How to make a beaded friendship bracelet

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Learn how to make a beaded friendship bracelet using a very easy beginner macrame knot! If you’re new to this, learn how to make your own friendship bracelets here. This post contains affiliate links.

Of all the jewelry crafts out there, DIY bracelets are my favorite, and it all started with friendship bracelets!

But it doesn’t end now that I’m supposedly “grown up” (or so they say). I still love friendship bracelets. Last year, I made this zig zag friendship bracelet pattern that I actually first created as a teen and finished it off using ribbon crimps and a clasp to make a “real” bracelet.

Today, I’m so excited to teach you how to make a beaded friendship bracelet using a very basic knot that looks so sophisticated – but it’s really, really easy. I finished mine off with cord ends and a clasp.

You can also use techniques such as a loop and button to finish off your bracelet. A sliding knot is cool but doesn’t work so well with multi-strand bracelets like this one.

Which thread or string should you use to make beaded friendship bracelets?

Because beads tend to come with smaller holes, more appropriate for wire or beading materials, it can be hard to use your regular embroidery floss that you’d use for friendship bracelets.

You have two options:

Use a thinner thread
Use large-hole beads.

Even large-hole wooden beads, which is what I’d normally choose, can be hard to thread over two strands of embroidery floss. You can use a single strand in the center but you’ll be missing out on some of the prettiness.

To demonstrate the different results you can get, I decided to teach you how to make a beaded friendship bracelet three ways.

In the first, I used regular embroidery floss, with pony beads in the center. These beads are slightly smaller than your typical pony beads. The holes are nice and big and you can fit multiple strands through. It’s not as elegant, but perfect for kids looking to make fun beaded friendship bracelets.

In the second, I used a thinner and gorgeous DMC size 8 Pearl Cotton thread. I used this with 4mm metal beads, and since the thread is a good quality, it held as I strung two threads through the hole. The result was a bit thin – maybe a touch more delicate than I wanted it.

In the final one, I tried doubling the end/working strands of the DMC size 8 with the metal beads. This is my final recommended project for those looking to make an elegant, grown-up macrame bracelet.

I will teach you how to make a beaded friendship bracelet using a pattern of ten stitches and then a bead – but play around! Do more frequent beads, do beads only in the center of your bracelet, or do them in clusters of three.

Make this beautiful macrame bracelet yours!

What you need to make beaded friendship bracelets:

How to make a beaded friendship bracelet:

1. Knot your strands together at the top.

2. Split your strands so that two long ones of one color are on the left, two of the other on the right, and the two shorter strands are in the center.

3. You are going to treat the two strands on the left as one, and the two on the right as one. Take your left strands and make a forward knot around your center strands.

4. Take the same strands and make a backward knot around the center strands so that you end up where you started.

5. Take the right two strands and start with a backward knot around the center strands. Then make a forward knot around your center knots, bringing the right strands back to their starting point.

6. Repeat and make ten such knots – 5 of each color.

7. Slide a bead over the center two strands and bring it up to your knots.

8. Repeat the process and create a forward/backward knot with your left strand, tightening it under the bead, holding the bead in place. Create a backward/forward knot with your right strand and repeat for ten stitches.

9. Continue this process until your bracelet is complete! Knot to secure.

10. Close off your bracelet however you’d like – I used ribbon crimps and clasps.

Make one, make five to stack, send them to your friends and family!

I hope you loved learning how to make a beaded friendship bracelet! What’s your favorite style friendship bracelet? Click here for more friendship bracelet ideas and comment with your favorite!