KUMIHIMO STARTER KIT KUMILOOM DISK/BOBBINS/BOOKLET/CORD

Kumihimo (koo-mee-HEE-mo) is a Japanese word for a braided cord. A centuries-old art form, now you can do it with the KumiLoom, a modern, easy-to-use braiding disk!

This kit also contains the fantastic EZ-Bob cord-handling bobbins, making the work much easier and faster; a set of practice cords; and a 10-page booklet of instructions for the round braid!

In the early 8th century, when the Buddhist religion spread in Japan, people began to use decorative braids in ceremonies. The making of these beautiful, usually silk, braids became an art, and later, people used colorful braids to decorate their clothing, hang ritual banners, lace samurai armor together, tie robes, and decorate weapons. Braids can be found in many cultures, but the Japanese developed the highest order of braiding techniques and complexity.

Now, braiding adds an elegant finish with so many different uses. Using easily available cords, here are some examples of what you can do with this kit and different cords (hang your jewelry as we did here!):

Today, you can create beautiful Kumihimo with the KumiLoom, the modern braiding disc. The notches provide the correct tension, so you don't need hanging weights. The cord winds up into the individual flexible bobbins, so you keep a compact workspace, but easily and quickly feed cord as you braid. There are 8 bobbins in this kit; if you decide you want more (both for more involved Kumihimo projects as well as great cord storage devices) I normally have them in other auctions.

So many uses! Your braids can be used to hang jewelry, for coiling on gourds or baskets, or as a purse handle. Braided cords are also used for eyeglass cord, cell phone loops, lanyards, light pulls or curtain ties, clothing, key chains, leashes, zipper pulls, binding, decoration, costumes...there's no end to uses for intricate braided cords.

You will get a kit that includes:

• KumiLoom: 6 inch diameter, 12mm (about ½ inch) thick, the best Kumihimo disk available!
• 8 plastic cord bobbins (these are the well known EZ bobs)
• 10-page booklet of instructions for the basic round braid (both 8 and 16 strand), finishing instructions, color pattern setup suggestions
• 8 strands of practice cord, enough to get started (colors vary)

Want to see how easy it is? Just go to YouTube and search for "kumiloom" to see a short video.