Monthly Newsletter - Issue 98                                                             October    2018

THINGS IN THIS NEWSLETTER
October Kit of the Month #1 - "Not Just Another" Kumihimo Edge Bead Necklace
A New Braiding Fiber! Kumihimo JUBILEE Ribbon
October Kit of the Month #2 - 20-strand Naiki Gumi Bracelet - Jubilee Ribbon
To Weight or Not To Weight
San Miguel de Allende - Festival La Calaca - Here I Come!
Thinking it Through - Designing
While Supplies Last - Give it a Try - 6" THICK Disk $2.50
The BEST Kumihimo DESIGN Tools for BEADED and FIBER Braids!
Kumihimo Links...


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Greetings!
Hello Braiders,   

How can it already be October? Summer went by so quickly and Fall is here. The pine needles are falling  o ut of the trees at record speeds. I feel like all I do is sw eep up pines needles and clean them out of my garden and then I start all over again. It never ends. The leaves are starting to change colors and it is a really beautiful time of the year in the Sierras. 

Mount Rainier
September found us traveling north through Oregon and into Washington. This photo is our first (an d only) glimpse of Mount Rainier. The clouds parted  and we stopped to enjoy a magnificent view of this amazing mountain. We had a great vacation! 
 
 
 
The October Kit of the Month is called "Not Just Another Edge Bead Necklace". This is a new technique with a different bead loading and counting sequence. The main fiber is my newer Kumihimo Rayon Filament accented with satin cord. Give it a try. There are 5 colors to choose from! 

I am also really excited to share a new braiding ribbon I discovered called Kumihimo JUBILEE Ribbon. Try it on both the Foam Disk and Marudai and have fun experimenting with different braid structures. The colors are ohhh-la-la beautiful! Have fun!  
Check out the 20-strand Naiki Gumi Jubilee Bracelet Kits!

And last but not least, a w
arm welcome to all of What a Braid's new subscribers and regulars customers. I appreciate all of you so much!  Thank you.

Happy Braiding,

October Kit of the Month - "Not Just Another" Edge Bead Necklace!
call this necklace kit "Not Just Another" Edge Bead Necklace because it is a 
new take on the old edge bead technique. 

While it looks similar, it is quite different. In addition to the bead loading and dropping sequence being different, the new necklace is made up primarily of Kumihimo Rayon Filament (KRF) with Petite Satin Cord as an accent.

Believe it or not, this is an 8 strand Kumihimo Round Braid (Kongoh Gumi). The addition of the beads makes the beaded section "appear" to be a flat braid but it is indeed the round braid.  
The style of this necklace is well suited for shorter lengths however I have provided enough material in the kit to make up to a 20" necklace; my preference is closer to 18". The instructions are written for the longest length (20") but you can easily adjust the size to any shorter length simply by choosing where you want to finish & trim the end sections. You can also make bracelets using the same technique. 

You will need: Kumihimo Disk (I use either the  standard thickness or the THICK mini disk), 8 Bobbins, Scissors, Tape Measure,  Fray Block, Glue (I like Weldbond). 

You should know: Kumihimo Round Braid (Kongoh Gumi) and how to drop beads. For a reminder on dropping beads, check out  Kumihimo Tips #14.
Kumihimo Rayon Filament


Kit includes:

New!  Kumihimo JUBILEE Braiding Ribbon - 7 Colors 
It's been like Christmas around my workshop. I have been receiving so many new arrivals and I am so excited to share them with you.

This beautiful new ribbon, Kumihimo Jubilee Braiding Ribbon ( KJR) ,
Examples of Naiki Gumi 20-strand in colors Harvest, SeaDream & Carnival
is fresh in my shop. Imported from Italy, this 9.5 mm wide Nylon braiding ribbon is fantastic. The colors are gorgeous, saturated and almost iridescen
t. I can't decide which one I love most.  KJR can be braided as a stand alone fiber (all ribbon) or mixed with other fibers like Kumihimo Satin Cord and Kumihimo Shimmer Yarn. 
 
Oh, and it braids equally beautifully on the Foam Disk or Marudai!  


20-Strand "Round" Bracelet (Naiki Gumi) - Jubilee
20-strand Naiki Gumi Bracelet - Jubilee "Sedona"
The 20-Strand "Round" Bracelet is really, really fun and really, really addictive. This is a round version of the Naiki Gumi! The Naiki Gumi braid structure is hollow and naturally collapses to a flat braid. In this braid, we insert a core which makes the braid "round". The possibilities are endless and one idea leads to another and then to another. Learn the braid structure and then expand from there. 

You will learn:
The instructions for this kit are comprehensive and complete. You will learn a new braid structure, the 20-strand Naiki Gumi.

You will need: Kumihimo Disk (I really like the BeadSmith Mini ($3.00) - I like the way it fits in my hands but feel free to use the 6" disk if that's what you have, 20 Bobbins (I use the small plastic EZ Bobbins - sort of optional - since the bracelet strands are relatively short sometimes I don't use the bobbins, however, if I am using a novelty Kumihimo cord that is plied, I find it is good to use the bobbins), Scissors, Tape Measure, Needle & Thread and Glue (I use WeldBond). WeldBond is available at some craft stores as well as Ace Hardware stores. 

