by Morgan Rullmann.

Friendship bracelets, composed of string, chord and occasionally beads are hot for summer and will be seen encircling the wrists of both genders. However, there are only so many colors of string, and eventually the bracelets blend together to resemble a multicolored arm cast. One way to spice up a homemade bracelet to or from friends is to sew a chain along the sides of the braid, sliding the needle and thread through the microscopic gaps between the strings.

Begin by threading the needle, making sure that the thread is at least the length of the bracelet. Then, taking the end of the thread, tie it to the end of the bracelet.

Slide the needle up through the bracelet, beginning as close to the ending knot as possible. Pull the thread all the way through, then poke the needle back down through the bracelet right next to the starting point. This will create a sideways S that will be invisible once the thread is pulled tight, which should be done before moving on to the next step.

Before beginning the next stitch, lay the chain alongside the already made bracelet and poke the needle and attached thread through the first loop of the chain, then pull it UP through the bracelet to attach the two.

Next, push the needle back down through the bracelet without passing through a chain loop, creating a second stitch.

Continuing attaching the bracelet and chain when sewing upwards, skipping every other link in the chain, which will also help guide the spacing of the stitches.

Keeping everything tight when sewing will prevent the thread from sagging and giving your bracelet a messy appearance.