Advent Tips – Day 10

advent kumihimo

Don’t forget the cure!

If you have ever had the problem of glued endings falling off it is very likely that the problem was your technique and not the glue! It is very easy to blame the glue for the failure, but too often the manufacturer’s instructions are disregarded and the glue is not given a proper chance to work. The important point to take note of is the curing time required for the glue. Even when a glue seems to have set firm it still needs the curing time for the glue to form the best bond. If a piece is disturbed before the end of the curing time you risk compromising the bond between the braid and the end. It may still seem firm, but could fail later and this is a particular problem if you are making for gifts or even more if you are making for sale. Don’t take the risk. Check the curing time and once you have glued on the ends put them somewhere away from temptation, so that they do not get disturbed or ‘tested’.

The curing times vary considerably from glue to glue and can be up to 48 hours. They have been calculated by the manufacturer to ensure that the glue is given the correct time to become fully effective, so don’t guess – check!

Are you enjoying my advent tips? So far I have managed to find 10 handy tips. Keep reading every day to see if I make it to day 24!