Sunday, January 13, 2013

Kumihimo

 My weekly fiber art group usually meets at members' home, but since we have several links to the Brookfield Craft Center, we decided to hold our meetings on the second Friday of the month there with one member giving some sort of demonstration or tutorial.


Barbara, our Kumihimo expert, kindly offered to lead the first session.   Kumihimo is a Japanese form of thread braiding.  You can watch a terrific tutorial that I found on U-tube here.  This is the little foam disk that is necessary.


Barbara helping Susie.
                                            

Gwen and Nike trying to figure it out.



Margaret and I hard at work.
                                                 
My finished braid


Detail, showing the pattern.
Once you got the hang of it, it was quite easy. I forgot to take my camera (Paula took the first four pictures with her iPhone) or I would have been able to show you the many beautiful things that Barbara has made......bracelets, necklaces, key chains, belts, etc. We used a thin rat's tail cording, but you can use all sort of ribbons, cords or yarns.  Barbara had bracelet findings for all of us and some of the gals finished their bracelets, but I just kept on braiding.  I can always cut it to length later. The braid is good for hanging a pendant, too.  I like to make purses and this would be a good way to make purse straps.

You can also use beads and that's what Barbara is going to show us next month.  I'm really looking forward to that!

Great job, Barbara! Thank you so much!

1 comment:

andrea said...

Reminds me how intriguing all the possible variations seemed...thanks.