I-Cord Friendship Bracelets

I wonder if the "Treasure Box" is a peculiarity to the South Carolina elementary school system, or is used country/world-wide. My boys' classrooms both have these reward systems, which I would call an excellent concept, were they not filled with plastic rhinoceros, sticky balls and party bag slinkies. All destined to go in the junk box half an hour after arriving home.

In an effort to reduce said plastic-tat consumption, I made a ton of i-cord friendship bracelets. Hopefully they have a better chance of actually being used, and will disintegrate into the landfill they'll ultimately occupy, a couple of hundred years before their plastic compadres.

To make, you will need:

kitchen cotton yarn - the funkier the colours the better

2.25mm dpns, or size to suit your yarn - I found this size gave a nice tight fabric.

2.25mm crochet hook, or size to suit your yarn

a button

a darning needle

a small person to model

Cast on 3 stitches.

Make i-cord until it fits around your small person's wrist.

Cast off til you have only 1 stitch left on your needle.

From that 1 stitch, chain 8 stitches with crochet hook. Cut yarn & secure through last stitch.

Secure the crochet chain to the main bracelet, to form a loop.

Using the cast on tail, sew a button onto the cast on edge.

Darn in tails. After securing with a couple of stitches, you can hide the ends inside the i-cord tube.

Make more.

Send to school.

Here's a bunch I made. They were well received by both kids and teachers.

Enjoy!

Disco xo