Straw Weaving Bracelets – Fun Kids Craft
Check out these simple instructions for straw weaving and teach your child how to make these fun bracelets. Great for gift giving!
My kids love crafts. We could wonder around the craft store for hours looking at all of the fun supplies and craft kits. You don’t need to waste your money on those kids when you can create your own for a fraction of the price. These fun Straw Weaving Bracelets are a great project to keep the kids busy. They are super easy to make, and a great way to get that creative energy out.
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What You Need
- 3 straws, using different colors may help
- Tape
- Yarn (thin enough to fit into straws)
- Decorative yarn
- Beads, if desired
- Scissors
How to Straw Weave Bracelets
Set up
- Cut three pieces of the thinner (inner) yarn in approximately 24 inch lengths.
- Gently press each strand through a drinking straw. (These are going to be on the inside of your bracelet. They are the structure. )
- To the end coming out one side of the straws, add the end of the decorative yarn and tie into a large knot. The decorative yarn will be the outside of your bracelet. It is the color you will see.
- Arrange the decorative yarn so it is in front of the straws and then tape the knotted end of the yarn to a table, overlapping the end of the straws with the tap to hold securely.
Weaving
- Begin working the decorative yarn in and over-under basket weave pattern from the top by passing under the middle straw and over the last straw.
- Wrap the yarn over the last straw, then over the middle straw, and under the top straw. Then you are ready to wrap over the top straw and begin going back to the middle, continuing the over-under weave.
- Periodically, pull the weave tight (not so tight that the straws bend but tight enough to hide the straws) and push it towards the knotted end.
- Continue weaving until the bracelet is the length you desire.
Finishing
- Cut the end of the decorative yard, leaving about 5 inches at the end. Tie off the final pass by knotting the decorative string to itself.
- Gently pull the straws from the weave one at a time, pushing the weave towards the side where you began.
- Once the straws are removed, fluff and gently pull any places in the weave that need adjusting. Tie off the final end by grouping all three of the pieces from inside the straws with the loose end of the decorative yarn and creating a large knot.
- Trim the yarn ends.
Adding Beading
- If beading is desired, cut one piece of yarn (4 to 5 inches long) for each bead.
- Work one end of the yarn through the weave over the hidden middle string.
- Put the bead on the other end of the string and hold it against the bracelet as you work the other end of the yard through the bracelet passing under the hidden middle string.
- Flip the bracelet over and tightly tie the two ends into a knot.
- Cut off the excess.
What Ages?
This project is great for kids wanting to learn a new skill. Every child is different and has a different attention span.
I would say that children as young as 6 could make these bracelets. So this would be great for 6 and up. That isn’t to say a younger child couldn’t try. They would need to be able to focus and stick with the weaving pattern until it was finished.
Alternately they could work for a while and come back to this project. It is a very simple pattern The straws help to keep everything more organized and easy to manage.
Creative Twist
A couple ways to mix up these bracelets.
- Add more straws to make your bracelet thicker.
- Use multicolored yarn or tie in additional colors as you work.
- Add beads, charms, etc to your bracelet.
Gift Giving
I love to teach my kids to make easy crafts that can later be given as meaningful gifts to friends and family. These Straw Weaving Bracelets are one great idea. Here are a few other of my favorites.
- Homemade Bath Bombs
- DIY Ribbon Bookmarks with Charms
- Summer Pearler Bead Drink Coasters and Lids
- How to Make a Scrunchie
Straw Weaving Bracelets
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut three pieces of the thinner yarn in approximately 24 inch lengths.
- Gently press each strand through a drinking straw.
- To the end coming out one side of the straws, add the end of the decorative yarn and tie into a large knot. Arrange the decorative yarn so it is in front of the straws and then tape the knotted end of the yarn to a table, overlapping the end of the straws with the tap to hold securely.
- Begin working the decorative yarn in and over-under basket weave pattern from the top by passing under the middle straw and over the last straw.
- Wrap the yarn over the last straw, then over the middle straw, and under the top straw. Then you are ready to wrap over the top straw and begin going back to the middle, continuing the over-under weave.
- Periodically, pull the weave tight (not so tight that the straws bend but tight enough to hide the straws) and push it towards the knotted end.
- Continue weaving until the bracelet is the length you desire.
- Cut the end of the decorative yard, leaving about 5 inches at the end. Tie off the final pass by knotting the decorative string to itself.
- Gently pull the straws from the weave one at a time, pushing the weave towards the side where you began.
- Once the straws are removed, fluff and gently pull any places in the weave that need adjusting. Tie off the final end by grouping all three of the pieces from inside the straws with the loose end of the decorative yarn and creating a large knot.
- Trim the yarn ends.
- If beading is desired, cut one piece of yarn (4 to 5 inches long) for each bead. Work one end of the yarn through the weave over the hidden middle string. Put the bead on the other end of the string and hold it against the bracelet as you work the other end of the yard through the bracelet passing under the hidden middle string.
- Flip the bracelet over and tightly tie the two ends into a knot. Cut off the excess.
