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Monthly Newsletter                                                                                        October   2013

THINGS IN THIS NEWSLETTER
Kumihimo Students of the Month
Travel Inspired Kumihimo Project
New! Painted Peruvian Plate Edge Bead Necklace Kit
Kumihimo Books!!!
New! 8/0 Toho and Miyuki Seed Beads
Scoop on Seed Beads
Tip of the Month #21 - Braided Bead Gauge
New! Magatama Bead Colors
Plan Ahead!
Kumihimo Links...
  
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Dear Knitters and Kumihimo Braiders,

View from the top of Mt. Washington, New Hampshire

Hello, hello!

 

We are back and pretty much back on track after our vacation! Our trip was simply "14 Days of Perfect". We had perfect weather, we had perfect visits with family and the colors were perfect. We spent a week in gorgeous Vermont with Robbie's mom and dad. They live on 80 pristine acres and I loved it. After that we traveled through New Hampshire where we ventured to the top of Mt. Washington and enjoyed 360 degree views with 100 miles of visibility! After NH we drove to the coast of Maine and stayed for a few days in Boothbay. With the tourists gone it was heaven. I thought of many of you whose addresses were not far from where we traveled. I also stopped by one of my vendors and had a great tour of their facilities. It was even better than the Ben & Jerry's tour in Vermont! All day, everyday my husband listened to me say "I love it". Home now, orders are filled and now it's on to new things!

 

I have added alot of goodies to my website some of which include Glazed Donuts, Boro Glass Teardrop Beads and 8/0 Toho and Miyuki Seed Beads. I have also added some great new Kumihimo Projects - one inspired by my travels (see below). And last but not least, I have added a couple of my favorite Kumihimo Books; one by Rodrick Owen and the other by Jacqui Carey. These books are great for your own libraries and they also make GREAT gifts for Kumihimo enthusiasts!  

 

What? Bon Voyage Again....What a Knit SHOPPING will be on a brief hold while I travel north to Fort Bragg, CA for a one week braiding workshop with the one and only Rodrick Owen. This will be my third Kumihimo Festival in Fort Bragg and my second workshop with Rodrick. It is fun. It is intense. I learn so much

that my head spins for months. I will be gone from October 20th to the 26th. I will happily mail packages for orders received by October 19th and I will resume shipping on October 27th! Plan ahead. 
 

 

There will be NO Kumihimo night this month at my house. Sorry.

  

Happy Braiding,
 

[email protected]

Like me on Facebook

 

 

Kumihimo Students of the Month
It's never too late 
to learn Kumihimo...
and while I was in Vermont I had the
opportunity to teach my mother-in-law and father-in-law how to braid. Marge is going on 88 and Hank will soon have his 90th birthday. It was a very special way to spend our time. First I taught my mother-in-law and she really enjoyed it. We used the BeadSmith mini disk and it was perfect. Then, unexpectedly, my father-in-law decided that he wanted to learn too. He figured that if they both knew how to braid then they would be able to help each other when I was gone. The funniest thing was one evening, after we had left Vermont, my husband was talking with his dad on the phone. The next thing I knew, my husband (who does not braid) was rattling off, "Dad, first find the cords on top, that means that was your last move, then look for the cords underneath and that will be your next move. Then move left bottom up, right top down and then turn the disk". Evidently, my husband was listening to me while I was teaching his mom and so it is, my husband now knows Kumihimo too!
 
Travel Inspired Kumihimo Project!
Real Leaves Preserved in Gold with Kumihimo Rayon Gimp Cord
"Each leaf is a unique handcrafted piece of wearable art"

It's so simple. You will need:

1 Skein Kumihimo Rayon Gimp 
1 5mm All-in-One Magnetic End Cap 
1 Gold Leaf 

Kumihimo Disk
8 Bobbins

Directions:
1. Carefully unwind skein of Kumihimo Rayon Gimp and cut 4 equal lengths (this will yield about 20" of finished braid).
2. Even up ends, find middle and attach Lark's Head Knot.
3. Drop knot through hole in disk with 8 lengths of cord resting on top side of disk.
4. Position cords in N, S, E, W positions, on disk, straddling the black dots. 
5. Braid: left bottom up, right top down, turn. Repeat until all cord is used. 
6. Remove from disk and tie overhand knot in loose ends.
7. Before removing Lark's Heads Knot thread, use it to feed through bail of 25K Gold Leaf pendant. 
8. Determine desired finished length and attach end caps (see Kumihimo Tip #1).
9. You're done!

Kumihimo Rayon Gimp comes in 15 colors. 
Handcrafted Gold Leaves come in 2 styles. 

5mm All-in-One Magnetic End Caps come in 2 colors. 
 
NEW! Painted Peruvian Plate Edge Bead Necklace Kits

nullThis is a variation of the Edge Bead Necklace with a Painted Peruvian Plate pendant focal
piec
e. This fun kit shows another solution for attaching donut pendants to Kumihimo Braids. You will braid one side of the necklace at a time; your starting point will be the donut. I have provided enough material in the kit to make up to a 24" necklace; my preference is closer to 19". The instructions are written for the longest length (24") but you can adjust the size to any length simply by choosing where you want to finish and trim the end sections. From one end of the beaded section to the other is between 14" and 15". Your additional length will come from the braided tails (longer tails, longer necklace). You will Need: Kumihimo Disk, 8 Bobbins, Measuring Tape,

Heavy Duty Thread, Needle, Glue (like WeldBond), Fray Check (optional) You Should Know: Kumihimo Round Braid, how to "drop" beads.  

