Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Last summer I not only conquered my childhood fear of making Friendship Bracelets, but I also developed a new appreciation for them. They’re simple to make and cute as a can be, but most winningly, they really are great tokens of friendship. So cheerfully reminiscent of childhood and its open declarations of best-friends-forever, friendship bracelets are such a super way to let someone know you’re thinking about them. All this adds up to the perfect Valentine’s Day project! How sweet would it be to show up to work or school on February 14th with a bunch of these lovely little expressions of affection?

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

This time around I was a little more ambitious, creating adorable patterns of hearts and arrows, perfect for the holiday!  Also, instead of traditional embroidery floss,  I used Koigu Premium Merino Needlepoint Yarn, and I may never look back. Not only does this 100% merino wool come in a stunning array of hand-dyed colors, but its soft elasticity actually makes it easier to work with than the cotton. Plus, when you’re done, you can press your bracelet so it lies totally flat with a beautiful drape.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Materials

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

To make 9 bracelets:

If you’ve never made a macraméd friendship bracelet before please check out our original Friendship Bracelet post to learn how to make a left knot and a right knot.

Patterns

Heart Bracelet

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Cutting and Prep

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

You will need:

  • 2 yarn colors: color A (the background color) and color B (the heart color)
  • small scissors
  • a safety pin
  • a blunt embroidery needle to take out any mistakes.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Cut two 72-inch lengths of color A. Color A will be the ecru yarn in the pictures above.

Cut two 72-inch lengths of color B. Color B will be the pink yarn in the pictures above.

Gather all of the cut pieces together and fold them in half. Tie a simple overhand knot at the fold, leaving a 3/4-inch loop. You will now have 8 total strands, four of each color, originating from the top knot.

Using the safety pin, pin the knot to a flat surface or your jeans.

Arrange the threads in the following order: A, B, A, B, B, A, B, A as shown above.

Step 1

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Starting at the left side and using the left most strand of color A tie a left knot.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Moving from left to right and using the same strand of color A tie two more left knots, for a total of 3 left knots.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Using the right most strand of color A make 4 right knots.

Step 2

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Using the left most left strand of color A make a right knot.

Using the right most strand of color A make a left knot.

These two strands of color A will now be at the outer edges as shown above.

Step 3

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Using the left most strand of color B make two left knots.

Using the right most strand of color B make three right knots.

Step 4

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

With the left most strand of color B make a right knot.

With the right most strand of color B make a left knot.

Step 5

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

With the left most strand of color A make 2 left knots.

With the right most strand of color A make 3 right knots.

Step 6

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

With the left most strand of color B make three left knots.

With the right most strand of color B make four right knots.

You will now have your first heart shape.

Repeat steps 1-6 until your bracelet reaches the desired length.

Finishing

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Cut the ends of the strands to be the same length. Braid the end into two equal braids or one braid (shown in the arrow bracelet example below.) Tie knots at the end of the braid(s)

Spray the bracelet with water and press it flat with a hot iron.

Arrow Bracelet

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Cutting and Prep

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

You will need:

  • 3 colors of yarn: color A (the background), color B (the arrowheads), and color C (the arrow body)
  • small scissors
  • a blunt embroidery needle
  • a safety pin

Cutting and Prep

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Cut three 72-inch lengths of color A. Color A will be the pink yarn in the pictures above.

Cut one 72-inch length of color B. Color B will be the ecru yarn in the pictures above.

Gather all of the cut pieces together and fold them in half. Tie a simple overhand knot at the fold, leaving a 3/4-inch loop. You will now have 8 total strands, four of each color, originating from the top knot.

Using the safety pin, pin the knot to a flat surface or your jeans.

Arrange the threads in the following order: A, A, A, B, B, A, A, A as pictured above.

Step 1

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Starting at the left side and using the left most strand of Color A tie a left knot.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Moving from left to right and using the same strand of color A tie two more left knots, for a total of 3 left knots.

Using the right most strand of color A make 4 right knots.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Repeat these two rows two more times, until color B is on the outside as shown above.

Step 2

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Using the left most strand of color A make a right knot.

Using the right most strand of color B make a left knot. These strands will now be on the outside, as shown in the picture above.

Step 3

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

With the left most strand of color B make two left knots.

With the right most strand of color B make three right knots.

Repeat steps 1-3 until your bracelet it the desired length.

Embroidering the Arrow Bodies

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Cut a 20-inch length of color C and thread it onto the embroidery needle. Pull it through the top knot and from the back of the bracelet to just above the first arrow head as shown above.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Leave a 4-inch tail of color C and tie this tail to the top knot with a double knot.

Using a large running stitch embroider the arrow bodies above each of the arrow heads as shown above.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Embroider them all the way down the length of the bracelet.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

At the end cut all of the yarn ends to the same length.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Make sure the top double knot of the color C tail is secure. Thread the tail through the embroidery needle and push it through the top knot once again then cut off the tail at the exit point to hide it.

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho

Braid the end strands, tie them in a simple overhand knot and then trim the ends.

You’re all done!

Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets | Purl Soho