it won't stop curling.

by shelby
(maine)

I'm working on the friendship bracelet, the one with embroidery floss.

And this is maybe my 6th or 7th one.

And every time and every bracelet, no matter what, its curling.

I've tried to loosen the knots.

It still curls.

I tighten the knots, it still curls.

It's beginning to frustrate me.

A lot.

It would be nice if you could give me some tips on how to make it not curl.

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it won't stop curling.

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re: Curling
by: Anonymous

You are basically have to pitch that one and start over. What makes them curl to start with is pulling the knots too tight.

With hemp, you can loosen the knots up a bit with a pick and fix it, however embroidery floss has a sort of 'memory' to it that won't allow it flatten back out once it is pulled too tight. It stretches more in one place than others or something kind of like that.

Even if you completely untie it and try to use the same floss again, you will have the same problem. It may not curl the same direction as before, but you can bet the farm that it will continue to curl up.

Thankfully, embroidery floss is cheap. I know this is not the answer that you want, but it is the only one that I have got.

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Curling Friendship Bracelets
by: Christine

Friendship bracelet curl because the knots are too tight, and and I'm guessing you're do a stripe pattern?

The stripe pattern is uni-directional in that if you imagine a line done the center, the 2 sides aren't symmetrical. So the knots are always going from right to left on the diagonal (or from left to right, whichever - the point is that they go in one direction.

A bi-directional pattern like a diamond or chevron will curl much less because the pattern is knotted from both sides at once.

So here are some tips for curling friendship bracelets:

Friendship Bracelet Curling Prevention and Tips:

Tip 1: Ensure your knots are loose-ish and uniform

Tip 2: Pick a bi-directinal pattern (see above for explanation)

Tip 3: Practice makes perfect. After awhile you'll know the right tension intuitively.

And finally, if all else fails, try ironing lightly using steam, but don't prss too too hard with the iron- you'll flatten the knots.

Hope that helps-

Christine ~how-to-make-jewelry