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Showing posts from February, 2023

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

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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...

Kumihimo Tutorial: Learn the Art of Japanese Braiding

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Kumihimo is a traditional Japanese braiding technique that has been used for centuries to create beautiful braided cords and ropes for jewelry, clothing, and accessories. In this tutorial, you'll learn the basics of kumihimo and how to create your own braided designs using a kumihimo disk or a kumihimo braiding loom. Materials Needed: Kumihimo disk or braiding loom 8 or 16 threads of embroidery floss or braiding cord Scissors Tape Weight (such as a small, round object) Step 1: Setting Up the Disk Start by securing your kumihimo disk onto a flat surface. Then, measure and cut 8 or 16 strands of embroidery floss or braiding cord to the desired length. Step 2: Attaching the Threads to the Disk Next, attach the threads to the disk by threading each strand through a different slot on the disk, then tying a knot in the center of the threads. To secure the threads in place, wrap a piece of tape around the knot. Step 3: Braiding the Kumihimo Cord Start braiding by placing the threads in ...