The thicker a bracelet is, the more rows the pattern will have.
The knot symbols are as follows: Forward Knot: Right arrow Backward Knot: Left arrow Forward-Backward Knot: Arrow to the right and back Backward-Forward Knot: Arrow to the left and back Not all strings will have a knot symbol on each row. This just means that you’ll skip knotting that string.
Each pixel or square in the preview represents a knot.
A backward knot is just like it sounds—a “backward” version of a forward knot!
Think of it like half of a backward knot and half of a forward knot.
For example, say you have an ABBAABBA chevron pattern that’s purple and yellow; you want 6 strings with 3 being purple and 3 yellow. Then, position them as follows: purple, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, yellow, yellow, purple. Most friendship bracelets require strings at least 36 in (91 cm) long. If your strings are a bit tangled, no worries! Tug on them under the knot until they lay in the correct position. A friendship bracelet loom can help you order and keep track of your strings, especially if you’re a beginner.
To continue our example, create a forward knot with the outermost purple string over the yellow string next to it.
In our example, you would take the third yellow string and make a forward knot over the second purple string.
For our example, you’d make a backward knot with the third yellow over the third purple and a backward knot with the fourth yellow over the fourth purple.
With our example, you’d put the first and last yellow strings aside and group the left purples, middle yellows, and right purples into pairs. The lines or strings that intersect under a knot symbol are a pair.
If your strings match, great! You can move on to the next step. If your strings don’t match, don’t panic! Compare your knots to the pattern’s knot symbols. If one of your knots isn’t the same colors as the pattern’s, undo the row(s) with a safety pin and try again.
Finish the bracelet with braids or a knot, and ta-dah! You’ve made a friendship bracelet using a pattern.
