diy fashion: spiked friendship bracelet

This is by far one of my favorite DIYs (1) because you can totally make it your own, (2) because I thought it was nearly impossible to do when I first started the pattern, but it got so easy towards the end, and (3) because I’ve seen these sold in Soho for $50 each… craziness… mine cost $3.00. After spotting this DIY inspiration on OutsaPop, I decided to DIY it myself!

Tutorial by Candy Fraser

Supplies: scissors, 3 colors of embroidery thread (mine are from Mood Fabrics),
5-6 spikes (mine are from Studs and Spikes), scissors, awl, tape.

1) Cut 7 feet of your main color. Cut 2 6ft pieces of another color. Cut 4 6ft pieces of your last color.
Holding all the threads together, fold them in half and tie a loop, like above. You should have 14 pieces of thread now.
Tape the loop to the table you will be working on.
The pattern I used is from friendship-bracelets.net. They have tons of pretty rad patterns.

2) Create the bracelet.
Things I came across when working on this pattern that will make it easier for you:
• First tip, it seems hard at first, but I SWEAR by the 4th row, it will be very easy.
• You must MUST must tie the thread twice as depicted in the second picture.
• Your main color (I used purple, the instructions used red) ALWAYS ties over another
thread. You will never come across a loop where you are tying another color over the
main color.
• In row 1, 3, 5, 7, etc, you are using all of the threads to make loops.
• In row 2, 4, 6, 8, etc, you are using all of the threads to make loops EXCEPT the first and
last thread.
• In row 1, 3, 5, 7, etc, the middle loop you will be making will use two threads that are the
same color.
I DO promise that it gets easy as you continue doing it. This is the third friendship I’ve made in
my entire life, so trust me. If you remember the tips I mentioned above, it will be pretty simple.

3) Tie two very tight knots at the end of the bracelet (both ends should now be tightly tied).
4) Using an awl (or a pen or pencil), push a whole in the center of each/every other diamond
to spread the thread wide enough to push the screw of the spike through.

5) Cut the remaining thread off the bracelet, leaving less than inch after the final knot.

6) Loosen the last screw. Push the loop at the top of your bracelet over and under the spike and then tighten the spike.
This will keep the bracelet in place.

Candy Fraser’s DIY fashion blog: www.tayloranddemolish.com