Friendship Bracelet Pattern Generator

When a child wants to make friendship bracelets but nobody knows the knot order, this tool turns a choice of thread colors and a design into a knot chart: for every row it shows which knot to tie and in which direction, drawn as arrows. It follows how each knot moves the strings, so the colors in the chart are the colors you get when you tie it. A preview of the finished bracelet, the cut length for each string and drawings of the forward and backward knot are shown too.

How to use

1. Under "Design", choose candy stripe, chevron, arrow, diamonds, hearts or checkerboard, then set "Number of strings". A six-string chevron is shown first.
2. Under "String colors (from the left)", tap a numbered circle to select a string, then tap a color swatch below. The next string is then selected; use "Pick any color" for a color that is not in the swatches. "Use suggested colors" goes back to colors that suit the design.
3. Tie the chart from top to bottom, one row at a time. Each circle is one knot, the arrow shape is the kind of knot, and the circle's color is the string color that knot will show.
4. Adjust the chart with "Repeats", "Knot size" and "Show row numbers". Enter "Wrist size" to see how long to cut each string in the string list.
5. To design your own, set "Design" to "Custom (change knots yourself)", tap knots to change their kind, or press "Add a row". Use "Save as PDF", "Print" or "Save PNG", and "Copy link" to send the same pattern to someone.

How it works

• With n strings, the first row knots strings 1–2, 3–4 and so on, and the next row knots strings 2–3, 4–5 and so on. Rows therefore alternate between n ÷ 2 and (n − 1) ÷ 2 knots, rounded down.
• A forward knot (↘) and a backward knot (↙) make the two strings change places; forward-backward and backward-forward knots leave them in place. The knot shows the left string's color for forward and forward-backward knots, and the right string's color for backward and backward-forward knots.
• The string length is a rough guide: wrist size × 4 + 30 cm. Thread thickness and how tightly you tie change it, so cut a little more.
• Your colors, settings and custom pattern are saved only in this browser. A link from "Copy link" contains only the thread colors and the knots.

How to read a friendship bracelet knot chart

The circles at the top of the chart show the order in which you lay out the strings, and the rows below are tied from the top down. Each circle in a row is one knot tied with the two strings coming down into it, and the lines between circles show where each string moves. The outermost strings rest every other row, so they are drawn as straight lines there.

One knot is two half hitches in the same direction. In a forward knot the left string wraps around the right string and ends up on the right; a backward knot is the mirror image. A forward-backward knot (arrow shaped like >) is one half hitch forward and one backward, so the tying string comes back to its own place; it keeps a color where it is. Repeats are separated by a red dashed line.

Candy stripe and chevron bracelets: what is the difference

A candy stripe uses only forward knots, which makes it the easiest design. Each color moves one place to the right per row, giving diagonal stripes, and with n strings all strings are back in their starting order after 2n rows. That is why tying the leftmost string across all the others with forward knots, again and again, gives the same pattern.

For a chevron, lay the strings out as a mirror image around the middle (for example red, yellow, blue, blue, yellow, red). The left half is tied with forward knots and the right half with backward knots, both towards the middle, which makes a V. The arrow design is the opposite: knots are tied from the middle outwards, which makes a Λ. Both need an even number of strings to stay symmetrical, so the tool offers only even numbers for them.

How heart and diamond patterns are worked out

For picture designs such as hearts, diamonds and the checkerboard, the color of every knot is decided first. The tool then chooses a forward, backward, forward-backward or backward-forward knot for each position so that each row shows those colors. It follows the strings as they change places and looks for a combination in which the colors are back in their starting order at the end of each repeat, so the design continues when you tie it again.

The heart uses 8 strings, 4 for the background and 4 for the heart, and makes one heart every 8 rows. In the diamonds, two border strings zigzag from edge to edge and cross in the middle, and the inner color fills the space between them. If you change the colors of such a design, the knots stay the same and only the colors change; if the picture falls apart, press "Use suggested colors" to return to the starting layout.

Questions and answers

How long should I cut the strings for a friendship bracelet?

This tool uses wrist size × 4 plus 30 cm for the ends. For a 15 cm wrist that is about 90 cm per string.

What is the difference between a forward knot and a backward knot?

In a forward knot the left string is tied twice around the right string and moves to the right. In a backward knot the right string is tied around the left string and moves to the left.

How many strings do I need for a chevron bracelet?

Any even number. The tool supports 4 to 12 strings; 6 strings give a V in 3 colors and 8 strings a V in 4 colors.

When do I use a forward-backward knot?

When a color should show without the string moving. Picture designs such as hearts and diamonds use it often, especially near the edges.

Can I send my bracelet pattern to a friend?

Press "Copy link". The link holds the thread colors and the knots, and opening it shows the same chart.