substitute a bead)
- Scissors
- Craft Glue (optional)
First, cut two lengths of twine about 7 feet long. This will be a little longer than you need, but it’s better to have a little too much than not quite enough! They can be the same color but I like to make them two different colors.
Now, measure down about 12 inches, and double up the cord. This will give you two lengths of 12 inches, and 2 that are 72 inches. Tie an overhand knot. This will be the loop for your button closure, so be sure your button fits through this loop.
Now, secure your bracelet to your work surface. You can tape it down, pin it to something – I like to use a clipboard to hold it steady while I work.
Separate your strands, leaving the two short ones in the middle, and the two longs one on the sides. Now, take one of the long strands and tie it around the two middle strands. If you made friendship bracelets as a kid, this will be a really familiar knot. In my photo above, I’m using the gray cord.
Then, make a second knot with that same cord.
Now, alternate to the other cord (in my case, the green one). Repeat the process, making two knots. Keep alternating sides, making two knots on each side.
When you have enough length (about 6 inches woven length – more or less if your wrist is larger or smaller than average), make an overhand knot to tie off the bracelet. You can add a small dot of craft glue to help secure it if you wish. If you do glue it, you can cut two of the tail ends off close to the knot.
Then, take your remaining two cords and use them to tie on your button closure. Knot your cords underneath the button – and again, you can use a dot of glue to help secure this knot. That’s it!
Once you get the technique down, they make up quite quickly. I can finish a bracelet in about 20 minutes.
You, too, will probably find that you can’t make just one!
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About Adrianne
Adrianne is a writer, artist, designer, wife, and mom of 2 kids. She blogs at happyhourprojects.com where the theme is tutorials and recipes that can be made in an hour or less. Her favorite projects are jewelry-making, paper crafts, and recycled crafts. She participates annually in ArtPrize, an international art competition, and she's the author of the book DIY T-Shirt Crafts: 50 Ways to Recycle a T-Shirt (August 2015).
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Very cool! I’ve been looking for a new friendship bracelet to try out and make for people…so thank you for sharing!
Hi, is there a way to weave beads into the design? If so, how would you go about doing that? Thanks!
Hi Cindy – this is probably more like what you’re looking for: http://www.blog.consumercrafts.com/jewelry-main/diy-shamballa-bracelet/
I love all your tutorials! I like to use button closures on my bracelets too, and I love how you strung yours!
I am having trouble under standing the measurements and which strings are the center and which are the ones you are making the knots with. 🙁
Sorry but can you explain it more clearly for me, I want to make it out of Blue and Yellow Embroidery floss, if I cut both colors to 7 feet strings, whats happening next? I just can’t seem to visualize it without any added photos of what was happening between cutting two 7′ stings to making the knots… I’m horrible at that step.
-Katie
You tie the overhand knot at 12 inches, giving you 2 center cords that are 1 foot long, and two outer cords that you will be knotting that are 6 feet long.
I do like to show this sort of thing visually but it’s really hard to take a proper photo of 6-foot long strings, haha.
So pretty and simple! What’s this pattern called?
Oh, I’m not sure! It’s just the knotted pattern I made as a kid!
Do you have any bigger size photos we can see sorry I don’t see that well or do you have a video we can watch step by step.it looks like on the first step you wrap it around and lay it on top then the second time you go through the whole is that right or am I not seeing it correctly.
is the cord your using in the picture is it hemp cord or bamboo cord.thanks
The green one is all bamboo, the other 2 shown are half hemp and half bamboo. Both types of cords work equally well, so you can choose cord based entirely on color if you like.
OMG…So c00l!; Thank you~_~
I’ve a question:
What should we do when the 2 middle HEMP’s are too long and the other two are too short?!
Can we change them?!? Could you answer it in my Mail?
Hmmm, all I can really suggest is that perhaps the knots needed to be tighter, or cut longer lengths the next time around… you can also try tying that initial loop knot around 10 inches instead of 12?
thanks alot 🙂 wish u the best
This is AH-MAAZINGG!!, I love this.. I will try this for sure so easy and smart, thank you for sharing 😀
Never tried this before- great tutorial!
SO cute and they look totally do-able too! Like something I could work on while watching a movie…I like it! Thanks for sharing, Adrianne!
Great Tutorial! My daughter has been wanting to learn how to do these {I couldn’t remember} this is just what we needed to get her going! Thanks.:)