This 8-String Pattern LOOKS Easy… So I Doubled It! | Friendship Bracelet 8148

This friendship bracelet pattern looks simple.

It’s only eight strings.

So naturally, I decided to DOUBLE it. 😂

Today I’m experimenting with pattern #8148 from Friendship-Bracelets.net. I’m taking the original 8-string pattern, rebuilding it on a 16-string bracelet template, and mirroring the design to see what happens.

And this one quickly reminded me of something important:

Fewer strings does NOT automatically mean an easier friendship bracelet.

As I started tracing the knots and following the paths of the underlying strings, this pattern became surprisingly tricky. There are lots of direction changes, zigzags, little three-knot sections, and shapes that almost look like fish with tails.

Definitely not what I’d call a beginner-friendly bracelet pattern!

Once one quarter of the design was finished, I copied and mirrored it across the center. Then I flipped the entire top half to create the bottom.

And suddenly the whole thing came together.

One of my favorite details is the center motif. All the other shapes have those little “tails,” while the middle one is different. That gives the entire friendship bracelet a focal point instead of making it look like the same pattern endlessly repeating.

I also think this could be a good opportunity to use a straight-edge knotting technique. Keeping the outer knots consistent may help control those edges because there are a LOT of zigzags in this bracelet.

If I’m not careful, this one could get messy quickly. 😅

Tomorrow I’ll actually knot the bracelet and find out whether this doubled pattern works as well in embroidery floss as it does on the screen.

If you like this pattern and would like to support my work >>>

I don’t say this very often about a friendship bracelet…but I HATED making this one. 😂

And the frustrating part? It turned out really good.

This started with pattern #8148 from Friendship-Bracelets.net. The original is an 8-string pattern, but I doubled it into a 16-string friendship bracelet and mirrored the design.

That was apparently a mistake. 😅

The original pattern didn’t look particularly difficult, but doubling it created a bracelet filled with tiny zigzags, constant direction changes, and sections where I had to keep checking the pattern to make sure I hadn’t made a mistake.

It was incredibly finicky.

A 16-string bracelet like this would normally take me somewhere around two hours. This one took approximately 2 hours and 16 minutes of actual knotting time — spread across TWO DAYS because I eventually had to stop and walk away from it.

By day two, I was basically telling myself:

“You already started it. You HAVE to finish it.”

So I did.

And now that it’s finished…I really like it. 😂

Depending on how you look at the design, the shapes almost resemble leaves or coffee beans. The mirrored pattern also makes the center motif slightly different because it doesn’t have the little “tail” found on the other shapes.

I used outward-facing knots along both edges to help keep the bracelet straight, and I worked the center brown section outward in chevrons. That had an unexpected bonus: the back of the bracelet developed its own cool symmetrical pattern.

String usage was also surprisingly balanced. No individual string was dramatically shorter than the others, so this isn’t one where you need to worry too much about calculating different embroidery floss lengths.

Would I recommend this friendship bracelet pattern to a beginner?

Absolutely not.

Would I recommend it to someone who enjoys complicated knotting patterns and wants a challenge?

Well…apparently one of my YouTube Members liked it enough to already claim the finished bracelet. 😂

I originally planned to spend the month experimenting with doubled friendship bracelet patterns, but after this one, I think I’ve earned a little break. The next project is going to be something different.

A huge thank you to my YouTube Members for supporting these tutorials and experiments. Members get perks including livestreams, behind-the-scenes content, our monthly Hangout, early looks at bracelets, and apparently the opportunity to call dibs before everyone else sees them!

If you want to support the channel, hit the Join button next to Subscribe on YouTube.

Have you ever made a friendship bracelet that you absolutely hated working on…but loved once it was finished?

And more importantly:

Would YOU try this pattern?

Let me know in the comments.

For more friendship bracelet tutorials, knotting techniques, patterns, and DIY jewelry projects, visit akaawol.com.

Thanks for watching, and as always…

Don’t get your strings in a bunch!

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