Make a Fishtail Loom Bracelet

A fishtail loom bracelet can be a beautiful, stylish and colorful addition to your jewelry collection. It's also a simple project to complete with a rainbow loom, a plastic loom used to weave colorful rubber bands into bracelets and charms.[1] The fishtail loom bracelet can be created in as little as 10 minutes.

Steps

Creating Your Base

  1. Set up your loom board. Many loom boards come fully assembled, while others require you to place the pegs into their stands. For this design, you’ll only be using two pegs. If you’re setting up your loom board, place these pegs near the edge of the board rather than in the middle to make weaving easier.[1]
  2. Choose the colors of your bracelet. Fishtail bracelets can feature an assortment of colors and patterns.[2] If this is your first effort making one, choose two complimentary colors. Later, you can graduate to three or even more colors.[3]
    • If using two colors, create the simplest pattern by alternating your colors one after the other. For example, use a red band, then a white band, then red, then white, etc.
    • Once you've mastered the fishtail, you can create bracelets with any colors that you like.[3] You can even create a rainbow-colored] fishtail.[4] The choice is yours.
  3. Place your first plastic band in a figure-eight shape around two pegs. Twist your Color 1 base loom and place each loop on adjacent pegs.
  4. Place two more looms on the pegs above the first. These two don’t need to be twisted into a figure eight, simply wrap a Color 2 band and another Color 1 band around the pegs in two single circles above your original loom.
  5. Stretch the bottom loop over the top two loops.[5] With your first three looms on the pegs, take your hook (either the hook that came with your kit or a crochet hook) and lift the right side of the bottom loom to begin your fishtail. Pull it up over the peg so that it loops over the top two bands. Do the same with the left side of your bottom loom.[6]

Constructing Your Bracelet

  1. Add a fourth band and repeat the fishtail pattern. Add a Color 2 band above the others on the pegs. Again, it should be wrapped around normally—not in a figure eight. Take your hook and grab the right side of your bottom band. Lift it over your peg and place it in between the pegs. Do the same with the left side of your bottom band. You’ll now have two fishtail patterns.[6]
    • You always want to have three bands wrapped around your pegs before unhooking any of them.
  2. Repeat the pattern with additional looms to create your bracelet. As you begin to add more and more bands, you’ll need to repeatedly pull your bottom fishtail towards you so that you make room to add more bands to the pegs.[7]
  3. Stop at the desired length. You can easily test this by wrapping it around your wrist while the pegs hold onto the end. Make sure you’re not pulling it to stretch it around your wrist, or it will be too tight when you try to wear it after it’s done.
    • Most fishtail bracelets typically require at least 25 looms.

Finishing Your Bracelet

  1. Remove the bracelet from your loom board. Pinch your last fishtail with your thumb and forefinger and remove the looped bands from the pegs. Be sure to pinch the end of the bracelet tightly or you could lose your pattern.[7]
  2. Remove the excess bands. You will no longer need the two bands that were holding onto your pegs. Still pinching the last fishtail, slide these bands out from between your fingers.[7]
  3. Add a C-clip. Now that you’ve removed the two extra bands, you’ll notice that your last fishtailed-loom has excess space. Take a C-clip and hook it over this elastic. Be sure to hook both sides into the clip. Now hook your original elastic onto the other side of the C-clip. Your fishtail bracelet is ready to wear.
    • If you prefer, you can also finish the bracelet with an S-clip.[8]

Tips

  • You can make a fishtail bracelet even if you Make a Rainbow Loom Fishtail Bracelet Without a Loom. Just wrap the initial bands around two fingers, two pencils or any other side-by-side peg-like structures, and continue creating the loom just as you would with pegs.[9] Be careful to monitor your fingers for loss of circulation.
  • Many people prefer to use a crochet hook instead of the plastic loom hook since they're metal and won't break, unlike the plastic hook.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.theworks.co.uk/page/how-to-use-a-loom-board
  2. ↑ http://loomlove.com/fishtail-rainbow-patterns/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://loomnbands.com/new-rainbow-loom-cool-color-palette-ideas-for-bracelets/
  4. ↑ http://www.loomlove.com/fishtail-rainbow-patterns
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukv83Cvq3jk
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://loomlove.com/fishtail/
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://loomlove.com/fishtail/
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVurZPAELU0&list=PLClsiqlUav1u4YAQvsXzksNoDWaNMyBVp&index=1
  9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKOnHmbFdQk&index=2&list=PLClsiqlUav1u4YAQvsXzksNoDWaNMyBVp
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