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.

Modified Necklace

I said I was going to redo a piece. I was going to improve on the design by making chain maille that was just a little smaller in diameter than the focal piece of pearls and sapphires. I finished that last week. Below is a picture of the necklace redone with chain maille.

I am still not sure which one I like better. They both are nice. However, I'm going to leave this piece as it is. I used the thin chain I took off the original necklace for a similar piece done with garnets:

I stlil have not bought another strand of sapphires, but eventually I will get back to that so I can design a matching pair of earrings.

New Amulet Bag Completed

While I am working on customer orders and new designs, which are the types of work that go quickly, I try to have a long term project going. If I don't, I make mostly bracelets, or my customers wait too long for their orders to be fulfilled. Worse yet, new patterns don't get written up!

Below is one of my long term projects. I break the project down into parts and that helps me finish the project instead of creating a UFO (Unfinished Object) I complete maybe three of these big pieces a year:

Aten's Disk and Ankh

Like most of the bags I make, this one has a pattern on both sides. I was going to do a different strap until I saw how well this modified herringbone stitch went with the design.

The purple iris Delicas provide great contrast to the gold plated beads. With that finish widely available, I was able to use twisted Miyuki bead bugles and Czech daggers for the fringe. This fringe gives the piece a fluid movement.

My next bag will have spring flowers. Hopefully, the long winter months will allow lots of time for beading!

I also did a matching bracelet. Simple and quickly done, the bracelet complements the necklace when worn together, yet is beautiful enough to wear alone.

The bag has the same clasp shown in the bracelet. Even though the strap in the necklace is long enough to just put it on, I used a matching clasp so the strap design went in the same direction. This carries forward the V-shape design of the fringe on both sides of the necklace. Another reason for using a clasp: The pattern used for the strap would not connect the beginning pattern to the end very well. The clasp solved both issues!

I did manage to design a few new bracelets using my favorite stitch, which is bead crochet. Below is one that uses Miyuki drops and this shows first the side view and then a closeup of the bracelet from the top, or how it looks when worn:

Gail H. Devoid, Ph.D

Need For Beads, Inc.

http://www.tarnhelm.com/NeedForBeads

Mailto:gdevoid@tds.net