You should know:  In this kit, I teach you the 20-strand braid structure. That being said, this is probably not a good place for a beginner to start although I have seen success with new braiders. It probably helps to have some experience. Proceed at you own risk. I have tested this pattern in classes as well as with individuals with no help. Some of the braiders were quite practiced and some braid only a couple of times a year. Everyone was successful. Everyone agrees "If you read the instructions from start to finish before you begin, it will be a cinch!" 
Jubilee Sandstone
 
Kit includes:
- Kumihimo Jubilee Ribbon (KJR)
- 3 Colors Kumihimo Satin Cord
- Round Magnetic Closure
- Core Insert
- 6 pages of instructions with photos and diagrams

To Weight or Not to Weight 0n a Foam Disk
To use Weights or Not to Use Weights. This seems to be the million dollar question this month. In this instance, I am talking about the weight that is sometimes attached to the tail of the braid when braiding on a foam disk. It can be a weight like the one pictured or it can be a weighted object (like a key or hexnut, washers, etc) that is attached to the tail. 

There is no right answer and no wrong answer. It seems to boil down to how you learned to braid. If you learned to braid with a weight on the tail that is probably what you still do. If you didn't learn to braid with a weight, you probably don't use one. As long as you produce beautiful braids that's what counts! A successful outcome is the true measure of the method you choose to use.
 
If you do use a weight on the tail of your braid there are some two things to note:
 
1. The heavier the weight, the looser, softer or more flexible your braid will be. Think of it this way: Imagine a weight on the tail of the braid. Under this tension the braid is stretched. When the weight is removed, the braid relaxes and the result is a softer braid. The effect is increased as you use more weight. It is up to the braider to assess the end result and decide if it is what is desired.
 
2. No weight will likely produce a braid with more firmness. 

Sometimes a weight on the tail of the braid makes getting started easier for less experienced braiders. The weight tends to hold the braid in place and feels more steady.

For the most part, I do not use a weight on the tail of my braid when braiding on a disk. Some exceptions might include a particular braid structure or the use of some novelty fibers (usually stiff fibers). 


Keep an open mind. Be open to possibilities! Remember, there is more than one way to do most things! Experiment and try new methods! 

If you have other questions that you would like me to discuss, send me an email at karen@whataknit.com.

What a Braid is Going to Mexico - October 29th - November 9th.
I am thrilled! An opportunity came up for me to go to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to participate in the celebration 
Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead).

It is the 
Mexican  holiday when people celebrate and honor loved ones who have passed away.

In San Miguel de Allende, in central Mexico, instead of welcoming the dead at midnight November 1 in graveyards, the folks in San Miguel de Allende throw a weeklong public party-the Festival La Calaca  (the Skull Festival). It features several parades, all-night celebrations, art installations, dances, talks on the dead, plays, public altars in homes & streets around the Jardin, children's workshops where young ones paint skulls and then more parades. It will be spectacular. Click here for a video about Festival La Calaca .


I will be in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico from October 29 through November 9th.
I will also be scouting out possibilities for a Kumihimo Retreat in the future. 


Thinking it Through...
A number of you wrote to me asking how to use a single bead as a tassel like Judy did in the necklace she shared last month.

Sometimes all it takes is looking at something and then coming up with options of how it just might work. 

Here are some ideas.

Clue #1: There are 16 beaded strands coming put of the tassel bead therefore there are 16 strands to work with.

Clue #2: There are two braided ropes coming out of the top of the tassel bead. Each beaded rope is an 8 strand braid.

Clue #3: Thread your 16 strands through the tassel beads and tie a knot to keep them in place.

Clue #4: Braid two separate 8-strand beaded braids.

Clue #5: You can use the Kumihimo Bead Designer APP to figure out your own beaded pattern (more info below).  

I encourage all of you, as you gain experience, to do more of your own designing. Often times, it is just a matter of thinking things through! Happy Braiding. 
BeadSmith 6" THICK Foam Disk
Not to be confused with the 4.25" (diameter) THICK MINI (20mm), I am offering the 6" (diameter) THICK (20mm) Disk at a "GIVE IT A TRY" price;
Regular Price  $4.25,
Now $2.50 each (while supplies last).   


Click here for Kumihimo Tools & Supplies. 
 


Kumihimo DESIGN Resources
To my What a Braid NEW SUBSCRIBERS!!

I posted this last month and I am posting it again. These are fabulous resources for those of you that want to design your own patterns. Whether you braid with all fiber or all beads, these two resources are invaluable!  


For FIBER BRAIDS in a wide variety of braid structures try:
www.craftdesignonline.com You can choose a braid structure, the number of elements , your own colors and you can create your own pattern. Your disk "set-up" will be generated for you in seconds. This is free! What a gift. 

For BEADED BRAIDS, you MUST get the APP called Kumihimo Bead Designer (Android and Apple). This app costs $19.99 and it is the best money you will ever spend if you like to design beaded braids. You simply select the number of elements, your own color palette, put the colors where you want them and the app generates your bead loading sequences. It's very simple and absolutely a "must have" for designing beaded braids. There is no more math, no more figuring, it's all right there. Nothing short of pure Genius! I have an iphone and I have the app on my iphone.  You will love it. 
 
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