Kumihimo

With all the recent biz I haven't had a lot of time to play around with new crafts. So it was a great pleasure to find some time this week to try kumihimo. I started out using the instructions and printable template from Friendship-Bracelets.net and followed up with the information on Weir Crafts' web site. I found that it was super easy to produce beautiful cords, both round and flat. In fact, it's so simple an amoeba could do it - if it had fingers.



My first kumohimo disk was made using the printable template stuck to corrugated card and stood me in good stead for my first attempts. However, after an evening of making cords it became a bit dog eared. So I ordered a proper one and have been making cords whenever I have five minutes to myself. Being a bit of a fibre freak, I dug around in my stash and found yarns in acrylic and wool, rat tail plus some cotton perle and hand dyed silks. All of them worked beautifully. I didn't even have a problem keeping the tension to form even cords. However, you can use a small weight (e.g. a keyring or heavy bead) hung from the bottom of the cord to keep it hanging straight if you have difficulty forming an even cord.



Now, what to do with the cord? No doubt some will be used on cards but I made a cute little bracelet from a thin spiral cord using silver plated findings. I have also ordered some larger findings so I can make the other cords into jewellery too. My new favourite craft? Definitely. How long will that last? Probably until I find the next new craft.