Friendship Bracelets

Here's a fun blast from the past.  Only the coolest of the cool kids wore these bracelets.  {probably just I wore them...and I wasn't cool...but I felt cool...and isn't that what counts after all?}

I wanted a fun summer project for the kids so we looked up how to make these.  I do NOT recommend teaching this to your kids unless they are quick to catch on and are capable of tying knots without help.  If not....don't do it!  For the love of all humanity---choose wisely.  It will only drive you crazy---and I speak from experience.  The fun "happy-mommy-loves-to-craft-with-happy-kiddies" turns into "mommy's-head-blowing-off-and-senseless-screaming."  

Anywee--here's a great tutorial on how to tie them.  (why reinvent the wheel, right?! There's no way I can take tutorial pics for this one!  Plus, this one has a video!)  I used tape on my table because pinning just makes the bracelts twist and turn.  I did one tape at the top and then I used another piece of tape across the middle of the bracelet as it got longer - and just moved the tape down further - to keep it from twisting and moving.

My eldest was the only one who could manage this project - and he's doing a 2-color (4-strand) small bracelet.  If, for some reason you have to unpick anything, a straight pin works wonderfully.

My kids love these, actually.  Bracelets are all the rage right now and these are custom made.  And so the tradtion continues....my kids are now the coolest of the cool.