Kumihimo (Japanese braiding) is a beautiful technique for creating intricate, cord-based jewelry. Adding beads to Kumihimo bracelets elevates the design and adds texture and sparkle. Here’s a tutorial for making a beaded Kumihimo bracelet:
1. Gather Your Materials:
- Kumihimo Disk: The core tool for Kumihimo braiding. Choose a disk with 8 strands.
- Weight: Small weight.
- Beading Needle: A long, thin needle with a large eye, useful for passing beads onto the cords.
- Braiding Cords:
- Four Cords: (For 8-strand braid) Choose a cord that works with your bead holes.
- Cord Length: Calculate the cord length needed for your bracelet. As a general rule, you will need 8 times the bracelet length for a beaded bracelet.
- Beads:
- Seed Beads: Choose seed beads with a hole size large enough to accommodate your braiding cord.
- Other Beads: Select larger beads for accents, if desired.
- Scissors: For cutting the cords.
- Tape or a Knot: For securing the top of your braid.
- Glue: Strong jewelry glue.
- Findings:
- End Caps (with loops): Two end caps that will fit your finished braid and that have loops for attaching a clasp.
- Clasp: (Lobster clasp, toggle clasp, or other desired closure).
- Jump Rings: (2-3) Small metal rings to connect the end caps to the clasp.
- Optional:
- Kumihimo Bobbins: To keep your cords organized (not strictly necessary, but helpful).
- Bead Spinner or Needle Threader: To make threading the seed beads easier.
2. Prepare the Cords:
- Measure & Cut: Determine the desired length of your finished bracelet.
- Measure & Cut Cords: Multiply the final bracelet length by 8. Then, cut four pieces of braiding cord to this calculated length.
- Thread Beads (If Adding Beads): If you want to add seed beads throughout your braid, thread them onto your braiding cords.
3. Set Up the Kumihimo Disk:
- Prepare the Disk: Use a piece of tape and wrap all the cords together for now.
- Place Cords:
- If braiding with beads: Center the cords in the disk with beads.
- If braiding without beads: Place the cords, by removing the tape, at the 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock positions on the disk.
- Center: Keep the center free.
4. The Kumihimo Braiding Pattern:
- Braiding:
- Move the top-right cord: Move it over the center and to the bottom-left.
- Move the bottom-left cord: Move it over the center and to the top-right.
- Turn the disk: Turn the disk 90 degrees clockwise.
- Add beads slide the seed beads down.
- Repeat: Repeat these steps over and over, keeping tension even.
- As you braid, pull down the weight and use the hole in the center of the disk.
- Important to note As you get closer to the end, it will get harder to push the beads down.
- Continue braiding until the braid is the desired length.
5. Add Ending:
- Create a Loop on each end of the braid.
- Use glue to set the loops in place
6. Attach the End Caps:
- Apply Glue: Apply a small amount of strong jewelry glue to the inside of each end cap.
- Insert the Braid: Carefully insert the braided ends into the end caps.
- Secure: Gently crimp the end caps closed with pliers. This might not be needed, but it will keep the clasp and end caps in place.
7. Attach the Clasp:
- Attach Jump Ring: Use jump rings to connect the end caps to your clasp.
8. Finishing Touches:
- Trim excess: Ensure that no extra beads are attached.
Tips for Success:
- Maintain Consistent Tension: Keep the tension on your cords even throughout the braiding process.
- Choose the Right Cord: Select a cord that is strong and does not stretch easily.
- Practice: Kumihimo takes practice. Start with a simple pattern and gradually increase the complexity.
- Use a Weight: A weight helps to keep the braiding even.
- Avoid Tangling: Be careful to avoid tangling the cords.
- Use Bead Spinner A bead spinner can help a lot when adding beads to the braid.
Beaded Kumihimo bracelets are a beautiful combination of traditional braiding and beadwork. Experiment with different colors, bead types, and patterns to create your unique bracelets.