kumihimo bracelet maker |how to make a kumihimo square and round disk | free patterns

This post shows you how to make kumihimo disks and how to use them.

Before you buy a kumihimo disk, it is worth checking whether you will use it and whether it will not be another unnecessary gadget in your drawer. This miracle is done in no time and is a lot of fun.

What is kumihimo ?

Kumihimo is a traditional Japanese technique of braiding cords to create decorative patterns. Kumihimo square and round plates are tools that are used to make kumihimo braids. They are made of foam or plastic and have slots around the edges to hold the cords in place

What is the difference between round and square kumihimo?

The square plate can produce flat or rectangular braids, while the round plate can produce round or spiral braids.

Kumihimo is a fun and relaxing hobby that allows you to create your own jewelry from simple materials. It is easy and quick, and the result is stunning!

How to make kumihimo round disk?

Materials needed to make round disk

To make a kumihimo disc , you will need the following materials:

• a piece of cardboard, but you can also use other materials such as: plastic thick lid styrofoam bowl or the best and most durable foam coasters for glasses cost pennies and will serve you as a kumihimo disk for a very long time
• a compass

Step by step tutorial

Using the template or compass, draw your kumihimo disc

free template for kumihimo round disk

Mark four points and cut

What do you need to make a round Kumihimo bracelet ?

• A round kumihimo disc – you can buy one ready-made or make one yourself from cardboard, plastic, or styrofoam as I showed upper.
• Cord – you can use any kind of cord, such as cotton, nylon, or satin. The thicker the cord, the thicker the bracelet. You will need 8 pieces of cord about 50 cm long each. You can use one color or combine different colors according to your taste.
• Beads – you can add beads to your bracelet for more decoration and sparkle. You can use any beads that fit the thickness of the cord and have holes big enough to thread through the cord. You will need about 100-150 beads for a bracelet.
• A clasp – you can use any kind of clasp for your bracelet, such as a lobster claw, a magnet, or a button. You can also make your own clasp from cord or beads.

How to make a kumihimo round friendship bracelet ?

Here are the steps to make a kumihimo bracelet:

1. Tie the 8 pieces of cord together at one end with a knot or make a loop for a clasp. Thread the cords through the hole in the center of the disc and spread them evenly over 8 slots, so that they are opposite each other. You should have 4 pairs of cords in colors 1, 2, 3, and 4 (or whatever you name them).
2. If you want to add beads to your bracelet, thread them onto the cords before starting to braid. Thread as many beads as you want to have on the bracelet and slide them down the cord, so that they are close to the knot or loop. You can thread beads onto all cords or only some, depending on the pattern you want to achieve.
3. Start braiding the bracelet according to the following sequence:

• Move the left cord from pair 1 to the right slot from pair 2.
• Move the right cord from pair 2 to the left slot from pair 1.
• Turn the disc 90 degrees to the left.
• Move the left cord from pair 3 to the right slot from pair 4.
• Move the right cord from pair 4 to the left slot from pair 3.
• Turn the disc 90 degrees to the left.

Repeat these steps until you get the desired length of the bracelet. If you are using beads, slide them up the cord before moving it to another slot, so that they are visible on the bracelet.

4. Finish the bracelet by tying all cords together at the other end with a knot or make another loop for a clasp. Cut off excess cord and hide the ends under the bracelet. Attach the clasp to both ends of the bracelet or connect them together.

How to make a square kumihimo plate?

Materials needed to make square kumihimo disk

upholstery knife or scissors

foam, cardboard, foam pad at least 6 inches by 6 inches and 1/2 inch thick. You can use any kind of foam, such as styrofoam, polystyrene, or polyethylene. Make sure it is clean and dry.

ruler

free pattern for kumihimo plate

a permanent marker

Step by step tutorial

• Download and print my free pattern for the square kumihimo plate. It is a PDF file that you can open with any PDF reader. The pattern has a 6-inch by 6-inch square with 32 slots on the edges and a rectangular hole in the center.
• Cut out the pattern along the solid lines with scissors. You should have a paper square with slots and a hole.
• Place the paper pattern on top of the foam piece and trace around it with a pen. Make sure the foam piece is large enough to fit the pattern.
• Cut out the foam piece along the traced lines with scissors or a craft knife. You should have a foam square with slots and a hole that matches the paper pattern.
• Label the slots on the foam piece with a permanent marker .
• You have just made your own square kumihimo plate from foam with my free pattern! Now you can use it to make flat braids with different cords.

What do you need to make a flat Kumihimo bracelet ?

To make a flat braid with your square kumihimo plate, you will need the following materials:

• Four strands of cord, about 50 cm long each. You can use any kind of cord, such as cotton, nylon, or satin. You can use one color or combine different colors according to your taste.
• A clasp or a button for the closure of your braid.

How to make flat kumihimo bracelet ?

Here are the steps to make a simple flat braid with your square kumihimo plate:

1. Tie the four strands of cord together at one end with a knot or make a loop for a clasp. Thread the cords through the hole in the center of the plate and spread them evenly over four slots, so that they are opposite each other. You should have two pairs of cords in colors A and B (or whatever you name them).
2. Place one pair of cords in slots 5 and 8 on the top edge and slots 6 and 7 on the bottom edge. Place the other pair of cords in slots B and C on the right edge and slots A and D on the left edge.
3. Start braiding the cords according to the following sequence:

• Move the left cord from slot 5 to slot 6.
• Move the right cord from slot 8 to slot 7.
• Turn the plate 90 degrees to the left.
• Move the left cord from slot B to slot C.
• Move the right cord from slot A to slot D.
• Turn the plate 90 degrees to the left.

Repeat these steps until you get the desired length of your braid.

Check out my photos they show it in the easiest way.

4. Finish your braid by tying all cords together at the other end with a knot or make another loop for a clasp. Cut off excess cord and hide the ends under your braid. Attach a clasp or a button to both ends of your braid or connect them together.

This is what the weave looks like in close-up

What are kumihimo finishing techniques ?

Some of the common kumihimo finishing techniques are:

• lighter and end caps, tie braid in knots, light them with a lighter and insert it into the end cap, you can use this method depending on the material from which you made braid

• Glue, beading wire, and end caps. This is the easiest way to finish your kumihimo braids, using a glue like E6000 and a pair of end caps that fit the diameter of your braid. You tie off your braid with beading thread, cut off the excess cord, coat the end of the braid with glue, and insert it into the end cap. You can also add a clasp or a charm to the end cap for more decoration.
• Eye pin and cone. This is a way to finish your kumihimo braids with a more tapered look, using an eye pin and a cone that covers the end of the braid. You fold the end of the braid in half, insert an eye pin through the center of the folded cords, and twist it to secure it. Then you trim off the excess cord, slide a cone over the eye pin, and bend it into a loop. You can also add a clasp or a charm to the loop for more decoration.
• Whipped knot and wire. This is a way to finish your kumihimo braids with a more rustic look, using beading thread and wire. You remove the cords from the disk, tie a whipped knot around the end of the braid, and cut off the excess cord. Then you wrap a piece of wire around the knot, twist it to secure it, and form it into a loop. You can also add a clasp or a charm to the loop for more decoration.

These are some examples of kumihimo finishing techniques that you can try for your own projects.

I hope you liked this post and it helped you learn how to make a kumihimo plate from foam or simple cardboard with my free patterns and how to use it to make a flat and round braid. If you have any questions or comments, please write to me in the comment section. Thank you for reading and have a nice day! 😊

In this post you learned how to make two types of kumihimo disks : round and square and how to use them to make beautiful bracelets.