…compilation of tutorials
I’m browsing from time to time Project Gutenberg and found last time a book about spool knitting from 1909. They have mittens, bed shoes, a baby ball and much more, all made from I-cords.
It feels to me like a book from the 70th’s ;-))
Perhaps I do a little rummage to play with my knitting spool once more ;-)
Links:
Spool Knitting, by Mary A. McCormack
I found recently the blog of Gabriela Marková. I’m very glad about, because her (German) book ‘Kumihimo – Flechtkunst aus Japan’ ‘Kumihimo – Flechtkunst aus Japan’ was such a help for me to learn Kumihimo.
In this book she describes not only different braids, but she always encourages the reader to play around, to try new braids, colour combinations and so forth.
It really was the right book for me ;-)
On the photo you see one of my braids, and I’m almost sure, that it is a Edo Yatsu braid ;-)
If you want to give the Edo Yatsu braid a try, check Gabriela Marková’s blog entry.
Links:
Kumihimo blog of Gabriela Marková
Kumihimo Edo Yatsu braid
The link isn’t available no more.
Gabriela Marková’s German book ‘Kumihimo – Flechtkunst aus Japan’ (English)
At Amazon.de:
Gabriela Marková’s German book ‘Kumihimo – Flechtkunst aus Japan’
Kumihimo here at : unikatissima :
Kumihimo beads here at : unikatissima :
Once I took a class for Kumihimo braiding – that is a japanese technique for braiding cords.
I really enjoyed the class and the work with the marudai, but I can’t afford to buy one. And although I found a tutorial on how to make your own marudai I prefer now to work with a cardboard disk. I braided for hours during train journeys. I can’t do this with a marudai ;-)
I didn’t find many instructions on how to make kumihimo cords in internet (see those I found below), so I will present my own.
On the photo you see my cardboard marudai and a braid I’m working on. I changed the pattern several times to get a more interesting appearance.
What you need:
(click or scroll to go to the instructions below)
What you do:
(Click on pictures to enlarge)
Fold the threads in half and knot all together at the fold.
You have now 8 threads, connected to each other at one side.
Wedge the threads into the cuts as seen in pic. 1.
The knot is in the middle.
Cling your little weight to the knot of the threads. It provides a certain tension on the threads.
Braid: Move the threads as seen in the pics 2 and 3 to the desired length.
After four moves you must have a ‘real’ cross again, otherwise you made a mistake.
But don’t worry, after a little practise you will see which thread should be moved next.
With 100 cm/39 inches you’re using quite short threads, but they tend to entangle anyhow. Therefore you must pull them free at every round. When the treads become longer, see to it to use some (self-made) bobbins.
The finished braid is a lot shorter than the threads, but I don’t know no factor.
Have fun
(and check the links to find more patterns)
I worked a lot of cords with different yarns in matching colours, included funky yarns and strands of beads and simply braided them together to get a big necklace:
And then I worked several braids with sewing yarn in matching colours, included metallic threads. Every braid has another braiding pattern. They are supposed to be a necklace, but up until know I haven’t finished it yet.
Cardboard marudai template (click picture to enlarge)
Links:
Wikipedia: English entry for ‘Marudai’
Wikipedia: English entry for ‘Kumihimo’ – German entry for ‘Kumihimo’
Self-made Marudai and bobbins:
Tutorial on how to make your own marudai
At Gabriela Marková’s Kumihimo blog:
Check the entries labelled with ‘Equipment’
Kumihimo braids:
Check Gabriela Marková’s Kumihimo blog
An instruction for a Kumihimo braid with 12 threads (with diagrams)
An instruction for a Kumihimo braid with 8 threads (German) (PDF-file) (with diagrams)
An instruction for a Kumihimo braid with 16 threads (German) (PDF-file) (with diagrams)
Diagrams for Kumihimo software, can be used as pattern (with diagrams)
See also how different your braid looks when changing the order of the threads or of moves (with diagrams)
An interesting pattern (with diagrams)
A pattern with 16 threads (with diagrams)
An instruction similar to mine (English) (PDF-file) (with diagrams)
An instruction for a Kumihimo braid with 12 threads (English) (with diagrams)
An instruction for a Kumihimo braid with 16 threads (English) (with diagrams)
An instruction for a Kumihimo braid with 8 threads (English) (with diagrams)
Linklists about Kumihimo:
Squidoo
Shelly Gillmann’s Kumihimo Links
Sometimes you need some cord and one fun and fast way to make one is fingerloop braiding (for tutorials see Links below).
It is a medieval technique and I used it several times with good results.
On the photo you see two of my self-made cords.
The most difficult part is for me to get the cord evenly, because you must adapt to the loops become shorter while working.
But it is only a question of practising ;-)
Links:
Fingerloop.org:
Basic Braiding Instructions
Phiala’s String Page:
Basic Braiding Instructions
Fingerloop braiding for two or more people
The Tudor Costume Page:
Making Finger Braids (many explaining photos)
Hochmittelalter Infoseite:
Fingerloop Braiding (German, very good illustrations)
I mentioned the clothesline crochet before when I described the Simple Cro-Tat.
But because I find clothesline crochet a handy technique when I want to work something stiff (for a little bowl e.g.) I wanted to present the tutorial on how to make clothesline crochet in the round with its own entry (tutorial see links below).
Priscilla Hewitt has also other clothesline crochet tutorials and tipps about what yarns and what clothesline to use (see links below).
On the photo you see my attempt on crocheting such a little bowl.
I used quite a thick string and crocheted with crochet cotton, which is rather thin.
Because I’m always working very loosely, I could never have created a bowl with this yarn.
The clothesline crochet technique made it possible.
Links:
Tutorial on how to make clothesline crochet in the round
Other clothesline crochet tutorials and tipps
Addendum of February 2009: The links above don’t work anymore, you can find the instructions for the clothesline crochet now as PDF (about 540 KB) at Priscilla’s Crochet – Free Pattern Index, check there for ‘Clothesline Crochet’.
Here at unikatissima:
Simple Cro-Tat