KUMIHIMO

Discover how easy it is to make an eight-strand braid of beads

designed by Becky Patellis

Using a stiff cord gives kumihimo the perfect body and drape for bracelets that curve around the wrist.

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stepbystep

[1] On 1 yd. (.9 m) of S-Lon cord, string 68–70 4 mm fire-polished beads. Center the beads on the cord, and wind each end around a bobbin or piece of cardboard, leaving about 20 in. (51 cm) in the center. [2] Repeat step 1 three times to make three more strands, but instead of 4 mms, string 8 in. (20 cm) of color A 80 seed beads on each of two strands, and 8 in. (20 cm) of color B 80 seed beads on the third.[3] Pick up the strand of 4 mms, and push half of the beads toward each end, leaving the center open. Center the strand over the kumihimo disk, positioning one end in the slot to the right of the top dot and the other end in the slot to the left of the bottom dot. Repeat with the strand of B 80s, but

position the strand so it fits in the slots to the left of the top dot, and the right of the bottom dot (photo a). [4] Turn the disk ¼ turn left or right, and repeat step 3 with the two remaining strands. Cut a 3-in. (7.6 cm) piece of 22-gauge wire or scrap wire, and bend it into a U shape. Position it over the crossing strands, and attach the weight to the wire (photo b).[5] Turn the disk ¼ turn. Bring the top right strand straight down to fit in the slot next to the bottom right strand (photo c). Bring the bottom left strand straight up to fit in the slot to the left of the top strand (photo d).[6] Repeat step 5 four times.[7] Turn the disk ¼ turn. Pick up the top right strand, and slide a bead down to fit under the cord crossing over it. Pull the top right strand straight down to the slot next to the bottom right

Bring one strand down, one strand up, and turn — that’s all there is to this Japanese braiding technique. Kumihimo is a beautiful way to showcase special fibers, and seed beads and fire-polished glass add sparkle and color.

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materialsbracelet 8 in. (20 cm)• 68–72 4 mm fire-polished beads• 6–8 g 80 seed beads, color A• 3–4 g 80 seed beads, color B• clasp• 2 10 x 11 mm bead caps or cones• 6 in. (15 cm) 22-gauge wire• scrap wire• S-Lon beading cord• Big Eye or twisted-wire beading needle (optional)• 8 bobbins or cardboard• glue, such as G-S Hypo Cement or One Stik adhesive• kumihimo disk with weight• chainnose pliers• roundnose pliers• wire cutters

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EDITOR’S NOTE: You can make your own kumihimo disk by cutting a hole in the center of a piece of foam board or cardboard. Cut 32 equally spaced slots around the edge of the board, and draw black dots between slots 1 and 32, 7 and 8, 16 and 17, and 24 and 25. You can make your own weight, too. I strung two 30 mm gem-stones on a scrap of flexible beading wire, and clamped the ends together with a Bead Stopper. – Lesley

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DESIGNER’S NOTE: It’s easy to keep track of where you are in the braid by remembering the mantra: Right down, left up, turn. If you need to put the project down, end by bringing the top right cord down, so you have three cords on the bottom. That way you’ll know exactly where you left off.

strand (photo e). Pick up the bottom left strand, slide a bead up to sit under the cord crossing over it, and pull the bottom left strand up to the slot to the left of the top strand (photo f).[8] Repeat step 7 (photo g) until the bracelet is 1½ in. (3.8 cm) short of the desired length. [9] Braid three rounds without beads, as in steps 3 and 4. Cut a 3-in. (7.6 cm) piece of 22-gauge wire, position it across the top of the strands, and braid two rounds over the wire (photo h). Tie opposite pairs of strands (top and bottom and left and right) together with square knots (Basics), and lightly cover the knots and part of the unbead-ed braid with glue. Let dry.

[10] On the other end of the braid, replace the scrap wire with a 3-in. (7.6 cm) piece of 22-gauge wire, if necessary. Lightly coat the end with glue, and let dry.[11] Working with one end of the bracelet at a time, bend the end of the wire to make a tight hook or coil around the end of the braid, and bend the other end away from the bracelet (photo i). [12] Slide a bead cap or cone over the wire and the end of the braid, and make the first half of a wrapped loop (Basics). Attach half of the clasp, and complete the wraps (photo j).[13] Repeat steps 11 and 12 to finish the other end of the bracelet.

Becky Patellis is a jewelry designer and teacher based in Marietta, Ga., in the U.S., who has been addicted to beads since 1985. She owns Naturally, a wholesale and retail company specializing in gemstone jewelry. Visit Becky’s Web site, beckypatellisjewelrydesigns.com, to see more of her work, or contact her via e-mail at beckypatellis@mindspring.com, or via telephone at (770) 973-7483.