DIY Heart Friendship Bracelet

As the month of love approaches, we thought we’d combine friendship and hearts into one Valentine’s Day themed tutorial: a heart patterned friendship bracelet! Using some candy-colored embroidery floss and your familiarity with the chevron friendship bracelet, you’ll be able to whip up one of these tokens of love in a heartbeat.

by Erica in D.I.Y.

You’ll need:

2 colors of embroidery floss
scissors
tape or clipboard

Creating a heart pattern involves just a simple modification to the chevron patterned friendship bracelet. Start by cutting 4 strands of each color, at about 24 inches each, for a total of 8 strands. Alternate the thread colors before tying them together in a knot. Remember to leave at least 3 inches of slack. Tape the knot to a flat working surface or clip onto a clipboard.

Separate the threads into 2 sets, 2 of each color on each side. Arrange the strands in an alternating, mirror-image pattern with the outside threads matching and so on moving inwards.

Start on the left side with the outermost strand (shown here in red) and make a forward knot by creating a 4-shape over the 2nd strand (shown here in blue), loop it under and back through the opening.

Pull up and to the right to tighten. Make the same knot twice everytime.

Continue knotting over each color, towards the right, until the outermost color has carried over to the middle. This is one half of the chevron pattern.

Pick up the outermost strand on the right side (show here in red) and make a backward knot, creating a reverse 4-shape over the 2nd to last strand (shown here in blue), loop it under and back through the opening. Pull up and to the left to tighten. Don’t forget to knot twice!

Continue knotting towards the left until the outermost strand reaches the middle. Tie a backwards knot with the two middle strands to connect the two halves. Don’t forget to always knot twice!

Continue onto a second row using the same method. Two normal, chevron rows are complete. Now, it’s time for a “special” row: take the 2nd outermost strand (shown here in blue) and make a backwards knot over the outermost strand (shown here in red). Knot twice.

Repeat on the other side: take the 2nd to last strand (shown here in blue) and make a forward knot over the outermost strand (showin here in red). Knot twice.

Complete the row by taking the 2nd outermost strand (shown here in red) and make forward knots over each strand until it reaches the middle.

Mirror the steps on the other side and connect the middle strands. The heart cleavage has been created and the third row is finished.

Now repeat this special row again for the 4th row, taking the 2nd outermost strand and reversing the knot over the outermost strand.

Mirror the step on the other side. This forms the outer edge of the heart. Now fill in the heart by finishing the row with 2nd outermost strand (shown here in blue) and making forward knots over each strand until it reaches the middle.

Mirror the steps on the other side and connect the middle strands. Now, it’s back to a normal row again to close the heart. Make forward knots with the outermost strands, moving inwards towards the middle. Connect the middle strands.

Knot another normal row and then 2 special rows to form another heart. Do you see the pattern? 2 normal, 2 special, 2 normal, 2 special . . . keep going until the bracelet is long enough to fit around the wrist.