There is often a considerable amount of confusion about which cords or threads are suitable for beaded kumihimo, which is a shame because using the correct cord is one of the keys to maintaining the necessary tension to keep the beads in place. S-Lon and C-Lon beading cord are identical products and are perfect for most applications. However, both of …
It is hard to believe that it has been a whole year since I had my screen test at Jewellery Maker. What a year it has been! Working with such a wide range of gemstones has often pushed me right out of my comfort zone and forced me to develop new techniques. It has been a two-way process. I would …
If I could only work with one type of bead for the rest of my braiding career it would have to be the Long Magatama! Although they were developed for the bead weaving community, it seems as if they could have been designed specifically for beaded kumihimo. They are a quirky sort of shape with their angular teardrop profile and …
Here are the lovely, hardworking ladies who attended my Introduction to Kumihimo workshop, which was hosted by Spoilt Rotten Beads in the pretty village of Haddenham in Cambridgeshire. My aim was to introduce the basic skills of kumihimo braiding and to add to them the tricks and tips I have learnt along the way, which ensure consistent results. I wanted …
I am a little bit behind schedule this week because of all the excitement about the DVD last week and my preparations for my second workshop at the weekend, but finally here are the mini instructions for designs shown on the Jewellery Maker show last week. I have no hand in deciding what is in the kits, beyond giving a …
It has been a very busy week or so for me because on Thursday my new DVD was launched on Jewellery Maker. It has been titled Micro Kumihimo to differentiate it from other kumihimo DVDs and it concentrates on making more delicate and intricate jewellery using kumihimo braiding techniques. The materials are finer cords and smaller gemstones, with a few …
I have just finished the instructions for the second kit demonstrated on Jewellery Maker on Wednesday. There is no doubt that working with bright and summery materials lifts the spirits! It is great fun to be able to inject a bit of fun into your jewellery and one of the best ways is by using brightly coloured cord. S-Lon cord …
I have just about recovered from another great show at Jewellery Maker. The team are always so warm and welcoming and I really enjoyed working with Presenter Ali Defoy for the first time. I had two very different kits to work with. One was full of seed beads, so it really played to my strengths. The other was very bright …
On the top left is the original kumihimo disk, designed by Makiko Tada and manufactured by Hamanaka. On the top right is a disk available from a US website. They look pretty similar, but what is the significant difference? In the original design the numbers are located in between the slots. My guess is that this was done so that …
Squiggle is my latest tutorial and I suppose it is a bit like me, in that it doesn’t take itself too seriously! Jewellery should be fun and make you smile when you catch sight of it in the mirror. This design is both fun to make and fun to wear. It makes use of an alternative braid structure, which seems …
