Why do we wear friendship bracelets?

Fans of Taylor Swift have been busy making friendship bracelets, as the pop superstar continues her Eras Tour throughout the UK.

Hobbycraft, which sells bracelet-making gear, told Newsround sales of beads have gone up by over 500%.

Fans say the custom-made jewellery was inspired by the lyric "So, make the friendship bracelets" which features in Taylor Swift's song You're on Your Own, Kid.

Now they are a popular item for Swifties to wear to the concerts, with some fans exchanging bracelets with one another and giving away bracelets as a token of friendship.

We want to know, have you made bracelets for your friends recently? Share your thoughts the comments at the bottom of the page.

Why do Taylor Swift fans wear friendship bracelets?

Fans often take bracelets to swap with other Swifties at concerts or at fan-organised swap events.

One girl in Scotland, who went to see Swift perform in Edinburgh, made so many bracelets that she decided to donate some to care home residents.

This lucky fan got to swap bracelets with Taylor herself

Rise in sales of friendship bracelets

Have you seen one of these before? It's a bracelet-making station!

One retailer has told us that there's been a lot more beads and string selling from their stores.

Craft store Hobbycraft said sales of their most popular gold alphabet beads have increased by more than six times.

Where did friendship bracelets come from?

Some friendship bracelet making techniques come from an art technique called macrame, where you tie together pieces of string to make a hanging piece of art

Bracelets have been worn for a very long time - and humans have been making them for other people for centuries.

As for friendship bracelets specifically, they have been popular at different times over the years, including as far back as the 1970s in the United States - long before the Swifties started making them.

In the 1970s, thread bracelets would be crafted by friends during spare time, or sent by post to mates who lived far away.

Friendship bracelets through time

Have you, or maybe your older siblings, seen loom bands before?

In the 2010s, there was a trend of bracelets called loom bands. These were plastic and elastic bracelets in bright colours, that you could collect and swap with your mates on the playground at school.

Check out this Newsround article from way back in 2014, talking about them.

They caused quite a stir - with some schools even banning them completely!

However some people say these bracelets are not good for the environment, as the small plastic loops easily broke and many were thrown away.

How do you make a friendship bracelet?

Some friendship bracelets take time and patience.

There are lots of different ways to make friendship bracelets.

Two most popular types of bracelets can be made either by knotting threads together, or by putting beads onto string.

You can make a thread one quite easily at home - you just need three pieces of string or embroidery thread. Tie them together at one end, then plait them, like you would plait hair.

Here's where you can really get creative with colours and shapes. There are lots of other patterns you can do using different levels of knots - why not ask an adult to find a pattern for you?

The bead ones involve having a set of beads with holes in, and threading them onto a string. Some people choose to use coloured beads, others go for lettered beads, so you can make a word. Maybe you could make one with you and your BFFs names on?

Have you made a friendship bracelet or been given one? Let us know what yours is like in the comments below.