Kids like to make things and perhaps even more than that, they like to give things to their friends and the people they love. With the holiday season just around the corner, the team at Package From Santa thought it would be a good idea to provide a post about a simple craft that is as much fun to make as it is to give. Keep reading to learn about friendship bracelets that your kids can make.
What you will need:
1. Embroidery floss
a. 3 Colors
2. Scissors
3. Safety pin
Step 1:
Begin by cutting 2 pieces of embroidery floss in each color. The lengths should be 2 ½ to 3 feet each. This will give you a total of 6 strands of embroidery floss.
Step 2:
Gather the strands together and tie a knot at one end, leaving a few extra inches.
Step 3:
Use a safety pin to hold the floss in place as you work. Slip the pin through the knot and pin the floss to a secure surface. This can be as easy as pinning it to the knee area of your pants.
Step 4:
Separate the floss into the 3 colors (2 strands per color), and then begin braiding the threads. Braiding is as simple as 1, 2, and 3. As you separate the colors out you can assign the strand on the left as number 1, the one in the middle can be 2, and the one on the right can be 3. Begin by crossing strand number 3 over strand number 2. [Now number 2 is on the right and number 3 is in the middle] Next, use strand number 1 to cross over strand number 3. [Now number 3 is on the left and strand number 1 is in the middle] Next, you will use strand number 2 to cross over strand number 1 – the basic key is to keep alternating between the outside strands to cross over the one in the middle. You will continue this process until the entire length of the floss is braided.
Step 5:
Tie a knot at the end of the braid, again leaving a few extra inches of floss.
Step 6:
Wrap the braid around your wrist 2 or 3 times and tie a knot – then sit back and admire your work!
For a bit fancier version of this bracelet you can use 3 strands of floss that are doubled in length. Tie them loosely around your finger at the center of the length. Then spread the threads out, matching the colors as you did before and braid. When you get to the end you can tie two or three knots, then add a large bead, and tie a large knot to hold the bead in place.
The loop that is formed when you tie the strands around your finger will create a loop for the bead – that is how you fasten the bracelet on. You can also add beads as you braid the strands.
