Horizon Group Just My Style Friendship Bracelet Design Kit, 1 Each

I ACTUALLY USED MY 8 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER TO TRY OUT THIS BRACELET DESIGN KIT. SHE LOVED IT. A KNOWLEDGE OF BRAIDING AND MACRAME HELPS BUT EVEN A NOVICE CAN LEARN TO BRAID. IN OPENING THE BOX I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS ONE AS ALL THE BEADS AND CORDING WERE IN TIGHTLY SEALED INDIVIDUAL PACKAGES. THE INSTRUCTIONS SAY EASY TO FOLLOW, BUT AS WITH MOST INSTRUCTION SHEETS THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE NOT IN DETAIL OR COMPLETE AND THE PHOTOS WERE TOO FEW TO BE HELPFUL. FOR INSTANCE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE A DETAILED EXPLANATION ON HOW TO TIE OF THE ENDS OF THE BRACELET NEATLY AND PHOTOS WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL. THIS ONE SHEET INSTRUCTION SHEET I'M SURE IS TO SAVE MONEY BUT DOES NOT HELP THE NOVICE. ALSO, THE INSTRUCTIONS DIDN'T TELL YOU HOW TO ADD THE BEADS INTO THE DESIGN. BECAUSE MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND I BOTH BEAD, WE FIGURED THIS OUT. ALL IN ALL IT WAS A GOOD KIT AND WE BOTH WERE QUITE HAPPY WITH IT. I RECOMMEND THIS FRIENDSHIP BRACELET DESIGN KIT HIGHLY FOR YOURSELF OR AS A GIFT. ANOTHER THING....NICE COLORS OF CORDING. A FEW BEADS BUT THEY ARE NICELY MADE AND COLORFUL.

This bracelet kit sounded like a great craft to enjoy with my grandchildren. That didn't happen. The eight year old lost interest quickly, while the twelve year old stuck with it for about an hour. The instructions indicated that the "suction tool" is used vertically. This presented a problem for us as we do all activities on my craft table. The tool did not attach to the surface, nor would it adhere to any other flat surface we had available. We slipped the loop of the thread under the leg of our paint rack, and my granddaughter proceeded. For the most part, the instructions were clear and easy to follow. It helped that my granddaughter had previous bracelet making experience. However, the embroidery thread is very thin. Even when we doubled the recommended amount, our bracelets did not look like the photos on the box. We did not use the beads. We learned that if you tie a rather large double knot at the end of the bracelet and push the loop over it, the bracelet will stay on your wrist quite securely. This kit would've been much better with a suction tool that actually worked and thicker thread. It also helps if you have a patient child. Some of th techniques are a bit difficult and tedious for younger children.