Kumihimo Pattern Guide: 8-Strand Round Braid

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*(For standard 32-slot foam disk)*

Basic Movement Pattern

Repeat these steps continuously:

  1. Right North → Left South

    • Take the right strand from the North (12 o’clock) pair.

    • Move it to the left empty slot beside South (6 o’clock).

  2. Left South → Right North

    • Take the left strand from the South pair.

    • Move it to the right empty slot beside North.

  3. Rotate disk counter-clockwise so the next pair is at the top.

  4. Repeat the same steps with the new top pair.

Visual Mnemonic:
"Right over, left under, turn and repeat"

Color Patterns

Try these thread arrangements for different designs:

1. Spiral Twist

  • Setup: 4 strands of Color A, 4 strands of Color B

  • Arrangement: Alternate colors around the disk (A, B, A, B, etc.).

  • Result: A candy-cane spiral.

2. Solid Color w/ Accent

  • Setup: 7 strands of Color A, 1 strand of Color B

  • Arrangement: Place the accent strand at any slot.

  • Result: A subtle dashed line effect.

3. Chevron Stripe

  • Setup: Group colors symmetrically (e.g., 2 red, 2 blue, 2 red, 2 blue).

  • Result: A repeating V-shaped pattern.

Beaded Kumihimo Guide

  1. String beads onto individual threads before starting.

  2. Slide a bead down to the braid every 4–8 moves.

  3. Use size 8/0 or 11/0 seed beads for best results.

Tip: Pre-string beads in a pattern (e.g., every 6 inches on each thread).

Troubleshooting Cheat Sheet

IssueFix
Loose braidPull threads tighter after each move
Uneven shapeCheck rotation direction (always counter-clockwise)
Tangled threadsUse bobbins or shorter strands
Gaps in braidMaintain consistent tension

Printable Quick-Reference Card

(Copy this table to a notecard!)

StepAction
1Right North → Left South
2Left South → Right North
3Rotate disk ↶ (counter-clockwise)
4Repeat!

Advanced Tip

For 16-strand braids: Use every other slot on the disk and follow the same movement pattern.

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