What Is a Kumihimo Bracelet? The Art of Japanese Braiding

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If you've ever seen a beautifully intricate, colorful bracelet and wondered about its origins, you might have stumbled upon a kumihimo bracelet . Far more than just a piece of jewelry, these bracelets are a wearable piece of ancient art. So, what is a kumihimo bracelet, exactly? In a nutshell, it's a bracelet created using a Japanese form of braiding known as Kumihimo (組み紐), which translates to "gathered threads." This craft dates back centuries, originally used for practical and decorative purposes on samurai armor, kimono sashes, and religious artifacts. Today, it's a popular and relaxing craft for people all over the world, resulting in stunning, unique bracelets and jewelry. Let's untangle the history, techniques, and reasons behind the popularity of these beautiful creations. The Deep-Rooted History of Kumihimo You can't fully answer "what is a kumihimo bracelet?" without diving into its rich history. The...
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Pretty Beaded Leather Bracelet

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Photo via cs.jewelrymakingmagazines.com

Beaded Leather Bracelet
bracelet 8 in. (20 cm)
Materials list
18-20 4-6 mm rondelle gemstone beads
4 6 mm fire-polished beads
4 6 x 4 mm glass rondelles
12 4 mm fire-polished beads
40 4 mm bicone crystals
4 3 mm fire-polished beads
11/0 seed beads
   3 g color A
   1 g color B
   1 g color C
Fireline, 6 lb. test and 14 lb. test
Beading needles, # 11
Four-strand leather bracelet
Talk about to figure 1 for placement of the additions on the leather bracelet.
Photo via cs.jewelrymakingmagazines.com

Tubular netted tube
This tube will be stitched around an outside strand of the bracelet.
[1] On 1½ yd. (1.4 m) of 6 lb. Fireline, pick up nine color A 11/0 seed beads, wrap the beads around an outside strand of the bracelet, and tie the beads into a ring with a square knot, leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Sew through all the beads again.
[2] Pick up three As, skip the next A in the ring, and sew through the next A. Repeat around the ring, and step up through the first two As added in this round.
[3] Pick up three As, and sew through the center A in the next stitch of the previous round. Repeat around the ring, and step up through the first two As added in this round.
[4] Repeat step 3 for the desired length of the tube. If desired, stitch several rounds using color B 11/0 seed beads to make an interesting pattern. End the threads.

Wrap bracelet
This technique is used for the two center strands of the bracelet.
[1] On 2 yd. (1.8 m) of 14 lb. Fireline, wrap the Fireline around the first center strand near one end, and tie several square knots to secure , leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Wrap the Fireline around the same strand, and tie a half-hitch knot . Sew under the Fireline, and tie another half-hitch knot.
[2] Position a gemstone rondelle between the two center strands, and hold it in place with your non-needle hand. With the needle on the back of the bracelet, sew behind the first center strand, through the rondelle, and sew behind the second center strand.
[3] Bring the needle to the front across the top of the second strand, sew through the rondelle, and across the top of the first leather strand (figure 2), snugging up the thread.
[4] Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the desired length. End the thread by sewing between the thread and the strand several times and tying half-hitch knots.
Photo via cs.jewelrymakingmagazines.com

Beaded beads
My bracelet has three beaded beads using 4 mm fire-polished beads in the center, one using 6 mm fire-polished beads, and one using 4 x 6 mm glass rondelles.
[1] On 18 in. (46 cm) of Fireline, pick up a repeating pattern of a 4 mm fire polished bead and a color C 11/0 seed bead four times. Wrap the beads around the available strand on the bracelet, and tie the beads into a ring with a square knot, leaving a 6-in. (15 cm) tail. Sew through the beads again to exit a 6 mm.
[2] Pick up seven color A and B 11/0 seed beads, and sew through the 6 mm your thread is exiting in the same direction (figure 3). Push the seven 11/0s to one side of the 6 mm. Repeat this step on the same 6 mm, but push this new loop of 11/0s to the other side of the 6 mm (figure 4).
Photo via cs.jewelrymakingmagazines.com
Photo via cs.jewelrymakingmagazines.com

    [3] Sew through the next C and 6 mm, and repeat step 2 to complete the round. Sew through the next C in the original ring.
    [4] Sew through the next four 11/0s in the seven-bead loop on one side of the 6 mm. Pick up a 4 mm bicone crystal, and sew through the center 11/0 in next the seven-bead loop around the following 6 mm fire polished bead in the original ring. Repeat to complete the round.
    [5] Sew through the beadwork to exit a center 11/0 in a seven-bead loop on the other side of a 6 mm, and repeat step 4. End the threads.
    [6 ] Repeat steps 1-5, substituting 4 x 6 mm rondelles for the 6 mm.
    [7] Repeat steps 1-5, substituting 4 mm fire-polished beads for the 6 mm. Pick up only five 11/0s in step 2 instead of seven, and in step 4, sew through only three 11/0s. Make three beads with 4 mms.
    Have Fun!

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