 

Kit includes: null

- 12 yards Petite Satin Cord
- Painted Peruvian Plate Pendant
- Miyuki Magatama Beads
- 2 Large Hole Beads
- 1 Set 6mm All-in-One End Caps
- Instructions with Photos

*Please note, I have only braided one half of the necklace in some of the samples! 

Cost $25


Click this link to see ALL Kumihimo Project Kits!

 

Kumihimo Books Make Great Gifts!
 
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Braids: 250 Braids from Japan, Peru and Beyond by Rodrick Owen
is one of the first books I purchased for my Kumihimo library.
This book is packed with inspiration for braids created on a disk as well as the Marudai. 

Cost: $19.95




Beads & Braids by Jacqui Carey is another one of my all time favorites. This booked is packed full of  endless ideas and inspiration for creativity. It's a little pricey but it is well worth every cent! I love this book. The longer I own it the more it speaks to me. 

Cost: $39.95  
NEW! 8/0 Toho and Miyuki Seed Beads

  null

You asked and you got them ... 8/0 Toho and Miyuki seed beads.
51 Colors!

11-12 grams / pkg

Click link to see all colors! 

 

The Small Scoop on Seed Beads
The things your need to know:

1. The BIGGER the number the SMALLER the bead; the 8/0 seed bead is SMALLER than the 6/0.
2. The 8/0 seed bead is about 3mm outside diameter.
3. The 6/0 seed bead is about 4mm outside diameter. 
4. The hole size is larger in a Toho seed bead than a Miyuki seed bead.
5. It is okay to mix bead brands and it is fun to mix bead sizes.
6. Both Toho and Miyuki hare the highest quality Japanese seed beads. 

 Kumihimo Tip #21
"How many beads do I need?" I get emailed this question all the time. And there is no real simple answer. I usually suggest braiding a beaded gauge. You may need to read through this a few times!

The best comparison I can make is to knitting - depending on the type of yarn, the size of the needle and the stitch, for example, the gauge can change. And so it is with beads and braiding. The size of the bead, the thickness or thinness of the cord and the braid pattern will all influence the beaded braid. I braid with 8/0 and 6/0 Toho and Miyuki seed beads. Many of you already know that all beads are not created equal. Not all 6/0 seed beads are the same and not all 8/0 seed beads are the same. Braiding up a gauge is your best bet to determine your bead usage.

I usually cut 8 pieces of C-Lon (Tex 400 or Beadcord) and thread 10 beads on each cord. Then I braid about an inch, with cord only, next I braid and "drop" all of the beads and then I finish with a short length of braiding with cord only. I remove this from my disk, tie it off and use this as my gauge. Following is what I have learned and the info I use as a guideline:

1. The difference between using C-Lon Tex 400 or C-Lon Beadcord did not make a significant difference in my gauge. Depending on the cord you use, the size could make a difference!

2. 8/0 Seed Bead Guideline:  About 7 seed beads per cord = 1 inch of beaded braid. 

For example, if I want 6" of beaded braid,
I will string 42 beads on each cord (7 beads/inch x 6 inches).
If I have 8 cords, I will need 336 beads to create 6" of beaded braid
(42 beads/cord x 8 = 336). 


3. 6/0 Seed Bead Guidelines: About 5 seed beads per cord = 1 inch of beaded braid.

For example, if I want 6 " of beaded braid,
I will string 30 beads on each cord (5 beads/inch x 6 inches).
If I have 8 cords, I will need 240 beads to create 6" of beaded braid.
(30 beads/cord x 8 = 240)


So, now that you now how many beads you need how do you know how many bags or tubes to buy?

Knowing about bead weights helps you decide how many packages of beads to buy. Are they in tubes? Boxes? Bags? The human eye plays tricks on us and beads packaged in tubes look like a greater volume than is actually present. Especially beads in tall, thin tubes. I package my beads in bags and you get more beads in a bag than in a tube.

Japanese Size 8/0:  39 beads per gram (Miyuki); 43 beads per gram (Toho)

Japanese Size 6/0:  12 beads per gram (Miyuki); 15 beads per gram (Toho)

 

My 8/0 seed beads come packaged 11-12 grams per pkg (approximately 450- 492 beads/pkg). My 6/0 seed beads come packaged 10 - 11 grams per pkg (approximately 135 - 148 beads/pkg)    

So, in the example above about how many beads are needed for 6"?

 

8/0: 336 beads/6 inches would take 1 pkg of 8/0 seed beads (with some extras)

6/0: 240 beads /6 inches would take 2 pkgs of 6/0 seed beads (with some extras)

 

Hope this helps you!

NEW! Magatama Bead Colors for the Holidays
4 x 7 Magatama Beads
3 New Colors: Crystal, Silver Lined Green and Silver Lined Red
11 - 12 grams/pkg
$3.25

 Plan AHEAD!
I have a hard time bringing myself to say this but NOW is the time to start planning your projects for holiday gift giving. Start planning and get an early start. I have lots of things and ideas that will make your gift making and giving a lot of fun.
  
Shopping
I have 6 "Kumihimo Shops" to meet all of your Kumihimo needs. All orders are through PayPal (or use the credit card option) and I ship orders via USPS First Class Mail. This has been amazingly reliable and incredibly fast. Most orders are shipped the same day I receive them. 
Kumihimo Books 
WHAT A KNIT ! Newsletter Archives
For those of you that are new to What A Knit, you'll find some good info in the archived newsletters
January 2013                  
February 2013

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