Friendship Bracelet

We're rediscovering the go-to accessory of our tween years as we welcome back the throwback trend of friendship bracelets. Remember the days of safety pinning embroidery thread to your school backpack and knotting colorful friendship bracelet patterns? We spent hours knotting bracelets for our friends, learning new patterns and making wearable gifts to represent our most cherished relationships.

The History of the Modern Friendship Bracelet

Traditional friendship bracelets were usually made with several strands of thread such as hemp, cotton or silk. The cords were combined by braiding, knotting, macramé or kumihimo. These bracelets were gifted and worn until they would literally break, through showers and swimming and many different seasons and occasions. One of the most emotional pieces of jewelry, the friendship bracelet represents a bond, a special declaration of friendship and love. 

It is believed modern friendship bracelets originated in Central and South America, though similar knotted jewelry was found in ancient China as well. Originally, the idea was one person would tie a bracelet made of biodegradable material onto the wrist of a friend while making a wish. The friendship bracelet was not to be taken off and when the bracelet naturally fell apart, the wish would come true.

All Grown Up - The Adult Friendship Bracelet

This childhood staple is all grown up and nostalgia has mixed with modern design for a sophisticated new take on what has proven to be a timeless trend. Today's friendship bracelets are fun and deeply personalized, often with a bohemian twist. They can be colorful and kitschy, understated and casual or sparkly and high-end. Worn alone on either wrist or stacked high, friendship bracelets are a personal style for all, regardless of age or gender.

The sky's the limit this time around, so think beyond the traditional knotted thread bracelets! Crafters and designers can create styles similar to those trending at popular retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Shopbop, Anthropologie and Forever21 (some selling at close to $100 each). Or strike out on your own and design using adjustable bracelet bangles, memory wire, Accu-Flex beading wire, leather, chain, thread, tassels, lampworked glass, gemstones, crystals, metal and much more for a variety of styles.

Friendship bracelets are traditionally created for a specific person. As the bracelet is knotted, kind thoughts about the friendship are transmitted into each tug of the string. Bracelets can be personalized using colors and patterns, or by adding meaningful charms, letter beads spelling specific words or other tokens which best represent the both of you. When the bracelet is done, the giver ties it onto the wrist of their friend. The pattern can be as simple as a knotted band in team colors, or an incredible multi-colored, beaded, macramé design with your friend's birthstone in the middle. 

Zen and the Art of Making Friendship Bracelets

Move over adult coloring and yoga classes—making friendship bracelets is a meditative jewelry-making activity can be done almost anywhere and doesn't require a pricey gym membership. You don't even need a table.

It's well known that any repetitive process you focus your attention on can be meditative. You can put the phone down, make pattern you know well (so you don't have to think about it) and play quiet, soothing music. As you tune out everything while your fingers do the work, your mind goes into stream-of-consciousness mode for a Zen experience. The benefits come from focusing on the task, and while you are tying teeny, tiny knots over and over again, it's hard to think about anything else. 

Stress and anxiety start to melt away, leaving behind a sense of calm and the satisfaction of creating something beautiful. Plus, you can create a gift for a friend or family member. Giving gifts is another way we grow our joy and relieve stress, lifting the spirit and replenishing the soul.

So, keep your friendship bracelet supplies and projects easily accessible! Calm a busy mind and practice the art of mindful mediation by making friendship bracelets. You'll be on-trend, healthy and happy.

Personalizing Friendship Bracelets

Pack your friendship bracelets full of personalized meaning with birthstones, affirmation charms, healing gemstones, love and friendship motifs, angels, letter charms or alphabet beads. Use the Add a Bead System with large-hole beads (such as Dione™) to create customizable friendship bracelet lines. Choose a fiber that will last long and hold its colors. Some options are embroidery floss, silk thread, bamboo, hemp, satin and cotton waxed cord.

What color is their aura?

You can ask your friend what their favorite color is and start with that, choose colors of their favorite sports team, or maybe a shared alma mater. Reflect on your friend and what colors they like to wear. Certain colors will instantly remind you of someone. 

Like gemstones, colors are said to have certain meanings. You can review "The Psychology of Color and Jewelry Design" article and consider which colors you want to bring to your friend's bracelet. Here is a general list of western color meanings: 

• Kindness and love—Pink
• Honesty and good health—Red
• Energy and boldness—Orange
• Good cheer—Yellow
• Lucky and eco-friendly—Green

• Loyalty: Blue
• Imagination and creativity—Purple
• Practicality and serenity—Brown
• Strength—Black

What sign are they?

