Thursday, March 18, 2021

Beautiful Braiding Made Easy Review & GIVEAWAY

Learn the ancient Japanese art of braiding! In Beautiful Braiding Made Easy textile artist Helen Deighan shows how - using kumihimo disks and plates. Just add thread or yarn to begin. Two cardstock looms are included - a disk for round braids and a plate for flat braids. Both are printed on the inside cover flap. Simply cut out to use and reuse. Alternatively you can easily make or buy. The basic kumihimo technique is as follows. Cut your choice of fiber into equal lengths. Arrange these strands on the handheld loom. Move the strands around the loom forming a braid. Continue in this manner until the desired length of cord is achieved. Remove the braid from the loom and tie the ends. First up is the (kid friendly) 8 thread pattern on a disk. It's followed by a 16 thread braid and several variations - twist, lattice, heart, diamond and dog tooth patterns. A second chapter on the disk looks at more advanced techniques. Then move on to chapters on how to use the square plate and braiding with beads. Learn how easy it is to get different designs just by changing - looms, threads, starting positions, working moves and/or finishing techniques. The possibilities are endless. Try it - it's fun! Patterns are an easy-to-read combination of diagram and text instruction. Long ago kumihimo braids were worn by samurai warriors. Today kumihimo is used to make friendship bracelets, in jewellery-making or wherever cord is required - for example in crocheting and knitting. The complete table of contents is listed below. Search Press released the 48 page paperback on February 23, 2015. Get your copy below!


Table of Contents

An introduction
Using the Kumihimo disk
Types of yarn or thread
Preparing the braid with the disc
Braiding
Finishing off
Sixteen thread braid
Getting different patterns

More ideas for using the Kumihimo disk
Reversing the spiral
Hollow braid with no counting
Hollow braid with counting
Hollow braid with cord inserts
Hollow braid with wire inserts

Using the Kumihimo plate
Types of yarn or thread
Getting a good tension
Ten-thread chevron
Twelve-thread chevron
Sixteen-thread chevron
Twenty-four-thread chevron

More ideas for using the Kumihimo plate
Eight-thread flat braid with a diagonal stripe
Eight-thread flat braid with a vertical stripe
Eight-thread flat braid with a zig-zag pattern
Eight-thread square braid
Straight-woven braids - ten threads
Straight-woven braids - twelve threads
Zig-zag braid

Braiding with beads
Beads
Sixteen-thread braid
Basic eight-thread braid
Twelve-thread straight woven braid
Sixteen-thread chevron braid

Suppliers


Contents


Kumihimo disk


Kumihimo plate.

This is my first ever kumihimo braid! I made it using a cardstock disk and some leftover yarn. I've already begun another with a different fiber.

Beautiful Braiding Made Easy ISBN-13 : 978-1782211303 is available worldwide at Search Press. Search Press is an independent, multi award-winning, family owned art and craft book publisher. Check out their unique catalog at Search Press. Search Press has generously offered to giveaway a copy! One winner will be selected at random. Open until April 4, 2021. Canada & USA only. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

17 comments:

  1. The Art of Punch Needle Embroidery looks interesting to me!

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  2. I would like Knitting and Crocheting.
    Marilyn

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  3. Fairytale Blankets to Crochet would be a fun book to create gifts.

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  4. I would love the Quick and Easy Christmas!

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  5. I love the Japanese Fabric flowers book.

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  6. My niece would love this she adores braid crafts

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  7. Knitting for the Absolute Beginner is a book i could use
    jan

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  8. Very interesting craft to learn, very unique.

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  9. The Forest Woodworker. We have the Ocean and many lakes and rivers here so would be so interested in this book!

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  10. I would like to have the book Half Yard summer collection. Sounds like some fun projects there!

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  11. I would also love to get the Quilt as you Go book! I really want to make quilts for my children, especially ones using their old baby/kid clothes.

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