1980s Woven Friendship Bracelets

I never could make these damn Friendship bracelets.

The 1980s were all about FRIENDSHIP and woven patterned crafty girly stuff. Everyone was making friendship books, friendship pins, those cute ribbon hair barrettes and ribbon hair clips (some even had beads dangling from them!) and my personal favorite, friendship bracelets. Remember them? They were made using coordinating colors of durable thread?

Well guess what, other than friendship pins, which, let's face it, were easy. I mean all you had to do was stick some tiny beads onto a small safety pin and you were good to go. Any idiot can do that! I just could NOT master anything involving a pattern. Seriously. I couldn't even braid my own hair, Barbie's hair or anyone's hair for that matter. Oh, and I sucked at making those damn plastic lanyards at camp - mine always had odd knots in them or leaned to one side. (Click that lanyard link for step-by-step directions!)

... and I never could master those dang plastic lanyards
at Girl Scout camp either!

The other day, I did something I haven't done since childhood. I actually broke down and PURCHASED three friendship bracelets. Hello, loser! The purpose of these friendship bracelets was to trade them with friends. Hence the name!

You Can't Trade Friendship Bracelets If You Can't MAKE Them!

When purchasing woven friendship bracelets, it is important to be DISCREET. You don't want everyone knowing that #1 can't make threaded friendship bracelets yourself and #2 don't have friends lining up to gift them to you for free! 

Today, there are even how-to books and
websites on friendship bracelets!

Don't Tell Anyone, But in 1983, I STOLE Friendship Bracelets!

Today, thank heavens for Etsy. Back in the '80s I did the unthinkable. I stole them!! I was just too embarrassed to own up to the fact that I didn't have the talent to make my own and, well, I guess I didn't have the right friends to teach me. Our corner card store had this lovely display of friendship bracelets back in 1983. I remember actually looking at those bracelets in all their woven glory and slipping a few of them on my wrist and well, slipping out of the store. Can you believe it? I'm such a nervous wreck today, I can't imagine trying to get away with that type of illegal behavior. For serious.

*Note, this photo and these bracelets were purchased from cool Etsy chick MilkandHoneybyAndrea.