Weaving new friendships - Children's Peace Day

ChildArt, Oct-Dec, 2003

There are many ways to show people you care about them and want to remember them even when you're far away from each other. On September 11, at the International ChildArt Festival, art teacher Wrenn Boulton helped those who attended the festival to create special gifts to exchange with their new friends. Colorful threads blanketed tables in the Arts and Crafts studio, as children from all over the world braided, knotted and twisted the threads into patterns, creating "Friendship Bracelets."

Threads intertwine in the same way that people's lives intertwine when they become friends, explained Ms. Boulton. And one of the best things about this form of art is that it is easy to talk to people around you while you do it--and perhaps even make new friends at the same time. Tessa Crissman, an eleven-year-old from Colorado, US, designed a friendship bracelet for her new friend, twelve-year-old Kasia Sooka, from Zory, Poland. Tessa and Kasia met while painting and had a fun time together at the festival. They made the bracelets as a way to continue their friendship once Kasia returned to Poland.

One of the most popular patterns for a friendship bracelet a diagonal stripe. Although it looks difficult, it is actually an easy pattern to make. Just follow the steps on the next page. Most important of all--give the bracelet to a friend, and you'll be able to show how much you care with art instead of words.

Making a Friendship Bracelet

From the book, Friendship Bracelets, by Laura Torres

You'll need four different colors of string, each 25 inches long. Hold the four strings together in your hand, and tie them together with a knot about 1-1/2 inches from the top of the strings.

NOW REFER TO DIAGRAM:

1. Start with string 1 and loop it over and then under string 2, hold string 2 straight and pull the knot snug.

2. Do step 1 a second time so you have a double knot.

3. Now take string 1 and make double knots around each of the remaining strands, left to right.

4. Now do the same thing again. Start with the far left strand and tie double knots, left to right, all the way across the other colors.

5. Keep going until the bracelet is as long as you would like.

6. Gather the strings and tie a knot to secure. Trim the ends to about 1-1/2 inches.

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