How To Make Friendship Bracelets (Using A Braiding Disc)

video How To Make Friendship Bracelets (Using A Braiding Disc)

Here's how to make braided cord for friendship bracelets and other uses - making use of a cardbaord braiding disc.

angelalorainne says: May 4, 2009. 7:16 PM

Does anyone know where to get a braiding disc just like this?

tech dawg says: May 5, 2012. 4:52 PM

just make one man!

Hankretta says: Mar 10, 2012. 7:56 PM

You can buy them at magic cabin in kits for $10 to $15 but can be made there are patterns at ask.com

suayres says: Jun 10, 2011. 5:05 PM

You can buy very nice ones made of foam-core at Amazon.co --look under the heading "kumihimo". In fact, for around $13.00, you can buy a clever little kit which includes the aforementioned disk, some small cord bobbins, and instructions. For a wee bit more, you can get a larger kit with the same, plus various colors of braiding cord. And for a LOT more, you can buy a full-sized wooden maru-dai (the grand mother of the foam disks), but the foam ones are a great way to find out whether kumihimo is your cup of tea, without going broke.

paulana says: Jun 10, 2009. 8:53 AM

Did it pass your mind to do one at home????????

hawaiianatheart says: Jun 8, 2009. 6:35 AM

you can make one easily enough using a paper plate (I suggest a strong one not flimsy but either will do) take anything round and trace a circle on it. Cut 4 slits (just a little way in) ie: North, South, East, West, then cut another one in between those. That's it. If you want a sturdier one they do sell them online. Google Kumihimo Braiding Disc and I'm sure you will find them.

bobfrom86 says: Sep 6, 2008. 3:31 PM

I would assume you could do the same thing with 5 strings, just make a card with 6 slots? Also, would the counting change?

suayres says: Jun 10, 2011. 5:07 PM

No, it needs to be a multiple of eight for this type of braiding.

LordGormyr says: Nov 19, 2010. 11:42 AM

yay for the hand... obtw great ible

Bogdann69 says: Oct 24, 2010. 2:46 AM

Thank you...Hand!

aknagyerla says: Aug 30, 2010. 3:01 PM

yay :) thank you so much that was very easy to do and looked good

applemom says: Jun 20, 2010. 7:19 AM

i really enjoyed the instructions for this project. it was simple but straight forward. I look forward to trying this project myself.

Zorasta says: Jan 12, 2010. 5:19 PM

very nicely done video
and I love the ending... 'may I have a hand please' *hand appears*
... *skitters off to go make bracelets*

startfresh says: Sep 25, 2009. 10:21 PM

That was Great!! Very easy to understand too! Thank-you!!!

parda says: Sep 4, 2009. 7:43 AM

Done! That was really well explained, i just did my first bracelet using the braiding disc this afternoon. Thanks a lot!

luggybuggy says: Aug 20, 2009. 4:41 PM

Wow. thats cool :) good Idea, im going to do it right now. I think thats how they make rope. haha XP Good Idea :)

VampireFrancesca says: Aug 6, 2009. 1:05 PM

Thanks so much! This was sooo easy to follow! Had fun making them! I might use this with my 4-H group. Easy project for everyone.

batman1357 says: Aug 7, 2009. 12:44 PM

how do i see the video? everytime i pull this page up its just a blank screen!! please help!!

Miss Twist says: Jul 26, 2009. 10:01 AM

Wonderful instructable...thanks

monkeymandi23 says: Jul 18, 2009. 9:06 AM

i was just wondering how long the strings need to be.

MommaChristine says: Jul 20, 2009. 9:45 AM

The length of the strings would depend on the finished length you want it to be, I suppose. If you want a bracelet, make the strings shorter, make them longer for a necklace, etc. I think if you took the desired finished length and added a few inches for "safety, loss and tying off" you'd be on the right track.

shadon says: Jun 23, 2009. 5:34 AM

this one is awesome I tried it in different strings i found it really easy i didn't finde the braiding disc so i made one by my self =]

paulana says: Jun 10, 2009. 8:53 AM

Spectacular, thanks, my son will love this

Tailslvr7_7 says: Apr 8, 2008. 9:15 PM

I made one using "plastic bag yarn": You can find it on another instaructable. It turned out good, and now I can giver my friend something!

dobbylvr says: May 12, 2009. 2:30 PM

I make that yarn too, and have just finished a bracelet using it when I read your comment.....creepy

Atomic Shrimp (author) says: Apr 9, 2008. 1:49 AM

Oh, wow! I'd never heard of plastic bag yarn before, but what a great idea. - thanks for introducing me to this - Now I have a million ideas hatching in my head...

subajawa says: Apr 4, 2009. 3:59 PM

I will be teaching this technique to a bunch of kids at our summer camp this year. It is a really neat instructable and has motivated me to start learning this kumihimo art. Thanks a lot !!

bigfangirl says: Mar 16, 2009. 2:58 PM

Awesome job man! I totally understood everything you were saying and i made one myself
thanks so much for teaching us :D

Shambhala says: Jan 19, 2009. 11:10 PM

What a great job of explaining how to make a simple friendship bracelet! I viewed some pretty confusing demonstrations that made my head spin. This one was clear, quick, and has you up and running before you know it. I hope to see some more elaborate braiding in the future. Fantastic! Thanks!!

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Kiteman says: Sep 28, 2008. 12:00 PM

Sorry, Mangetout, I missed your video before I posted my braiding ible - I've added a link back here from there.

ricardovw says: Sep 21, 2008. 9:46 AM

Very cool, I'm working on it right now :)

funkmachine316 says: Jun 16, 2008. 9:16 AM

Can you do this with more than 8 strings?

Atomic Shrimp (author) says: Jun 17, 2008. 3:21 PM

Yes. I'm working on another design that uses lots more threads and can make a range of different styles of braids...

funkmachine316 says: Jun 19, 2008. 8:22 PM

I tried with 15 strings and 16 slits on the disc... utter failure.

haptotrope says: Sep 11, 2008. 11:06 AM

You may have to jump more threads that just 2 to make it work. PS: excellent craft! thanks for sharing it!

funkmachine316 says: Sep 12, 2008. 4:19 PM

Nope, I tried that. Nothing worked.

Atomic Shrimp (author) says: Jun 22, 2008. 5:18 PM

Sorry to hear that - with more strings, I've only ever used different techniques and patterns (I will try to document them soon, I promise).

acoupoly says: Aug 27, 2008. 6:55 PM

I made one for my boyfriend following your tutorial. I just changed the end parts and used a barrel clasp to join the ends. This is the one I made. :) Thank you very much for the instructions! :)

hammer9876 says: Aug 26, 2008. 8:29 PM

I made this tonight from variegated yarn while listening to the political convention of my choice. (I won't say which because it says just below that there is a "be nice" comment policy and I don't want to start a firestorm.) Thanks again.

hammer9876 says: Aug 26, 2008. 5:11 PM

Very clear. Incredibly easy. I am surprised I hadn't even heard of it before. Five stars for a project any little kid can do. I have some plastic I was going to recycle. I am going to fish it out and cut out a disk. Friendship bracelets to match every outfit! (Where is my yarn?!)