Why Is My Kumihimo Braid Uneven on Marudai? Tips for Even Tension with 8+ Strands

By admin -
Image
Your Kumihimo braid is likely uneven on the marudai due to inconsistent tension between your hands or among the individual strands. The primary cause is allowing the braiding rhythm or the weight distribution of the tama (bobbins) to become unbalanced. To fix this, focus on maintaining a steady, mirrored pulling motion with both hands and ensuring all strands move with equal resistance. An exception is when using mixed fiber types, which may naturally require different tension management. Key Takeaways Consistent Hand Motion is Crucial:  Maintain a mirrored, rhythmic "pull and release" with both hands to create even tension. Balance Your Tama:  Ensure all bobbins are equally weighted and hang freely without tangling to prevent uneven strand pull. Practice Proper Posture and Setup:  Your physical position relative to the marudai and how you manage strand groups fundamentally affects tension control. Diagnose by Section:  Isolate the problem by checking if unevenness o...
Post a Comment

Mermaid Tail Ring

By admin -


🌊 Materials You'll Need:

4 colors of embroidery floss or satin cord (approx. 50–60 cm each)

Kumihimo disk (round or square)

Needle and thread or glue

Scissors

Lighter (for finishing, optional)


🧵 Steps to Make the Mermaid Tail Ring:

🧷 1. Set Up the Ring Band (Spiral Cord):

Use 8 strands of cord, two strands each in green and orange for the twist.

Use a basic spiral braid or Kongo-gumi (round braid) pattern:

Arrange your cords evenly on the disk (ex: N, S, E, W positions).

Move the bottom left to the top left, then top right to bottom right.

Rotate the disk and repeat to make a spiral cord about 5–6 cm long.


🧚 2. Form the Ring Loop:

Fold the braided cord into a loop to fit your finger size.

Secure the loop base with a purple-wrapped joint (you can sew or tightly wrap with purple thread or floss).

Use a dab of glue or melt ends lightly to secure.


🐚 3. Create the Mermaid Tail:

Use flat macramé-style weaving for the tail.

Split the middle part of your cords into two mirrored sides.

Weave diagonal half-hitches or square knots outward to form a wide "V" shape on each side.

Tighten and shape as you go — you want the top to look like a mermaid’s tail fin.

Use alternating colors to form the striped tail pattern.


🪡 4. Secure the Tail and Finish:

Tie off or stitch the ends at the base of the tail.

Use purple cord again to wrap around the base of the tail for neatness and match the ring loop.

Trim excess and secure with glue or heat.



✅ Tips:

Practice the tail flat on a board with pins if you’re new to shaping.

Adjust size by making a longer or shorter ring band.

Experiment with metallic threads for a magical shimmer! 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

7 Strand Kumihimo Braid Directions

By admin -
Image
Kumihimo Instructions 7 Strand I enjoy using this method of performing kumihimo due to the fact there is merely one move to keep in mind, that minimizes the probability of obtaining the steps incorrect. :) However merely placing the strands inside the notches was obviously a little too different for my situation; I certainly not realized whenever i would find a design I appreciated. After a while I actually started to think there is a method to put together the particular completed cord might appear to be prior to I began. I began experimenting with a few factors and also developed a method to layout patterns. It includes a couple of areas: 1) a diagram along with numbered sections (to demonstrate exactly where particular shades will end up in the design) 2) designated steps on the weaving loom which match together with the sections from the diagram Prior to being able to create your own design you will need to choose strand you are going to maneuver - your third on the right f...
Read more

Kumihimo Braids - Seven Strand Braid

By admin -
Image
This is a great introductory braid. You can make your own disk by cutting a circle out of cardboard or craft foam. For this braid, you will need 8 slits cut around the edge of the disk (evenly spaced) and seven strands of yarn cut to your desired length. Also cut a hole in the center of the disk (shaded area shown at right.) For fun, experiment with using different color & texture yarns. Tie an overhand knot in one end of the strands and place it through the hole in the center of the disk. NOTE: If you want to make a bracelet, use three long strands folded in half plus one strand (half the length of the others) to make your seven strands. Fold them in half before tying the overhand knot so that it forms a loop that can be used as a clasp. Place one strand in each of the slits (1-7), leaving slit 8 open. Hold the card with the empty slit towards you. (You don’t need to keep track of the slit numbers, I just wrote them here to help with the initial set-up.) From the empty sl...
Read more

Kumihimo Patterns for the Kongo Gumi Braid

By admin -
Image
Kumihimo is the ancient Japanese art of braiding cord (“kumi”= to braid, “himo” = cord). Over the centuries, these cords have been used for religious ceremonies, lacing samurai armor, securing the kimono sash (obi) and other decorative uses. There are hundreds of braiding structures, ranging from simple to very complex, and requiring from 4 to over 100 threads. The braid described here is traditionally made on a round braiding stand (marudai) which uses weighted bobbins to produce a balanced tension and manage long threads. However, some of the more simple braids such as this one can also be done as short samples using a portable diskshaped card, which you can make yourself out of cardboard or craft foam, or purchase in kit form. These instructions are for one of the simplest braiding structures called kongo gumi (= hard braid), which produces a solid cord with a round crosssection (as opposed to a shoe lacestyle hollow cord or a flat braid). The braiding movements can be made with 8...
Read more