Friendship Bracelet Teardrop Loop

This is a set of instructions for a clean-looking beginning to friendship bracelets called a ‘teardrop loop’ as opposed to the often-used start of a simple knot. Not only does it look more legitimate and aesthetic, it is also very helpful in aligning your strings so that creating the bracelet will be much easier in the beginning!

The “Loop” refers to the circle of thread seen here that sets up your strings in the exact order that they will be used in making the bracelet. This is what we will be making. This is more of an intermediate activity meant for people who have at least a basic understanding of how to make regular bracelet knots and how to follow a pattern. If you are unfamiliar with patterns and how to make simple knots for friendship bracelets, I recommend checking out this video by MashaKnots on YouTube where she explains the basics of bracelet making!

-       Pair of scissors

-       Colored thread of your choice

-       Bracelet pattern

-       Tape or a Clipboard

-       Tape measure or ruler

Loops work best with symmetrical patterns. Choose a pattern, such as the one I show here, and count how many colors and strings you will need. I’ve attached an image of the pattern I will be using. As you can see here, I need 5 colors, and 10 total strings.

For loop starts especially, when you see that you need 2 strings of a color, you will measure out twice the length of the amount of string you need and then fold it in half. Be sure NOT to cut the string in half! 

For most people, around 30 inches of string is good for each strand, so I recommend measuring and cutting around 60 inches of each color you need and fold each in half. 

Once you have cut all 5 strings and folded them in half, gather them all together as shown.

The way we will make the loop is by first locating a V shape in your pattern. The main color we see is what we will use to make the knots for our loop. The colors seen underneath are how we will set up the rest of the bracelet, which I will explain more in the following steps. I have highlighted the V in my pattern in green.

Once you have located a V, use tape to tape down all the strings by laying the strings longways and then placing tape right at the middle of all the strings, as shown.

The color of the V in the pattern that we found in Step 3 will be our working string. Using the working string, make forward-backward knots for about a half-inch over top of ALL the other strings. Once you're done, it should look like the second image.

Again, if you don't know how to make forward-backward knots, refer to either this video or these instructions for a detailed explanation of the basic knots involved in friendship bracelet-making.

Looking at your pattern, locate the outermost points of the V you found initially (outlined in red in the first image). The outermost colors should be the same color as your working string.

Let’s start with the right side of the project. Locate the color of the line that the outermost point is going over TOP of. We are looking at the color of the string that the working string should be going over top of, so this line right here on a pattern (outlined in red in the second image)

The color of this line is the next color string we will grab; for example, I will grab the darker blue color that is shown being under the black circle, black being the color of my working string. Moving your initial working string to the side, take this new string and complete ONE forward-backward knot over top of all string EXCEPT the initial color string that you moved to the side, as shown in the third image.

Take a look at the pattern again and find the next color in our V, the second color from the outside of the V. 

Moving both the initial string and the second string that you just used to the side, use this new string to complete a forward-backward knot over all strings EXCEPT those first two strings, as shown in the fifth image.

Depending on how many strings your pattern uses, complete this process for all the colors within the pattern. Once you have reached the last color string and there are no more to knot on top of, we will move to the other half of the project. 

Once you have half of your loop completed, turn the project upside down, and place the tape covering the knots that you have already done so that the project looks like the first image.

Using the working string, we will make the opposite of forward-backward knots – backward-forward knots – about a half-inch long over all of the strings. Make backward-forward knots using your working string over top of all the other strings until you have about another half-inch of knotted string, and we will move on to finishing the second half of the loop.

Just as in the beginning of Step 5, locate the outermost points of the V you found initially. The outermost colors should be the same color as your working string. Focusing now on the other side of the project, we will complete the same process as Step 5 but for the LEFT side of the V that we have not completed yet.

Locate the color to the RIGHT of the outermost point on your pattern, following along your V. We are looking at the color of the string that the working string should be going over top of, so the line outlined in red in this first image.

The color of this line is the next color string we will grab. Moving your initial working string to the side, take this new string and complete a forward-backward knot over top of all string EXCEPT the initial color string that you moved to the side, as shown in the second image.

Take a look at the pattern again and find the next color in our V, the second color from the outside of the V (outlined in red in the third image)

Moving both the initial string and the second string that you just used to the side, use this new string to complete a forward-backward knot over all strings EXCEPT those first two strings, as shown in the fourth image.

Depending on how many strings your pattern uses, complete this process for all the colors within the pattern. At the end, it should look like the fifth (last) image. Once you have reached the last color string and there are no more to knot on top of, we will begin to join the project together in the middle!

Now that you have both sides of the bracelet loop completed, take the innermost strings in the middle of the project and tie a simple square knot to join the loop together, as shown in the attached images. (To do this, do the knot shown in the picture twice so that it stays without having to hold it)

And there you have it!

Your initial color working strings should be on the outside of the pattern, and all the colors should be in the correct order for you to being following your pattern from the V that you found and used. From here, you will follow the pattern as you would any regular friendship bracelet pattern. I have linked a tutorial below to help you if you are a beginner and need some help learning how to follow and read patterns, check out this video.

Thank you for following along and I hope it was helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I have also linked a helpful video on the topic of making loops like this one. Good luck and have fun in your bracelet making! Cheers!