The Secret to Kumihimo Success

We are huge fans of Kumihimo braiding at The Bead Shop, but we know that it can look a little daunting to someone who is just starting out in jewellery making. Kumihimo braiding is a traditional Japanese technique that is continuing to grow in popularity, as more of us are creating or our custom pieces of jewellery.

You can make gorgeous Kumihimo jewellery with just a few simple supplies, that won’t cost you the earth. With this you can create beautiful necklaces, bracelets, anklets and more. If you’ve already given it a shot, but you can’t quite get the hang of it, keep a look out for one of our jewellery making classes, or read up on our guide on making the perfect Kumihimo braid. But for those who want to get started on Kumihimo braiding straight away, we have gathered a few helpful tips to ensure you make the perfect braid first time.

• To get the hang of braiding, you should practice using a kumihimo disk. You’ll need eight pieces of Beadsmith Bead Cord, but feel free to use how ever many colours as you like. You can add the beads in whenever you feel like it. We would recommend using Swarovski Crystal Bicones.

• It’s best to start small! So try making a kumihimo bracelet, before you move on to bigger projects such as necklaces.

• If you are planning to make a round bracelet, using a kumihimo disk, the length needs to be around half an inch bigger than if you were making a flat bracelet.

• If you are struggling with keeping you cord untangled, try to sit sideways to your workspace, or try standing up to braid. This way the bobbins and threads have more room to spread out, and won’t get tangled as easy.

• When it comes down to spinning your Kumihimo disk, it doesn’t matter whether your turn it clockwise, or anti-clockwise, as long as you are consistent. Turning the disk in one direction, makes it easier for you to remember where you left off, should you need to take a break.

• Each piece of braiding cord should be approximately four times longer than the desired length of your finished piece of jewellery. The tension will differ amongst each bracelet, but regardless, sticking to this rule should leave you with enough. The more pieces of jewellery you make, the more you will get used to measuring out the right amounts, judging by how much cord is left over.

• Keep one hand on the braid and leave the other hand to hold onto the disk and the thread, to ensure you have an even amount of tension on the braid.

• Always check your thread to make sure it is straight and even.

• Keep a close eye on your pattern as you go along. The further along you go, the harder it will be to rectify any problems.

Fancy giving it a go? Check out our Kumihimo Supplies page for everything you need to get started, no matter the size of your project.