It’s SO FUN to make a cardboard loom bracelet! This round friendship bracelet is also really easy to make, and all you need is a scrap piece of cardboard and some embroidery floss.
This adjustable bracelet is such a great summer craft, perfect for sleepovers, summer camp, road trips, or any time you want to keep the kids busy on their summer holidays. Make DIY bracelets in all your favourite colours and be sure to give one to your BFF!
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How to Make a Cardboard Loom Bracelet
Materials:
- Embroidery floss (7 colours)
Equipment:
- Cardboard
- Ruler (optional)
- Painter’s tape (optional)
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials
Step 2: Choose your embroidery floss
- Cut 7 pieces of embroidery floss to be 20 inches each.
- Line up the floss and tie them together in a knot, about 2-1/2 inches away from one end.
Step 3: Make the cardboard loom
- Trace a circle onto a piece of cardboard and cut it out.We traced a small bowl (3-1/2 inch diameter), but you can also use a geometry compass.
- Draw 8 lines along the outside of the circle, equally spaced apart. The lines should go about 1/3 of the way to the center.We find it easiest to start by making lines at “3 o’clock” and “9 o’clock”. Then make more lines at “12 o’clock” and “6 o’clock”. Finally, make 4 more lines in-between these marks.
- Make a hole in the center of the circle large enough for your knot to push through.We made the hole with the tip of our mechanical pencil, pushing the lead inside the pencil first. You can also use a small scissor tip or a small screwdriver head.
- Then cut through the pencil lines, creating 8 notches around the outside of the circle.
Step 4: Start your friendship bracelet
- Insert the connected embroidery floss through the hole in the cardboard loom.We pushed the knot through the hole with our pencil. The knot will be on the back of the loom.
- Separate the embroidery floss and insert 1 strand into each notch around the circle. Hold the loom with the empty notch facing you.
- Count 3 to the left of the empty space. Lift this strand of floss up from the notch.
- Bring the strand you’re holding down into the empty slot.
- Rotate the loom counter-clockwise so the empty space is in front of you again.
- Repeat the same action. Count 3 to the left of the empty space and lift this cord. Bring it down into the empty notch.
- Again, rotate the loom so the empty space is in front of you.As you work, run your fingers through the strands to keep them separate, or else they may tangle.
Step 5: Continue knotting the bracelet
- Continue this same pattern, rotating and moving the 3rd cord down into the empty slot.Eventually you’ll see the bracelet forming. We find it helpful to hold the bracelet between 2 fingers, allowing you to create gentle pressure on the cords, pulling them down as the knots form.
- Continue the same steps until the bracelet is long enough to go around your wrist.
- Remove each piece of floss from the notches around the loom.
- Pull the bracelet out of the loom and make a knot at the end of the knotted part.
Step 6: Finish off the bracelet
- Tape one knot of the bracelet to your working surface.
- Separate your cords into 2 sections. One side will have 3 cords and the other will have 4.Make a simple braid with the 3 cord section and make a knot at the end.
- Repeat, making a braid with the 4 cord section. To do this, keep 2 of the cords together and braid with the other individual strands. Make a knot at the end.Then cut the excess thread near the knots.
- Remove the tape and pick up the bracelet. Arrange the loose cords neatly and place them in-between the 2 braided ends.
- Tie the braids in a knot around the loose cords.
- Try on the bracelet and determine how long the loose cords need to be. These cords should slide through the braided knot to adjust the size.Keep the bracelet loose, at the largest length you need, and make a knot at this point.
- Cut off the excess loose cord outside the knot.
- Your cardboard loom bracelet is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- How tightly you pull down on the bracelet as it forms will affect how the bracelet looks. Pulling down after every knot will create a looser knot, while gentle tension will create a tightly knotted bracelet.
- Make a bracelet in a rainbow of colours, use different shades of the same colour, or pick complementary colours for your bracelet.
What type of thread is used to make a cardboard loom bracelet?
We used embroidery floss to make our friendship bracelets. This thread creates a really thin, polished looking bracelet. But you can also use yarn, macrame cord, or any other type of non-stretchy jewelry cord.
What size of loom is best to make friendship bracelets? And what type of cardboard?
The exact size of the loom doesn’t really matter. We used looms that were both 4-1/2 inches across and 3-1/2 inches across. The smaller diameter was a bit easier to hold, but both sizes worked well!
The cardboard we used was from a delivery box. But thinner cardboard (like from a cereal box) should work as well, it just might bend more easily. You can always glue 2 pieces of thin cardboard together to make thicker cardboard, if needed.
How else can I start and finish this cardboard loom bracelet?
You can change the look of the bracelet “clasp” or simply tie the bracelet on your wrist. Choose whichever method you like the best!
#1: Make a loop before the starting knot:
- Cut 3 pieces of embroidery floss to 40 inches and fold them in half.
- Cut another piece of floss to be around 22 inches long.
- Hold the 22 inch piece with the others so it’s 1 to 2 inches past the half way mark.
- Make a looped knot at the fold containing all of the strands.
- Insert the bracelet in the loom and continue like normal.
- Remove from the loom when it’s long enough, make a knot, and put the loose ends through the loop (you can tape the cord ends to make this easier).
- Bring the cords around the loop and back through.
- Adjust the bracelet like in the tutorial above, making a knot and cutting off the excess cords.
#2: Make a simple knotted bracelet:
- Start the bracelet in the same way as in the tutorial above.
- Continue following the tutorial.
- Make a knot in the end of the bracelet after removing it from the loom.
- Have someone tie the bracelet around your wrist in a double knot.
- Cut off the excess cords.
This cardboard loom bracelet is so quick and easy to make. Once you make your cardboard loom (which is also really easy!) you can get going in no time at all.
The bracelet takes a bit of time, but making it is SO EASY! The end result is so cute that you’ll want to make and wear a whole stack of them!
Here’s even more easy bracelet ideas:
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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