Jan 21 2010
KUMIHIMO – its like 8th grade, only better.
Shortly before Christmas I discovered Kumihimo – the Japanese art of braiding. This technique of creating complex, multi-stranded braids appeals to the middle-schooler in me who still occasionally and unabashedly makes embroidery floss friendship bracelets. The opportunity to play with color that Kumihimo affords makes me giddy with glee.
Traditionally, Kumihimo braids were created on a wooden device called the Marudai. While the Marudai is a more flexible tool, it is also more complicated, and you can’t pick it up and take it with you (Kumihimo makes a long car ride go more quickly!). Fortunately for modern braiders, foam kumihimo looms are portable, versatile, and easy to use.
Kumihimo braids can be created with many different yarns and ribbons. All of my example braids pictured right are made using our 1mm Satin Rattail Cord. You can add silk ribbon, eyelash yarn, hemp cord, and other stringing material as suits. The rattail cord is a nice place to start as it doesn’t tangle easily, and is inexpensive and available in a host of colors.
Many of the recent additions in the past month have been Kumihimo supplies. To start with, I have Kumihimo looms – portable, light weight foam disks designed to facilitate the braiding process. My looms come with printed braiding instructions and design ideas. You’ll also need something to braid with – like my thirty three new colors of 1mm “Petite” satin rattail cord, available by the yard as well as in several pre-cut kumihimo mixes. I have a fantastic collection of new TierraCast large hole pendant bails – just the thing for slipping onto a kumihimo braid. And finally, I have end caps and new adhesives for finishing braids and turning them into wearable art. All these goodies are listed or linked to from my kumihimo page:
Eric and I have great plans on expanding our Kumihimo page with tutorials, videos, and an online pattern predictor application – we hope you’ll keep checking back as we expand our selection for this wonderful, creative technique.
I have ordered 2time from you, service is awesome, like you I found Kumihimo around the same time and I love it, I can’t get enough information, I bought your valentine kit and made it , brought it to my Daughers to show it to her and BAM! it was gone, she fell in love with it and now owns it, So I may order another one
soon, I love doing this and I am a seed bead addict and designer, now I have found another avenue to go down once in a while. Thanks for a great site and products
Sue Jensen
I love, love, love making Kumihimo braids….but I just can’t figure out how to put the end on and make them look nice.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.