Camp Craft: DIY Neon Rope Bracelets

Time to get crafty campers! Today we are making our own rope and using it to create friendship bracelets for wearing and sharing. This is a fun summer craft that uses just a few supplies you probably have around the house. I learned how to make rope when I was working with preschool kids and had fun teaching it to school aged kids and youth as a summer camp leader. So I whipped up this nostalgic tutorial for our first of many member meet ups in our forums July 18, if you are a member come get crafty and visit with us from 8-9EST!

1 yard of neon nylon twine (I got mine from Omiyage) + a skien of embroidery floss or crochet cotton
2 wooden dowels
Carabiner
Eye hook + hook
Scissors

1. Measure your arm & triple that measurement, cut 11 pieces of cotton/embroidery floss + 1 piece of nylon cord.

2. Screw the eye hook into one dowel & the hook into the other. Thread all the strands through the eye hook.

3. Knot all the threads at the bottom & slide the knot up into the eye hook, now you are ready for the fun part! Watch this:

4. Loop the middle of the group of threads onto the hook on the other doweling & pull tight. Twist it up until it starts to buckle (the tighter you twist it the tighter your rope) then thread a heavy pair of scissors attached to a carabiner or any other weight into the middle of the twisted threads. Bring the ends of the dowels together keeping the threads as taught as possible, then let go & watch it spin!

5. Finish your bracelet by tying off the ends with a knot or tightly wrapped + knotted piece of thread & leaving a little tassel. To wear push the tassel through the loop you created when you removed the scissors/weight & you are ready to go!

You can mix it up by using all cotton threads, embroidery floss or wool. Try making longer lengths for doubled up bracelets, necklaces, belts or curtain ties. You can also try dip dying your bracelets or adding tiny seed beads to the threads before twisting. Be sure to share your creations with us, I can’t wait to see what you make with this technique!