Kumihimo

Part of being a Creative Circle Ambassador is getting the new products from Cousin's Prima Bead website and trying them out. Last month, we received kumihimo disks and supplies. We Ambassadors were told to enjoy and experiment.

I gladly took up this challenge and using the square disk, I made these braids:

This is not two bracelets, but one. I took pictures of each side and put them into one photo so you can see the difference of the two sides. This was ten strands, five red, five tan, with the colors opposite each other except for the two in the middle, which had one red and one tan.

So, what if the strands were next to each other, and I added some beads?

Kumihimo Braid with Beads

This gave me more of a tweed look, and the beads embellishing the braid matched so well that I was pleased with the results. This was my first flat braid.

I had made other Kumihimo jewelry designs using the round braids at a class at the Bead & Button show and using a traditional mauradai:

Sheilah Cleary Design Taught at Bead & Button Show 2009

Once I returned from the Bead & Button Show, I did another like this with different beads and an accent bead I bought ten years ago at a show:

Gail Devoid, Ph.D. Design

I wasn't done experimenting with the mauradai by any means. I went on to use another technique to create this one, which sold within weeks of listing it at my Need For Beads store at eBay:

Sold

After playing around with the square disk from Prima Bead, I went into my stash and got some rattail satin cord and my round Kumihimo disk. I used the round disk even though you can make a round braid with a square disk, and vice versa. However, if you have both disks, why make it hard on yourself?

Round Braid with a Trinkette® from Cousin

The Trinkette® is attached using a chain that can be removed, but really, I think the bracelet looks better with it on. This was inspired by the trees in my area, which is Boscawen NH, starting to turn colors. It seems too soon for summer to end, but it is not too soon to start designing for fall and the holiday season. I hope this gives you some ideas of what you can do with simple Kumihimo braids.

Prima Bead Has Four New Class in a Box Offerings!

Part of being a Creative Circle Ambassador is getting the new products from Cousin's Prima Bead website and trying them out. This month, we received the newest styles of Class in a Box (CIAB), like the Casual Style. We Ambassadors were tasked with designing something original and not in the instruction book.
I gladly took up this challenge and from the Casual Style, this was a bracelet I designed:

One of the other new styles, Shimmer, was the one that I liked the best. With this CIAB, I decided to make a few things:

From the Shimmer Class in a Box

Earrings

Pendant, Key Fob, Zipper Pull

Bracelet

 

I love earrings, and the Natural Class in a Box had some wood spacers I thought were interesting. The packaging for these new styles is really remarkable. The components and findings are each in their little bag, glued to the center of the box, and allows you to see everything included. Designing from these organized beauties becomes easy.

Earrings

The fourth new style, Classic, was wonderful as well. I love the classic style and made a pair of earrings that I really like. Simple, yes, ... easy to make, yes ... beautiful, definitely!

Earrings

The little dangles came from the end of the chains included, and add movement to the earrings. The same design could use the black or red beads included in the box.

Doing this assignment was great fun, and you should check out these new offerings from Prima Bead. Even if you have never beaded before, the instruction book included with the Class in a Box styles will teach you everything you need to be successful.

Copper Chain Maille Bracelet

March 28, 2009 - Although it took a few weeks, I prepared copper jump rings for my next creation. When the wound spring of copper was cut, I noticed that several burrs were created. I had to spend a lot of time tumbling the rings, using a cup de-burrer, tumbling again, before I couldn't even begin to create the bracelet below. This is the standard Byzantine pattern, with a clasp easily made from the same copper wire.

More rings are on the way. We are trying some new cutting techniques in an effort to avoid burrs. In the next piece, I hope to use some stone druks.

New Bracelet from Need For Beads

I saw a great pattern in the Dec. 2007/Jan. 2008 issue of Beadwork Magazine written up by Michele Anderson and decided to give it a try. I used my loom made especially for Delicas, and the warp threads were long enough to knot the end of the fringe. But since I used fireline, knotting the ends was just as difficult and took as much time as sewing in the warp threads would have. The picture below shows the results:

Shimmering Tapestry Bracelet

I also changed the toggles on this. I saw Party Girl Necklace by Robin Cowart in the same issue of Beadwork Magazine, and knew I could modify the beaded bead to my project. I used 4mm Swarovski crystals, Japanese Delicas that match the pink beads in the band, and sewed up a beaded bead. It collapsed. So, I opened it back up and put in a black faceted 6mm glass bead, and the bead fit perfectly. Now I had a toggle that matched the band and was sturdy.

Here's the bracelet flat so you can see the pattern of the band and the beaded beads better:

Shimmering Tapestry Bracelet with Beaded Bead Toggles

The next one I am going to do with the pattern of the band will be in a different color, and I will use a no-warp threads method. I'll do this using the Versa Loom by Sova Enterprises. Although I will fold over the ends and embellish on top of the loomed band, I want to create a closure that brings the embellished ends closer together. I'll probably do that at the Bead Society of New Hampshire's March Bead Retreat.

Meanwhile, I am working on my Aten's Disk and Ankh amulet bag pattern, as well as getting ready to replenish my stock of finished pieces.