Tutorial kumihimo disk II

I hope you have fun weaving the braids. As I promised here are a few more pattern you can practice with the disk.

Honeycomb braid in kumihimo disk:

Flat braid in kumihimo disk:

Rounded flat braid in kumihimo disk:

Hollow braid in kumihimo disk:

Enjoy...!!!

Tutorial Kumihimo Disk I

I discovered Kumihimo a few months ago....so I am still a beginner, but I will try to show you some of my basic knowledge.

Kumihimo started as a finger-loop braiding and the tools, the marudai and takadai, were used to make the weaving easier. The modern and cheaper version of these tools is a disk made of flexible foam or plastic with small cuts on the periphery to insert the threads. The disk has 32 notches as the one you see in the picture bellow.

You will need a disk and color treads. Different material, number of strands and color will give you different results and patterns. You can use ribbon, yarn, string, silk thread, etc; all depends of your creativity. You can also add beads in the weaving.

First thing you need to do is cut the threads. Determine the final length you want and then multiply the length by three. This will give you a good final size.

Then arrange the threads on the disk and begin to weave. You will cross the threads in a different manner to obtain the different patterns.
So let's learn the basic procedure and then we can get fancy. Here are a couple of  links with very good explanations.

Kumihimo tutorial posted by RubberStampRosie in YouTube
Kumihimo tutorial posted by Artbeads

Bellow are the basic patterns for the round and square braid.

Round braid in kumhimo disk:

Square braid in kumihimo disk:

Practice this two types of braids and when you are comfortable move to the more complex ones.
I will post patterns for other types of braids later, and you can also try the Kumihimo plate to create a flat braid.

Also, when you fill comfortable you can check this free software by Rosalie Nelson Braid Runner that will allow you to design your own color patterns.

Enjoy...!!!

Making Boxes for Two Parts Putty Molds of Found Objects

Step by Step tutorial of how to make boxes for molds of found objects with two parts putty.

Materials:

- Thin paperboard (you can recycle your cereal or cracker boxes)
- Ruler
- Pencil and eraser
- Scissors
- Scotch tape
- Two parts putty or silicon mix
- Found objects

1. Draw a square of the size of your object and draw 3 more squares of the same size on the side and 1 more on top.

2. Cut the piece and slightly bend the paperboard along the lines and fold along the lines.

 

3.  Tape the ends together and then tape the bottom. You can make the box as shallow or as tall as you like.

4.  Mix the 2 parts putty. Usually the mix starts setting in one minute, so work fast on this step.

5. Push the mix inside the box and insert your found object. Press the object once and firmly in order to make the impression, and let the object set for about 20 minutes or as long as your putty needs to cure. (see instructions in the package). Do not wiggle or re-accomodate if you want crisp details.

6. When it is cured remove the box and the object and you will have your new mold.

I use these molds to make PMC (precious metal clay) jewelry, but you can use them for other purposes like polymer clay or even food. Good luck..!!!

Making Flat Molds of Textures with Two Parts Putty

Step by Step tutorial of how to make flat texture plates with two parts putty.

Materials:

- Pasta machine
- Two parts putty or silicon mix
- Rolling pin
- Medium size ceramic tile
- Textures, found objects, leaves etc.
- Styrofoam (take out boxes or used meat trays)
- Pen or stylus

1. Select the materials you would like to get textures from. If you want to use leaves, it works better if you press them inside a phone book for a few days, so they are flat. You can draw your own texture on Styrofoam with a pen or stylus, use fabric, lace or any texture you like.

2. Mix equal parts of two parts putty. I use this "Amazing" putty that does not stick, is not oily and is food grade. The mix usually starts to set in 1 minute, so work fast.

3. Make a thick snake and pass it through the pasta machine in the thickest setting one time or until smooth. Remember you don't have much time before the mix starts setting.

4. When you have the mix ready and flat, you can add your texture. I usually work on top of a ceramic tile or glass surface. You can do the next step two ways.
  a. You can put the leaf, like in this case, and press it with the rolling pin. Two firm passes should be enough if you want crisp details. Do not press to hard or many times because the shape will be distorted and you will lose the details.
  b. If you are using your Styrofoam texture, you can put the putty on top of the texture and then press with the rolling pin. Again remember not to press to hard or too many times or you will lose the detail. In the picture below I am working over a ceramic tile and I have one leaf on the bottom and one leaf on top. This is going to be a double sided texture plate.
Either way works. Your pick.

5. Let the mix cure about 20 minutes or according to manufacturer directions. Remove the object (leaf) and your texture plate is ready to use.

The textures plates have a very good detail, they are flexible and they are about 3 mm thick.
Good luck...!!! Next time I will teach you how to make mold boxes for two parts putty.

Welcome to Bunny Whisper Jewerly

Hello and welcome to Bunny Whisper Jewelry Blog. Here is one of the bunnies that inspire my creations. I have a passion for crafts, jewelry making, nature and gardening. I am originally from Argentina and I try to keep my heritage alive by cooking Argentinian food at home. I will try in this blog to show you some step by step tutorials of jewelry techniques, share the beauty of my country with some recipes, pictures and stories of Argentina and tell you about my gardening adventures. I hope you enjoy my blog and thank you for visiting. Come back soon or subscribe to my blog if you prefer to receive the news in your email.