Kumihimo
I have seen this mentioned on a knitting loom group and got interested in checking it out. I watched a U-tube video on the process and have checked out some different sites for this type of work. I think it is so neat, but wow the prices for these braiding looms. You'd think they were covered in gold plating for the amounts I have found them for.
So when you want something, just to give it a try, then do it yourself. I now have one small loom built. It has been made from an old plant stand. The stand has a top and bottom and legs. I turned bottom around to be the top, and the hubby drilled the center hole that is necessary for the braid to go through. Now I just have to sand the thing so it is smooth and won't catch at the thread and snag it and I will have a simple little marudai stand to work with. I will be working at that sanding over this next weekend. It is a small little thing but I am only wanting to give this a try.
For the tama, I will just use some of the old fashioned clothes pins that look like this Clothes Pins . I certainly have enough of them in my crafting box to use them for this with plenty left over. I have them for those little crocheted angels that fit over the clothes pins and are so darn cute.
I haven't figured out the weights yet but that is simple enough, a bag and something to match the weight of the tama (clothes pins) (not the exact weight but the half weight). Then I will be able to play. That is as soon as I have the extra time to do so. I figure I will start with some of that massive amount of threads I have built up over the years. I have some really neat threads in all types of material.
Then I am also working at putting together a little hand held loom. I have the center hole drilled and the hubby is going to notch the edges for me. That too will need some sanding to make it smooth. So I have a lot of sanding to look forward too. Gee it has been a while since I worked any wood projects.
So if I decide that I like this, I have the material for a larger sized loom. I found the top and bottom and have some wood pieces I have been hanging on to that would make really neat legs, but before I put in the extra work on that one I want to give this a little try. Need those looms finished first.
My hubby also showed me yesterday that he got me some MDF material to make some knitting looms. They are not really long but wide and deep enough to make an adjustable loom. Some time we will have to get around to working on those.
Oh all these projects and so little time to play getting them finished.
Labels: Just for Fun, Other looms
posted by Amoonsinger at 9:57 AM
4 Comments:
I did a quick search and found some really beautiful bookmarks at www.braidershand.com. I'd love to see what you braid keep us updated with some pics as you go along.
There are a couple of places where there are sample braids. One of these has a very beginner braid that I just might start with. It is a simple braid with a heart in it. I did some sanding on the loom yesterday but just a bit. Most of my free time is going into the ripple on the loom to finish it.
Oh, please post some pictures of your Kumihimo loom that your husband made from the planter. I'd love to see it. I have been thinking about giving this a try myself. Just haven't had the time with the end of the school year and all.
I know what you mean about the price of them too. I looked around and was kind of shocked that some of them were $200+ dollars. I then looked at same of the little plastic like disk that they have. I am not sure but I worried that it might fray the yarn/string that I'd use (It might not but I wasn't too sure of it either.)
I LOVE it when someone takes things around them and make it into something else. Even better yet is that you wanted a Kumihimo loom and you all just looked around and made something into it. I love that in people. Not as many people can or do this anymore. I think it's wonderful that you all did it!
Please if you do post some pictures let me know. I'd love to see the loom (I keep calling it a loom but I think they call it something else. You know what I am talking about though) and some of your work.
I also wanted to tell you that I love the look of your Lacy Trails Hat. Very nice!
Well I better get off my computer so I can get some work done today.
Take care,
Dora Renee' Wilkerson
I said on my blog that I was going to use the clothes pins for the tama but I found something yesterday that will work better. They are called Red snap'r donut corner electric fence insulators.
I bought them on my way to work and since we have a scale I weighted them there. They turn out to be just slightly under 23 grams, so would fit the smaller of the tama.
Today when I go to work I am going to weight out how many pennies it will take to make the half wait of two of these donuts (measuring for two will be easier on our UPS scale). Then I will know how many pennies will be needed for the counter weight that I need.
Actually the hubby only cut the center hole for me. He doesn't really have wood working tools but he is a locksmith and has lots of different sizes of bits for drilling holes for locks, but he has made me other things. He turned my shuttle winder into a combination shuttle bobbin winder for my tatting, he made me bead spinners, and he made me huge tatting needles out of dowels to use other large materials on. I come up with the ideas he brings them to finish for me. He's a pretty neat guy. He is also the one who sanded to a very smooth texture a knitting board that was snaggy and put a nice finish on it.
I still need to do some sanding on this one but I will try to get a picture this weekend. I have some of my ripples to post also.
The name of the stand is called a Marudai, it translates to English as the same name, Marudai. The Marudai stand has the kagami or mirror which is the flat top with the recessed area (some are not recessed), with the legs (can be different heights), and the bottom. The tama are bobbins. LOL, I did a little research into Kumihimo braiding.
Anyway, I guess you are right in that loom isn't correct for the name.
I have a couple other hat patterns, I just haven't finished putting them together while I have been busy with the ripple piece.
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