Camp Crafts: Friendship Bracelets Tied with a Sliding Knot

Yesterday I made our reservations to go camping in Michigan in August. It’s been way too long since we’ve been to Michigan, so I am totally and completely in camp-craft mode right now! And if you ever get the chance to go, make sure you visit Duck Lake – OMG it’s beautiful.

So today I’ll show you how to make super-easy friendship bracelets. So easy, in fact, that you might not really need my help figuring out how to make them.

But…

But I do have one trick up my sleeve that I know you will want to learn – and that’s how to make one of those sliding knots so that you need no clasp, and so that the bracelet is adjustable for any size wrist. I learned this knot in college as a rock climber under it’s other name, the Double Fisherman’s Knot. I’ve also heard it called a Chinese Sliding Knot.

Either way, it’s one of the most handy knots you will ever learn to make – because the beauty of this knot is not just that it is adjustable, but also that the more you pull on it, the more it tightens itself.

How to Tie a Sliding Knot

The sliding knot diagram is pretty self-explanatory, but it can get a little tricky if you create the knot loosely and then tighten it sloppily. My advice: be really careful about keeping all the strands in place as you tighten it – trust me, it will save you plenty of headaches and tangled cording later.

Here’s a picture of the sliding knot in action on the back of the braided friendship bracelet.

What You Need to Make These Easy Friendship Bracelets

• Leather lacing (in at least three colors for the braided bracelet).
• Six wooden beads with bead holes big enough for the leather lace to fit through (for the beaded bracelet).
• You can also use colorful nylon cording instead of leather for either of these friendship bracelets.

For the beaded friendship bracelet, first cut the end of the leather lace at an angle, which will make it easier to slide on the beads. Then simply tie a regular knot, slide on a bead, and repeat until all the beads are on your bracelet.

Finish off with the sliding knot.

Cut the leather lacing for easy beading

Easy Friendship Bracelet with Beads

For the braided leather bracelet, knot together three strands of leather laces. Keep one of them longer than the rest on the top end, because you will use it to tie the bracelet off.

Braid the laces, then tie another knot to keep the braid together. Then simply clip off two of the three stands near the knot as shown in the first photograph below.

Finish off with the sliding knot.

Braided Leather Friendship Bracelet

Easy Braided Leather Friendship Bracelet

Be sure to check out all of our camp crafts and teen crafts while you are here! One that is hugely popular is this nightlight made from Mod Podge and a recycled plastic drink mix container.

Leather Factory Suede Lace 1/8″” x 20 yds Variegated Brite
Add a decorative lace to any project for a real leather look and feel. Suede lace has hundreds of uses, from authentic Indian lore crafts to everyday key chains. 1/8″”x 20 yds Variegated Brite

Leather Factory Suede Lace 1/8″”x 25 yd Red
Add a decorative lace to any project for a real leather look and feel. Suede lace has hundreds of uses, from authentic Indian lore crafts to everyday key chains. 1/8″”x 25 yd Red

Leather Factory Suede Lace 1/8″”x 25 yd Spool Lime Green
Add a decorative lace to any project for a real leather look and feel. Suede lace has hundreds of uses, from authentic Indian lore crafts to everyday key chains. 1/8″”x 25 yd Spool Lime Green

Wooden Bead Assortment
Price: $7.83
A 1 lb bag of durable wood beads in assorted shapes, sizes, and colors.

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