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Knot School

Simple knots

The first step in learning how to make friendship bracelets

is to learn how to tie the two basic knots

Think about how you tie the laces on your sneakers. Can you visualize the movements involved? You cross one lace over the other, pass it under the loop, and pull tight. If you repeat this a second time, you’ve made a basic knot.

Now you know the secret!

Keep in mind that the terms “right” and “left” used in the instructions are given from the perspective of the person wearing the shoe, not from the point of view of someone looking at the shoe from the front of it.

The lace on the left (PURPLE) is crossed over the lace on the right (BLUE), forming a 4 or backward “p.” The end is looped under and tied. Repeat the process to complete the knot.

The lace currently on the right (PURPLE) is crossed over (forming a “p” or backward 4) and looped under the lace currently on the left (BLUE). Repeat the process to complete the knot.

In the diagrams that follow, the basic knot will be shown with a symbol of a straight arrow, pointing either down to the right (forward knot) or down to the left (backward knot), depending on whether it is the thread on the right that is crossed over the one on the left and knotted twice. , or viceversa .

	A Guide to the Symbols
	= the thread on the right is crossed over the one on the left and tied into a backward knot
	= the thread on the left is crossed over the one on the right and tied into a forward knot

Knot School

Complex knots

Some of the friendship bracelets in this book require slightly more complicated knots. Like the basic knots, the complex knots require two ties each, but in the complex knot, the second tie mirrors rather than duplicates the first. These knots are shown in the diagrams with symbols of bent arrows pointing either down toward the right or down toward the left .

These types of knots are used to make sure that the order of individual threads doesn’t switch between one knot and the next, so you can better control your color patterns.

To tie a l/r (or forward backward) knot , make the first tie of a forward knot (left lace crosses over right, forming a 4 or backward “p.” The end is looped under, then pulled tight). To make your second tie, take that same left/ purple string and, from the right, form a “p” or backward 4 over the right/blue string. Loop under and pull tight.

You have tied the left string to the right string for both ties, but have worked from two different directions rather than from the same direction twice. Now that you’ve made the second tie, the left string is back in its original position.

The r/l (or backward forward) knot starts with the first tie of the backward knot (right lace crosses the left lace, forming a “p” or backward 4. The end is looped under and pulled tight). To make your second tie, take the right/blue string and, from the left, form a 4 or backward “p” over the left string. Loop under and pull tight. Now that the knot is completed, the right string is back in its original position.

As mentioned above, with these types of knots you’ll find that, after you’ve completed the knot, the threads will be in the same position as they were at the beginning of the round (in fact, the blue lace is on the right in both photographs). This is not the case with the basic knots.

	Symbol legend:
	= the thread on the left is crossed over the thread on the right, looped under, and tied into a knot; the process is repeated with the thread now on the right crossed over the one now on the left, looped under it, and tied into a knot.
	= the thread on the right is crossed over the thread on the left, looped under, and tied into a knot; the process is repeated with the thread now on the left crossed over the one now on the right, looped under it, and tied into a knot.

Now that secret behind the Friendship Bracelet has been revealed you are ready to take on any design, from the simplest to the most complex.