I had seen these rubber band creations on the internet quite a bit recently, and just last week found some for sale at our local video store (I know, random). When I questioned the guy behind the counter about how you turn the little rubber bands into bracelets he informed me everything I needed was in the bag.
Except it wasn’t. In the bag were little rubber bands, and some catches to hold the completed bracelets together. That’s all. No tools. No instructions. No loom. Nada.
Anyhoo, Not to let that small problem get in the way, we used a little kiwi ingenuity and created a simple tool to make these very cool bracelets:
Maia has been happily creating these bracelets for everyone she knows… they are crafty, creative, and simple enough for a six year old to manage! Love ♥ If you’ve seen these tiny bright colored bands around and want to give these bracelets a try, without spending loads of cash, here’s what you do:
Put two drawing pins into an eraser or other small object (like a block of wood maybe?). Twist the first band:Then add two more bands on top (only the first band is twisted, none of the others need to be):
Pull the bottom band over the top two (on both sides, one side first, then the other), add another band and repeat…Its easier to pull the bottom band over the top two if you use tweezers.
Keep going (add a band to the top, pull each side of the bottom band over the top two) until the bracelet is the right length, then pull the last bands over each other one at a time:
Our bands come with these nifty little joiners which act as a catch. So there was something useful in the bag 🙂 Fit the catch into the open ends, and you’re all done. If you don’t have a catch, you could just tie two bands together. Easy huh!
Hope you are having a happy weekend, it’s been very warm here – almost like summer. We’ve had a nice quiet weekend at home, I’ve spent a lot of time in the garden, which is starting to look lovely now Im getting on top of the weeds. What have you been up to? Have you (or your children) been making these bracelets? xo J
That’s so lovely, every young lady would want to own and flaunt 🙂 You are a genius to figure out how these are done and generous enough to share it 🙂
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I think just about every young lady she knows now owns one… she’s been making plenty, and loves giving gifts 🙂
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Just beautiful xx
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Thanks x
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I went too a craft fair 2 weeks ago, there they told me about this..
It was very hot in America, and I could not buy it here, because there wasn’t enough in America..
So I have to wait…
But I love to see the bracelets from your DD.. so sweet
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I bet they will be all over very soon. I havent seen many here, but Im sure it wont take long!
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Your daughter is adorable! Tell her great job on the bracelets! The look beautiful! Hope your weekend was awesome! Hugz Lisa and Bear
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Thanks Lisa, hope you have an awesome week 🙂
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Merci beaucoup pour le tuto de ces jolis bracelets.
Dés demain, je vais tenter de les faire.
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Our pleasure, i hope you enjoy making them 🙂
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oh yes forgot, your daughter is wonderful …and doing great …as crafty as mommy !
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Thanks, she’s pretty clever 🙂
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These things are very HOT here in New Hampshire. I work in an elementary school and they are everywhere! My 11 year old daughter has found a lot of instructions on YouTube and has made many different varieties. I keep finding the little colored elastics on the floor….in the car…..on the deck…on the counters….etc, Last week I thought the dog was chewing gum but no, he found an elastic too!
Your daughter looks so proud of herself – she does a very good job! :o)
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Ill have to remember to keep them away from the cat then! Yep we’ve got them everywhere too… Im trying to keep them contained but I suspect they may have little legs!!! Ill have to tell Maia to check out you tube 🙂
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these things are so popular around here. My kids and I find it easier to use our fingers to make these, but there’s so much that you can do with the loom!
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Yes, Im keen to see one of these looms. I bet they will be in the shops here soon!
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A youngster was selling these at the craft show yesterday. He was so excited that he sold out. I am so glad you posted this, it is much better for our kids (and us) than video games.
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Aww how sweet. Ill have to tell Maia she could go into business here (Maybe she should have started before giving them away to her likely clientele!
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This is all the craze her for the kids. My 12 year old has been asking for a kit. I had no idea it was so easy.
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I think if you have the right equipment you can make much more fancy creations… this is the cheapy way 🙂
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Wow my eldest daughter would love these …. do these tiny rubber band things have a name? I am going for a hunt for them RIGHT NOW …. actually more like next time I go down to the mall!
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Rainbow bands. Except the ones we brought obviously were not they were some generic brand of band.
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Those rubber band bracelets are the HOT item with all the elementary school kids here in New Jersey! The kids have multiples of them on both wrists! There are tutorials for making them on YouTube if your interested. I teach and have been gifted several from my students! 🙂
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Maia made one the other day for a student teacher who has been working in her class all term, the teacher was very happy to receive it 🙂 and Maia was proud to have made it (makes my heart swell)!
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My granddaughter who is 7, figured out she can make these bracelets without the loom. She makes them only with her fingers! But then she could thread a needle at 2 1/2.
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Awesome, don’t you love it when children are just so creative!!!
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Great idea. Since I can’t be there to show her and supervise I have bought my grandaughter a loom and bands for Christmas. Thanks for the inspiration. I’m sure she’ll love it.
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Aww, lucky girl. I bet she will love it 🙂
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That bracelet is so cute and you are ingenious to figure out how to put it together. I think grown ups would like them as well as children.
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Ive been the recipient of a few, they are pretty cool!
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pure genius. brains AND beauty! I too have been gardening, or perhaps “reclaiming land” might be a more appropriate description!!
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Reclaiming is exactly what I spent the weekend doing, and now (on Monday night) it is an actual garden, planted and all!
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Thanks for this it has kept my little boy busy all afternoon. He must have made about twelve today.
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That’s some fast work, I told Maia he made 12 and she started a new one just to keep up!!!
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Well done to your daughter for making the bracelets that way 🙂
If she’d like a little variety, add another pin, to make a triangle shape, then place the bands on 2 pins, then on to the next 2, using 1 of the first pins, then 2 pins, using one of the last 2 again, so that the bands are connecting all three pins – it makes a hollow, rounded – instead of flat – bracelet, that can even be used to decorate your daughter’s school pencils and pens 🙂
A small crochet hook could be used instead of tweezers, too, as that’s basically what comes with the loom 🙂
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That’s awesome,w e will give it a go and let you know how we get on- thanks for the tip! xx
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Wow, those bracelets look amazing! I think they would be a great craft to teach the kids in my classes…so I’m off to buy some rubber bands ASAP …thanks for the great tutorial.
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Thanks Trixi! xx
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Fantastic activity for children’s fine motor skills!
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Yes exactly, they get really fast very quickly as they perfect the skill too (smaller hands are much better at it than big clumsy ones)!
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Okay, time for Maia to open her own etsy shop. I will definitely order !!!! xxx
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Ill let her know you said that!!! xx
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I’m a little thick and didn’t quite understand how it worked, but a quick Youtube search yielded this little girl’s tutorial and it was great! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukv83Cvq3jk She’s got heaps more tutorials of other types of rainbow band bracelets as well. I’m 28 and I want to make some!
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wauuuuuuuu….es genial
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These are great. I’m going to show this to my daughter.
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I’ve been seeing these lately but had no clue how they were made. Your daughter did a lovely job! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!! 🙂
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i love them it is a pity that you dont show how to make the with your hand cop on
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What a cute little girl you have, I can see she enjoys crafting as much as you do. Maia did a great job for not having the complete set. 🙂
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