Introduction: Beads and Knots Friendship Bracelet

Chevron Friendship Bracelets are cute but did you know they are also very easy to dress up with beads? The symmetrical pattern lends itself nicely to a neat little row of pretty beads right down the middle!
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Step 1: You'll Need

  • Something to occupy your cat so she doesn't keep grabbing your strings.
  • Embroidery floss
  • Scissors
  • A clipboard
  • Beads that aren't super big, but have a hole large enough to thread on your floss.

Step 2: Starting the Bracelet

Cut pieces of embroidery floss about 6 feet long.
Choose as many or few colors as you like. Make sure you have even number strands of each color. You need at least 6 strands. ( if you are following this method exactly... I like to use two or three strands together of each color.. It makes bigger knots and makes the bracelet chunkier and faster to knot.. )
Fold the pieces in half.
At the middle, twist your strands into a spiral and tie a loop, creating identical sets of strands to each side.
Clip to your clipboard and separate the strands.

Step 3: Knot

Start on the left side by taking the strand on the farthest left and crossing it over the strand directly to its right
Pull the left strand under the right, through the hole between them and tighten the knot to the top.
Make sure to hold the right side strand firmly down while pulling the knot to the top.
Following the same pattern and create a second knot on the same strand.

Step 4: Knot Again!

Make another two knots on the next strand continuing until you reach the middle.
Leave the strand that you were using to knot lying in the middle.

Step 5: Other Way.

Take the strand to the outermost right and knot on the strand to the left exactly opposite of the knots you made from the left.
(See the diagram) Make two knots on each strand toward the middle.
When you reach the middle, lay the strand next to the knotting strand from the left.

Step 6: Knot the Middle

The two strands in the middle can be knotted with a forward or backward knot. Just make two of the same type.

Step 7: Keep Going

Make a few more rows, each time starting from the outside and knotting toward the middle.

Step 8: Add Bead

Choose where you want your bead (I put one on each purple row).
Knot both sides to the middle, but don't knot the middle together.
Add a bead over all strands (that's why you need a bead with a large hole... This one has six strands of embroidery floss going through.) Complete the knot under the bead.
Continue knotting each row and adding beads in the same manner.

Step 9: Finish It Up

As the bracelet gets longer, you will probably need to keep moving it up the clipboard in order to keep it from twisting and keep your knots tight.
Once it's long enough to fit your wrist, tie all the strands into one knot.
Braid each half to create two identically sized strings.
Knot the braids and cut off any extra string.

Step 10: Wear It!

The side opposite of the side you saw while you were knotting is the 'right' side. (Although sometimes I like the wrong one better)
Pull one braid through the beginning loop and tie it in a knot with the other braid to secure it to your wrist.

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