What Happens If I Make the Boxes Smaller? Friendship Bracelet Experiment
Can I take this friendship bracelet design and make the boxes even SMALLER?
That’s today’s experiment!
I’ve been playing with this box-style pattern for a while, but this time I wanted to see what would happen if I reduced each section to just four little squares.
Sounds simple, right?
Not exactly. 😅
This pattern is basically one background color with two strands zigzagging through the entire bracelet. That makes it surprisingly easy to lose track of where you are—especially when the strands reach the edge and suddenly have to change direction.
In this video, you’re seeing the design process happen in real time. I’m working out the corners, figuring out where each strand needs to turn, correcting mistakes, and crossing off completed sections so I don’t lose my place.
Once the first half was finished, I flipped it…
MUSTACHE. 😂
So I flipped it again, and suddenly everything came together into a continuous snaking design.
We’ve changed the size of the diamonds, balanced the layout, and ended up with what is essentially a new friendship bracelet pattern.
But designing it on the computer is one thing.
Now I have to actually MAKE it. 🧵
I’ll be back with this pattern in the next video to see how it looks as a real bracelet—and whether I run into any unexpected problems.
What do you think of the smaller boxes? Do you prefer this version or the larger design?
If you like this pattern and would like to support my work >>>
What happens when you change ONE small part of a friendship bracelet pattern?
Apparently…you get a centipede. 😂
This is the third bracelet I’ve created from the basic idea behind pattern #7809 on friendship-bracelets.net, and this time I made one important change.
The previous diamonds had a 3×3 square—or 9 knots—in the center. For this version, I reduced that to just 2×2, or FOUR knots.
That small change lets the design shift from side to side much more frequently, even though this is still only a 12-string friendship bracelet.
And the result is VERY different!
Instead of one big S-shaped movement, this pattern winds back and forth, reaching both sides of the bracelet twice. It creates an almost impossible-looking path.
Or maybe it looks like a centipede. 😬😂
⏱️ KNOTTING TIME: 2 hours, 3 minutes
🧵 STRINGS: 12
🔷 CENTER: 2×2 knots
📈 DIFFICULTY: Definitely challenging!
The knots themselves aren’t necessarily expert-level. The real difficulty is KEEPING YOUR PLACE.
The diamonds look extremely similar while you’re working, but the number and position of the background knots are constantly changing. One wrong shift could throw off the entire design.
I actually kept the pattern open in GIMP and crossed off each section as I completed it. You could also print the pattern and cross off your progress with a pen.
Even with decades of friendship bracelet experience, I found that little trick incredibly helpful!
But there’s a bigger reason I wanted to make this bracelet.
I want you to experiment with patterns.
Don’t assume that the pattern in front of you has to be the final answer. What happens if you make something bigger? Smaller? Move it? Flip it? Change the starting position?
The original pattern inspired an idea. That idea became another bracelet…and another…and now this one.
Spending 20 minutes experimenting with a design before you start knotting can completely change what you create.
So which version of this series has been your favorite?
And what would YOU change next?
🌐 Find more friendship bracelet tutorials, patterns, and projects at akaawol.com
A huge THANK YOU to my YouTube Members for helping make these projects possible! Your support helps with everything from supplies and lighting to editing and keeping the website running.
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Thanks for watching, and as always…
Don’t get your strings in a bunch!
#akaawol #FriendshipBracelets #FriendshipBracelet #BraceletPattern #BraceletMaking #Knots #JewelryMaking #DIY #Craft #BraceletTutorial
