Staggering Sparkle
KUMIHIMO
Staggering Sparkle
Kumihimo worked with lentils and 80 seed beads creates a lush rope with plenty of depth and dimension. designed by Rebecca Ann Combs
79 materials • round foam kumihimo disk • 8 weighted bobbins Warp One X 35 (approx. 23 grams each) • center weight 1.6 oz. (45.4 grams) • 12 yds. Superlon Fine nylon string Warp Two X 35 • Big Eye needle • 420 crystal lentil beads • Approx. 12 g 80 seed beads • One-G, Nymo, or other thin beading thread • E6000 adhesive Warp Three X 35 • 8mm (inside diameter) magnetic endcap
Warp Four X 35
Warp Five X 35
Warp Six X 35
Warp Seven X 35
Warp Eight X 35
FIG. 1 BEAD STRINGING DIAGRAM
NOTE If you write on the metal washer, the number can be removed later with rubbing alcohol.
80 6 1
4 8 7 3
2 5 a WarpsFIG. are 2 BEAD numbered STARTING inDIAGRAM the oder that they move in the braid.
Set Up to keep the beads together as match fi g. 2. (Warps are beads using the Kongoh Gumi 1 Cut eight 54-in. (1.4m) pieces a group so that they don’t get numbered in the order they (basic round braid) braiding of Superlon Fine and tie them tangled with the string. Starting move in the braid.) Clip the sequence: Take the top-right together in an overhand knot. at the loose end, wind the string center weight just below the cord and lift it out of its slot. Number the weighted bobbins and the beads onto the bobbin. knot. Compare to photo a. Bring it straight down to the 1–8 with a permanent marker. Do this for each of the eight bottom-right and lock it next to warps. It’s OK if some of the Braid without the two cords that are already at 2 Use a Big Eye needle to string crystals bulge out of the bobbin. Beads the bottom. Remember—one 110 80 seed beads and crystal At this point, all of the beads Every beaded braid starts warp per slot, no sharing. lentils onto each warp according are below the disk. Leave an and ends with a short section Notice that it starts on the right to fi g. 1. Tie a knot at the end inch or so of working thread without beads. This braided and fi nishes on the right. This is of the string to keep the beads (empty string) between the nubbin is where you’ll bind and important. Cords in this braid from falling off. Push the beads underside of the disk and the cut the braid. only move vertically—straight together as a group towards the start of the beads. Make sure up and down—never side disk so that they are about 2 in. that the numbered warps are 1 Braid about a 1⁄2-in. (1.3cm) to side or diagonally. See fi g. 3. (5cm) below it. It is important arranged around the disk to section without adding any
Start Top-Right Down Bottom-Left Up
FIG. 3 BRAIDING SEQUENCE DIAGRAM
81 b c d
2 The next move is bottom-left 3 Rotate the disk a quarter turn 2 The braiding sequence 3 Add one bead to the braid up. Take the bottom-left cord counterclockwise. Repeat the remains the same with or every time you move a cord. and lift it out of its slot. Bring it “top-right down, bottom-left up, without beads: top-right down, The crystals are added in the straight up to the top-left and turn” braiding sequence until the bottom-left up. The only same way by tucking them lock it next to the one cord that braid is ½-in. long. difference is that every time under the first perpendicular is already there. Again the rule you move a warp, you slide warp (photo c). Continue is one warp per slot. Make sure Braid with Beads one bead into the middle of the braiding with beads until all of that this left-side cord stays on 1 Because this is a counted braid. I use my index finger to the beads have been added. the left and doesn’t mistakenly pattern we want to start adding slide one bead forward while my Then braid a ½-in. section get placed on the right. Many beads with warp number one. other fingers keep the rest of without beads. people find it helpful to use the Keep braiding without beads the beads back. Be sure to lock right hand for right-side moves until warp number one has each bead into place by catch- and the left hand for left-side returned to the top-right ing it on the first perpendicular moves. This can help prevent position and is ready to take its warp that it crosses (photo b). accidentally crossing the cords. turn. This will be our first move The first four beads are tricky. with beads. Go slowly and give the warp plenty of slack as you move it.
82 e f
Finishing through the loop. Pull the tail to 1 Remove the bobbins. Hold close the loop. Make an extra the point of braiding firmly under little square knot on top for good the disk and remove each warp measure (photo d). from its slot. Tie all eight warps together using an overhand 3 Trim the tails close to the knot. knot. Cut off the nubbin very close to the binding, and glue an 2 Bind the braid at each end endcap to each end of the braid as close as possible to the (photo e). The endcap will fit beads: Cut a piece of binding over the beads (photo f). Let thread about 18 in. long. Fold it the glue dry 24 hours. unevenly in half. Place the loop on top of the braid right next to the beads. Wrap the longer piece of thread around the braid and the thread tail three or four times. Bring the working thread
Silver streak Crystal lentil beads give this elegant necklace texture and sparkle for eye-catching style.
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