Since June I have been teaching Prumihimo braiding skills in virtual workshops. The fun name I have given to my program of workshops is Zoomihimo by Prumihimo and since June I have had the honour of welcoming over 60 students virtually to my home. The feedback has been brilliant and the high number of returning students, some as many as 6 times, speaks for itself. I am so grateful to all my students and have really enjoyed both reconnecting with old friends and meeting new people. It has been a wonderful experience for me and I have enjoyed every moment.
Setting up a program of virtual workshops has also been a great learning experience for me because there is no rule book and I have had to experiment and work out the best ways of teaching kumihimo in the virtual environment, while aiming to replicate the best parts of in-person workshops. There are some significant advantages to teaching in this way, but inevitably there are also some disadvantages. As these disadvantages have cropped up I have found ways of minimising them, but one problem persists and that is that I am not able to watch a student braid. If someone is having a problem with the actual braid structure I would like to be able to watch them braid and unless the person has a set-up with an overhead camera it is very hard for me to see exactly how they are braiding. When I teach in person I am able to see at a glance if someone is holding their disk or working their cords incorrectly. For this reason, I have only offered intermediate workshops so far. For these workshops I ask that the student has used the Prumihimo successfully before the class. However, I am frequently asked for beginners’ workshops, so I have given a lot of thought to how I can make this work and I have come up with the Introduction to Prumihimo workshop, which includes some pre-workshop contact with me to identify any correct any issues before the day of the workshop.
The Introduction to Prumihimo Virtual workshop is suitable for anyone who had not yet attended one of my intermediate workshops, whether they be complete beginners or just lacking in experience and confidence to call themselves intermediate. This workshop is all about the Prumihimo disk, which is different to the regular round kumihimo disk. There is no need to have prior experience of the round kumihimo disk, but it is probably an advantage.
It is important to say at this stage that the worldwide pandemic has had an adverse affect on the availability of the Prumihimo disk and other Prumihimo products. I live in London, where we are currently locked down, so I am unable to ship anything at the moment. Disks are available from spoiltrottenbeads.co.uk, but international shipping may take longer than usual. New stock is on its way to this supplier, so if they run out just keep checking. As soon as the lockdown is lifted I will be able to ship. In the meantime, the Introduction to Prumihimo virtual workshop is only available to those who already have a Prumihimo disk. Please do not book a place unless you have one. If you are interested in trying one of these workshops I suggest purchasing a disk and booking a place on a workshop when it arrives.
The structure of the Introduction to Prumihimo virtual workshop is in three parts.
Part One – Preparation – When the workshop is purchased you will be sent a list of materials you will need for the class and it is a good idea to send off for anything you need promptly. You will also receive written instructions and a link to a YouTube video where you will be shown how to set up your disk and how to start to practise the braid structure. You will be asked to send a photo of your practise braid to me, so that I can check that it is going well for you and give any necessary assistance. This means that I can address any potential problems before the class and make sure that everyone has a great experience. You will also be given instructions on how to prepare your cords and set up your disk before the class.
Part Two – The first session – The workshop is broken down into 2 sessions. This takes the pressure off those who may work more slowly because they can catch up before the next class. Faster braiders may decide to make a second braid. I keep the class size small so that I can help people individually and everyone can work at their own pace. The first session is all about the braiding and you will be asked to complete the braiding before the second session.
Part Three – The second session – In this session I will teach embellishment techniques to enhance your braid. These are great transferable skills that can be used for other types of kumihimo. I will give advice on how to finish off the ends.
The aim of the workshop is to teach the skills necessary to get the best out of the Prumihimo disk. Having attended the workshop you will be able to use your new skills to explore your own ideas. You will also be able to take part in any of the intermediate workshops I offer.
As over 60 people have found out, a Zoomihimo by Prumihimo workshop is a very relaxed and enjoyable experience. You will meet other braiders and as they are likely to be from different countries or states it really makes the braiding world seem smaller.
If you have a Prumihimo disk and you would like to try one of these workshops please click on the links
Introduction to Prumihimo Virtual Workshop Monday 15th March and Thursday 18th March 2021
Introduction to Prumihimo Virtual Workshop Saturday 27th March and Sunday 28th March 2021
