Cross and Diamond Bracelet

This is a cool friendship bracelet stitch that is similar to the the fish tail, except that it turns backwards, creating a "cross and diamond" effect. Crosses in this stitch look like the letter X.

You will need 3 colors of embroidery floss, tape, and scissors. In addition, make this on a flat surface that will not move if you pull on it. (Such as a table instead of a box)

First, take one color of floss and unwind it. Measure it from your fingers to your shoulder, to make sure to have enough thread. Hold it there, and fold the floss back to have twice as much. Cut it with your scissors. Repeat this step with the other two colors.

Line up the pieces of floss so the tops are even with each other. Push them next to each other, and fold them in half. Keeping it folded, tie a simple knot (put the loop around your finger and stick the it back through) about 1 inch from the top of the fold. You should now have a knot at the top below a loop.

Tape the floss to your surface with tape. You should be able to pull and have it not come off. If it does, add more tape. Then, separate the strands. Make the floss into two groups, each with one strand of each color. Then, choose the order of the colors and put them in that order. I chose orange to start on the outside, and so put both orange strands on the outside. Yellow goes in the middle, so I put both yellow strands in the middle. I put brown in the inside so both brown strands are in the inside. Label your outside color as S1, your middle as S2, and your inside as S3. If you want, you can write this down so you can remember it later. Note that S1 will be the least dominant color in the finished design.

Now, you are going to begin making the stitch. First, create what looks like a 4 by taking one side's outer (S1) strand and pushing it out, then crossing over the middle (S2) strand. Then, put S1 under and then over S2 again. Make sure this happens inside the 4, not below it. Pull S1 up while holding S2 in place. Repeat this one more time. You have created your first knot!

Complete another knot tying S1 to S3 -- remember, each knot is made by crossing the strands and pulling tight twice. Every time you tie a knot, your strand moves over one place.

Repeat on the other side, taking S1 and knotting it to S2, and then knotting S1 to S3. Now you have the S1 as the inside strand on both sides. Knot the two S1's together. You just finished your first row!

Complete two more rows following the instructions on the previous step, one starting with the S2 - first knotting to S3 and then S1 on both sides, then knotting the center S2's, and one starting with the S3 - first knotting to S1 and then S2 on both sides, then knotting the center S3's. S1 should be back on the outside now.

You are ready to complete your first cross. Start by making two knots, tying the S1s on both sides to the S2's. Then, tie the two S3s together with another knot. On one side, tie S3 to the S1, which is now in the middle, and then S3 to S2. Complete again on the the other side. You just made your first cross!

Now you will repeat the finish of the cross again, with a different color. Start in the center by knotting the S1s together. Then work outward, starting with S1 to S2, and then S1 to S3. Repeat with the other side.

Now do this one more time, starting by knotting the S2s together, which are now in the center. Work outward on one side, knotting S2 to S3 and then S2 to S1. Repeat on the other side.

First, knot the S3's together. Then, make another knot using S2 to S1, and then the S2 and S3. Repeat on the other side. Finally, tie the S2's, now at the center, together. You just finished one stitch, and one diamond!

Repeat the earlier steps starting at Step 4 until you reach a bracelet of your desired length. Make sure to include the loop length when measuring it against your wrist. You can end the bracelet at any point, as long as you have completed a row (you don't need to finish after a diamond). The positions of your strands will switch every round, so re-note the one on the outside as S1, the one in the middle as S2, and the one on the inside as S3. About four and a half times fits a kid's wrist.

Once you are done, tie the bracelet to your hand. Cross the loop and the end over, and then tuck the end under. Pull it tighter. Repeat it again and pull it tight. Cut the ends, and finish the bracelet.