Astrological signs have colors attributed to them as well: 

• Aries—Red
• Taurus—Pastel shades of pink, pale blue, and green
• Gemini—Yellow
• Cancer—Silvery blue/smokey grey
• Leo—Orange/yellow (color of the sun)

• Virgo—Green and dark brown
• Libra—Pink, pale green, and various shades of blue
• Scorpio—Deep red and maroon 
• Sagittarius—Rich purples and dark blues
• Capricorn—Dark green, gray, black, and brown

• Aquarius—Blue and turquoise
• Pisces—Sea green

Of course, you can also take a friend's birthstone into account. Adding a bead or a setting with a cabochon or faceted stone in it is a classy way to personalize a friendship bracelet. After all, they're not just for kids anymore! Here is a list of gemstones from the traditional birthstone chart: 

• January—Garnet
• February—Amethyst
• March—Aquamarine
• April—Diamond
• May—Emerald

• June—Pearl
• July—Ruby 
• August—Peridot
• September—Sapphire
• October—Opal

• November—Citrine
• December—Turquoise

The traditional list of birthstones contains gemstones, a number of them rather upscale. Some people consider the birthstone to be vital, while others simply use the chart as a color guide and substitute less expensive options such as colorful cubic zirconia, crystal or glass. There are also alternative birthstone lists. A great resource to picking significant gemstones to add to your friendship bracelet is the ''Gemstone Meanings'' guide. It offers an abundance of information about not only the metaphysical properties, but geological properties, historical usage and proper care for many jewelry-making gemstones. 

What are they into?

Adding charms to a friendship bracelet is an easy way to acknowledge your friend's hobbies, interests and passions. Use a plane for travelers, a treble clef for musicians or a ball for sports lovers. Add loving thoughts to the friendship bracelet with an affirmation charm or drop, such as "to the moon and back" or a peace sign. Weave in a charm with their Chinese animal sign or western zodiac sign. 

Personalize their bracelet by using alphabet beads to spell a friend's name or a wish for them such as LOVE. Another way to customize is to use a button—they are great for clasps and there are so many cool shapes, colors, materials and themes. For an ocean loving or water sign friend use a shell button, or a pewter one with a sand dollar on it. For someone who likes to sparkle, add a Crystal Passions button. There are so many great ornamental buttons with a variety of designs.

What do they say?

Remember those vintage "Best Friend" necklaces that shared a single heart split down the middle? When the two friends put their pieces together, a whole heart is formed. It's still a popular idea, only expressed different ways. Put part of one of the above phrases on one half and the rest on your best friend's half so the phrase is only completed when you both put your jewelry together. Or, try using negative space such as a large heart with a heart cutout for one friend and the inside cutout heart for the other. 

Stamped, strung or engraved, these popular phrases are seen on friendship jewelry for adults, whether in necklace, bracelet, anklet or earring form: 

• Soul Sisters
• BFF
• Partners in Crime (fun to use handcuff components with this phrase)
• Friends Forever
• Just a brunette and a blonde with an unbreakable bond

• Life is a journey best traveled with friends
• I wouldn't have anything if I didn't have you

Since a friendship bracelet represents your friend and your friendship, consider creating your own unique components. Design in polymer clay and metal clay or cut from metal sheet. 

Explore polymer clay and metalworking resources for tips on using both mediums. Follow along with this "Sawing Metal" how-to video to see how to make personalized shapes. Then refine them with the techniques found in the "Metal Jewelry: Finishing and Polishing" article by jewelry expert Tammy Honaman or the "Polishing Metal" video with mixed media artist Lisa Pavelka. 

What pattern fits your friendship?

Making friendship bracelet be parts of a whole doesn't end with metal sheet. You can weave or knot patterns that work alone, but when placed together make a completed design. Think about the cute heart pendants with "BEST" etched onto one half and "FRIEND" on the other. There are numerous ways to do this with friendship bracelets. It can be a word or a half heart, or both of your zodiac symbols woven in. 

Personalize with a heart pattern for a loved one; use a wave, octopus, or sunshine pattern for a beach combing friend; opt for an awareness ribbon for a friend battling a disease, etc. There are kitty patterns for cat lovers and cactus patterns for desert dwellers. Make a camouflage pattern for friends who are into hunting or in the military. Red, white and blue flag designs are great for patriotic friends. 

Got more than one bestie?

What if you have more than one bestie? Sometimes it's not about one person, it's rather your "Framily" who you know you can rely on. No problem! Friendship bracelets for more than two people are just as easy and fun to design. Try using 3 interlocking rings for the three of you, or "All for one and one for all" for a group of four. 

Got even more? Wedges that fit together to make a whole pizza, pie or cheese wheel when brought together gives you plenty of room for multi-friend designs. Themed friendship jewelry is another option. Were you all in the same Greek society? Did you all meet at the same book club? Bonded over a shared fandom? Do you all love the ocean? Create a range of bracelets, one with an anchor, another with a ship's wheel and a third with a compass. Embellish with a matching color bead or use birthstones for personalization. There is an ocean of possibilities out there.

Adult friendship bracelets and best friend jewelry make great gifts for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, graduation, birthdays and any day you want to let someone know they're special. Brides are making them for bridesmaids, shower gifts and wedding favors. Friendship bracelets are also great to sell at craft fairs and use as fundraisers for a charity you all believe in.

Really, the possibilities are practically endless. The important thing is to link the colors, components and pattern to your friend. To get you started, we have video tutorials showing how to create three different friendship bracelet patterns: diagonal stripe, heart and diamond. They're listed from easiest to most challenging. Each also has printable instructions! Once you get those down, you can work on more advanced versions and even make your own patterns, adding words, symbols or designs.

Have fun designing grown-up friendship bracelets. This timeless trend will always be in fashion because friendship never goes out of style.