How to Make a Candy Stripe Friendship Bracelet

Last Updated: March 1, 2022 References Tested

A friendship bracelet makes a great gift for a special friend or loved one. The easiest and most basic friendship bracelet is a candy stripe pattern. With just a few supplies and some patience, you can create a beautiful handmade bracelet for a friend.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a Bracelet with Four Strings

1
Buy or collect your supplies. For the four string weave, you will need four pieces of embroidery thread (sometimes called embroidery floss) in two different colors. You can find these at your local craft store, or in the craft section of most major retailers, like Walmart or Target. Look for two colors that complement each other, such as blue and green or red and orange.^{[1]
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- You can also make an ombre bracelet with two shades of a color, like blue or red. Ombre bracelets use a pattern where the color changes little by little from light to dark.^{[2]
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2
Fold your strings in half. Cut two strings of a different color so they are 65” long. Now you can fold them in half and make a ¼ inch loop. This loop will form the base of your friendship bracelet.
- If you don't have 65" of embroidery thread, you can make your bracelet without a loop. In this case, you will need to use a length of 30" for your thread.^{[3]
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3
Tape your strings to your clipboard. Place your strings on a flat surface, like a table or clipboard, and tape the loop firmly to it. This will help you weave your strings more easily, as the tape will hold each in place while you knot your threads.
- If you have chosen to not loop your threads and instead are using 30" strands, simply tape your strings to your clipboard or flat surface.
4
Arrange your strings from 1-4. Move left to right and label each in your head as string 1, 2, 3, and 4. You should be using two colors, making sure that strings 1 and 3 are your first color, and strings 2 and 4 your second color.
5
Tie a forward knot with string 1 over your other strings. To tie a forward knot, you should loop one string twice over the string to its immediate right. You should then pull the loops tight into a knot. After you have finished your forward knot on string 2, move string 1 to string 3, repeating the process until you finish this round of forward knots on string 4.
- Your strings should now be in the order: 2, 3, 4, 1.
6
Tie a forward knot with string 2 over 3,4, and 1. Tighten each knot so that it is tight and firm. After you have tied your final forward knot for string 2 on string 1, your strings should be in the order: 3, 4, 1, 2.
7
Tie a forward knot with string 3 over 4,1, and 2. Tighten each knot so that it is tight and firm. Your strings should now be in the order: 4, 1, 2, 3.
8
Tie a forward knot with string 4 over strings 1, 2, and 3. Tighten each knot so that it is tight and firm. Your strings should now be in the same order you started: 1, 2, 3, 4.
- Your bracelet should now have a diagonal striped pattern, with alternating colors.^{[4]
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9
Continue forward knotting your leftmost string across the other strings. Do this until your bracelet is long enough to fit around your wrist. You can estimate or measure your friend’s wrist if you're worried your bracelet won't be big enough.
10
Knot the loose end of your bracelet. A standard knot will do for tying off the loose ends of your new friendship bracelet. You should trim the ends so there is string left over. You will use this to tie the bracelet around the wearer’s wrist.
- You can dip the ends in nail polish to prevent them from fraying.^{[5]
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- You can add a braid after your forward knots are finish to give your bracelet more character.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making a Bracelet with Six Strings

1
Buy or collect six pieces of embroidery thread. Each strand should be a different color, and each should be about 2-2.5' long, or 24-30".^{[7]
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Research source} You will also need tape and a clipboard, or in place of a clipboard you can use a sturdy, flat surface.
- Choose complementing colors or contrasting colors to give your bracelet contrast. Customize the bracelet with your personal color choices, or choose a color you think your friend might like.
- Ombre patterns change color from light to dark gradually.^{[8]
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  Research source} Your six string friendship bracelet, if you choose six different shades of the same color or shades between similar colors (like blue to green), can make an excellent ombre pattern.
2
Arrange your strings according to your preference. Collect your strands so they are in series, one strand following the next on your clipboard or flat surface. Tape your threads together in this order on your clipboard to keep them in place while you knot it in the friendship bracelet pattern.
- It helps to label the strings by number, from 1-6. So moving left to right, the strings will be: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- If you have trouble remembering the numbers for your strings, write each number on a piece of tape and attach it to the end of the corresponding string.
3
Tie a forward knot with string 1 over the other strings. To tie a forward know, you should loop your string twice and then pull it tight to form a knot. You should tie a forward knot with string 1 through the rest of your strings, finishing at string 6.
- When you have completed your first round of forward knots with string 1, the resulting order of your strings should be: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1.
4
Tie a forward knot with string 2 over the other strings. Tie your forward knots with string 2 through the rest of your strings until you reach the final strand, which should now be string 1.
- Be sure your forward knots are pulled tight, and when you have completed this round of forward knots, the order of your strings will be: 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2.
5
Continue tying forward knots across the other strings using the leftmost string. In this fashion, you will see your friendship bracelet grow in length. Continue until the bracelet is a length that fits your or your friend's wrist.
6
Knot the loose ends of your friendship bracelet. A standard not will be good enough to tie off loose ends for your new friendship bracelet. Now you can trim the ends, leaving enough left over so you can tie the bracelet around the wearer’s wrist.
- You can dip the ends in nail polish to prevent them from fraying.^{[9]
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- You can use the excess thread to add a braid to your bracelet, giving it more character.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I make one with 10 strings?

Community Answer

Yes. You basically just do the same thing, but with ten strings. I saw someone on YouTube do one with 21 strings!
Question

How do I finish the bracelet with the loop when making one with three strings?

Community Answer

All you have to do is make a normal knot, just like you would with any other bracelet. To make the knot, take your string, wrap it once around your finger, and then pull the remaining string through the hole tightly. (Make sure the knot doesn't go onto the bracelet pattern.)
Question

How do I make the loop?

Community Answer

Cross the main string over it so there is a little hole, then you put it through the hole and pull to the left.