August 2012
On the first Sunday of each August, Friendship Day is celebrated all over the world. Let your friends know how much you appreciate them by giving them a friendship bracelet that you have made yourself.
Supplies needed: recycled card (such as a cereal box), wool or embroidery floss, scissors, pen, ruler, roll of tape (or any round 8 – 10cm object to use as a template)
1.Save a cereal box or any food container that is made from heavy card. Cut off a piece of card that is larger than your roll of tape (or whatever you are using as a circle template).
2.To create a circle shape, set the tape on top of the card and trace around the inside of the roll.
3.Cut the circle out and mark the middle with your pen.
4.Starting anywhere on the edge of the circle, draw a small line. Directly opposite, on the other edge of the circle, make another small line. Turn the circle and repeat, so that there are now 4 marks, evenly spaced apart. Divide each section in half with another small line, so that you end up with 8 marks.
5.Use the lines as a guide to cut 8 slits, approximately 1 cm long, around the edge of the circle.
6.Use the pen to poke a hole in the middle of the circle. Now you have a friendship wheel for creating friendship bracelets.
7.Use your ruler to measure and cut 7 pieces of wool or embroidery floss, about 30cm each. You can use all the same colour, 7 different colours, or whatever combination you like. Wool is thicker and fuzzier than embroidery floss, so you may wish to experiment with both materials to see which you like best.
8.Gather one end of each of the threads and tie it in a knot.
9.Pull the threads through the centre of the friendship wheel and put each of the threads into one of the slits. You should end up with 7 threads in 7 different slits and one empty slit.
10.Starting at the empty slot, count to the third thread, lift it over the other 2 threads and put it into the empty slot. Turn the wheel and repeat the process over and over, until your friendship bracelet is long enough. Be sure to run your fingers through the threads often, or they will become tangled.
11.When the bracelet is long enough, unhook each of the threads and pull them free of the wheel. You’ll need room to tie a knot, so be sure the bracelet is a few centimetres longer than you actually need it.
12.Tie a knot in the other end of the bracelet and cut off the excess. Voila! Your friendship bracelet is ready to give to your BFF. Just wrap it around his or her wrist and tie it in a knot.
Bonus Tip: There are loads of ways to make friendship bracelets. If you find this method a bit tricky, you can do a simple plait instead. Start with 6 threads, tie the end in a knot and secure to a table with tape. Then just plait it like you would with hair. Alternatively, you can visit Jolie’s Youtube channel (link below) and follow along with video instructions. Happy Friendship Day!
Article submitted by Jolie Dennison, artist and children’s art facilitator
Web: www.joliedennison.com
Email: info@joliedennison.com
Tel: 07830 429618
To see more creative project ideas, subscribe to: www.youtube.com/joliedennison and www.facebook.com/jolieart.
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