How to Tie the 4 Different Friendship Bracelet Knots

I learned how to make friendship bracelets a couple years ago. The first thing that I learned was that there wasn't just one kind of knot to make a friendship bracelet, there were 4 different kinds. In this Instructable I will show you how to do the four different kinds of knots and what they will look like on a friendship bracelet pattern.

I learned how to do all this and more at friendship-bracelets.net 

Step 1:

The first thing you want to do is gather some supplies. You will need tape or a clipboard, some embroidery floss or yarn of two different colors (remember this is just for practice so I recommend using yarn), some scissors, a ruler, and yourself (or another person who can do the work for you).

Step 2:

Now take the first yarn and cut a piece about 8 inches long. Do the same thing to the other color.

Step 3:

Next, put the two strings together and tie them together into a normal knot (overhand knot).

Step 4:

Now we tape the top part (the part with the knot) down to a table or clip it onto the clipboard.

Step 5:

Now, the first knot I'm going to show you is called the forward knot.
Take your FIRST string and put it OVER the second string so that it makes a 4.

Step 6:

Now, take the tail and tuck it UNDER the second string.
Pull the knot tight.
This makes half a knot.

Step 7:

Now do steps 5 and 6 one more time so that you have done it a total of two times (use the same string you used the first time just pull it over).
This makes one full forward knot.

Step 8:

On a pattern the forward knot will look like the images shown.

Step 9:

Next, either tape that knot down or pull it up on the clipboard and pretend that it doesn't exist (it was exiled D:).
You also have the option of undoing the knot if you would like. 

Step 10:

The next know I will show you is called the backwards knot.
Take your SECOND string and put it OVER the first string so that it makes a backwards 4.
 

Step 11:

Next take the tail and tuck it UNDER the first string.
Pull it tight.
This makes half a knot.

Step 12:

Next you will do steps 9 and 10 one more time so that you have done it a total of 2 times (use the same string you used to do the first half, just pull it over).
This makes one full backwards knot.

Step 13:

On a pattern the forward knot will look like the images shown.

Step 14:

Next you will tape that knot down or pull it up on the clipboard again so that we can pretend it's not there.
You could also undo the knot.

Step 15:

These next two knots that I'm going to show you are a bit more difficult but still not too hard.
This next knot is called the forward-backward knot.
First what you're going to do is take the FIRST string and put it OVER the second string so that it makes a 4.

Step 16:

Now take the tail and tuck it UNDER the second string.
Pull it tight.
This makes half a knot.

Step 17:

Now take the SAME string and pull it over the other string so that it makes a BACKWARDS 4.

Step 18:

Now tuck the tail UNDER the string.
Pull it tight.
This makes one full forward-backward knot.

Step 19:

On a pattern the forward-backward knot will look like the image shown.

Step 20:

Now tape that knot down or pull it up on the clipboard so that you can ignore it.
You could undo the knot if you want.

Step 21:

The last knot that I will show you is called the backward-forward knot.
First what you're going to do is take the SECOND string and pull it OVER the first string so that it makes a backwards 4.

Step 22:

Next take the tail and pull it UNDER the first first string.
Pull it tight.
Again this makes half a knot.

Step 23:

Next take the SAME string and pull it over the other string so that it makes a NORMAL 4.

Step 24:

Take the tail and pull it UNDER the string.
Pull it tight.
This makes a full backward-forward knot.

Step 25:

On a pattern the backward-forwrd knot will look like the image above.

Step 26:

A normal friendship bracelet pattern will look like the one shown above, but now you know all the knots to do something like this!
I suggest starting small and slowly adding more strings to the bracelets you make as you get better.