@CAITLINhi the video on the regular colour switch is called "how to read alpha patterns" and the one on the flat alpha technique is called "flat alpha bracelets - beginner tutorial"
@CAITLINhi it says 11 strings because the string count always counts one leading string extra in addition to the base strings. You can look at the dimensions to figure out the actual size of the pattern. The smaller number is the amount of base strings.
The base strings don't need to be super long because you only make knots onto them and not with them. They only need to be the length of whatever you are making and some extra for the ties or the loop or whatever you do to start and finish.
@CAITLINhi I'd say this one is probably a good one to start because it is relatively small but it also has many colour switches which makes it a little more difficult.
Alphas are knotted row by row. You have strings called base strings that you only knot onto. They form the base of the bracelet and determine its width. This pattern has 10 base strings.
The strings you are knotting with are the leading strings. You knot with them row by row onto the base strings. For every colour in the pattern you need one string. For this pattern you would start with the turquoise leading string. The first row is just turquoise knots so you just make a row of turquoise f knots. In the second row the first three are turquoise, then there are four green and then three turquoise again. You do the first 3 b knots with the turquoise string. For the 4th knot you need to switch to green. There are two different techniques to make a colour switch: the regular colour switch and the flat alpha technique. The regular colour switch is a bit easier but the flat alpha technique often gives nicer results. MashaKnots has videos on both of them.
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