The fishtail is the easiest string bracelet pattern there is. You're not learning a knot - you're alternating left and right strings into the middle, over and over. After a couple of rotations the rhythm clicks and the rainbow stripe just builds.
Sarah from SoCraftastic walks through the whole thing with rainbow embroidery floss and a button closure. Once you've made one, the second takes about twenty minutes. Bring the kids in, do them at the pool, hand them out at camp - this is that bracelet.
You'll need at least four colors of six-strand embroidery floss, a button slightly bigger than the loop you'll tie, scissors, and tape or a safety pin to hold your work down while you braid.
Which string to use for bracelets
| String | Feel | Best for |
|---|
| Embroidery floss | Soft, bright, lots of colors | Fishtail, knotted friendship bracelets |
| Cotton cord (1-2 mm) | Chunky, quick to work | Kids, bigger braids |
| Waxed cord | Stiff, water resistant | Sliding knots, bracelets worn every day |
Floss is the default for a reason. A skein costs very little, it comes in every shade you can think of, and it packs down tight so the pattern stays crisp. Skip yarn and sewing thread.
How long to cut the string
For a braided bracelet like this one, three feet per strand, folded in half, is plenty for an adult wrist. Knotted patterns eat far more string, since every knot wraps one strand around another - cut those at least four times the finished length. Too long costs you a few inches of floss. Too short means starting over.
Fishtail vs other string bracelet patterns
The fishtail is braided, not knotted, which is why it goes so fast. Once it clicks, the natural next step is the knotted designs: the candy stripe, where every string knots its way across the whole row, and the chevron, which works from both edges in to a V. Our friendship bracelet tutorial covers both, and there is a dedicated chevron friendship bracelet page when you want to go deeper.
Every one of those knotted patterns is built from a single forward knot. Practice it on its own with how to tie a bracelet knot before your first candy stripe.
Closures that stay on
The loop and button used here is tidy and holds well, as long as the loop is only a hair bigger than the button. Two other options:
- Sliding knot. Overlap the two tails and tie a wrapped knot around both. It slides to adjust, so one bracelet fits anyone. Waxed cord works best.
- Braided ties. Braid a short tail at each end and tie them on. Simple, but you need a second pair of hands to put it on.
Making sets for friends
Cut all the strings for a batch at once and bag each set by color. Kids can pick their own mix. Matching pairs in the same colors, or the same colors in reverse order, are the classic swap. Add a name with a letter bead friendship bracelet for someone special.
Common string bracelet mistakes
- Uneven tension. Loose passes show as gaps in the stripe. Give every string the same small tug.
- Tangling. Keep the two halves apart and comb the strands straight with your fingers every few passes.
- Too short. Wrap it around your wrist before the final knot. The ends should meet with room left for the button.
- Colors out of order. A strand got crossed from the wrong side. Unbraid back to the mistake and redo those passes.
