Vermeer Bracelet

Hello everyone! This is the first of several free bracelet patterns I plan to release over the next few months. I often wind up with extra small bits of yarn left over when I unravel sweaters, and once they're plied and dyed, they're just perfect for making small items, like friendship bracelets! There are a ton of different ways to make friendship bracelets- macrame, weaving, crochet, knitting, etc- but since I'm best at knitting, that's the medium in which I'll be designing.

I named this the Vermeer Bracelet because the blue, gray and copper beads reminded me of a few of his paintings. Beads are optional, however-  you can make this as plain or as fancy as you like! Without further ado- the pattern. Enjoy!

MATERIALS:

~5 yards of yarn, any weight- the thinner your yarn, the thinner your bracelet (I used fingering weight)
Needles in a size appropriate for your yarn (I used size 1)
Crochet hook or tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Beads (optional)
Cord, ribbon, or contrasting yarn for tie (optional)

ABBREVIATIONS:
CO: Cast on
K- Knit
P- Purl
Sl1wyif- Slip one stitch with yarn in front
Sl1wyib- Slip one stitch with yarn in back
(NOTE: All stitches are slipped purl-wise)
BO- Bind off

CO 7 stitches.

Row 1: *K1, sl1wyif, rep from * to end, ending with a k1.

Row 2: K1, *p1, sl1wyib, rep from * to last stitch, ending with a k1.

Row 4-6: Repeat rows 1&2.

Hole Rows:

Row 7: K1, sl1wyif, BO 3 sts knit wise, p1, k1.
Row 8: K1, p1, CO 3 sts, p1, k1.

Repeat rows 1-8 three more times, so that you have 4 holes.
Repeat rows 1-6 one more time.
Bind off in pattern. Weave in ends and block, if necessary (I recommend it.)

Cut a length of yarn, ribbon, whatever you decide to use for the cord, and weave it through the holes in the bracelet, starting by going through the top of the first hole. This ensures that both ends will be tucked under the cord when you tie it, and therefore will provide a neater appearance. If you'd like to add beads to the top of the bracelet, add them to the cord as it comes through the second hole and down through the third.

You can see the difference, with and without beads in the above pictures.
The great thing about this bracelet is that you can get as creative with it as you like! You can put studs on it, sew sequins on, whatever tickles your fancy. And because it's knit in linen stitch, it won't curl. Those precious last few yards of your hand spun yarn, or that special yarn you used for that favorite shawl- they can all become something lovely to wear on your wrist- or to give to a friend!

If you have any questions, let me know! I'm always happy to help. And as always, you can find me on Facebook (feel free to post your versions of this bracelet there, I'd love to see them!), Pinterest, and Etsy.

Happy knitting!