Kumihimo Necklace with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

 

 

Occasionally a design needs to get revisited and updated. Originally in 2015, I designed this Kumihimo Kit with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 as a bracelet kit. Now in 2022, kits for necklaces are available. This is due to a number of requests when I taught this project in a Zoom class. Many of the participants wanted to make necklaces instead of the bracelet offered in the class kit.  

The tutorial for this project has grown from 14 to 22 pages and now includes additional design options.

 

One option shows how to extend the necklace length by adding a section. This way it can be worn at two different length. Here the bracelet is added to the necklace. 

 

Another option shown in the tutorial is how to extend the clasp and peyote sleeve cover width to create a stronger focal point. In this example, the clasp was extended by half and inch.

Here it was extended by a full inch doubling the width and it has a double sleeve cover, widening the diameter at the center of the clasp.

 

Another option now included in the tutorial is to make a more traditional beaded kumihimo bracelet with beads on every cord. The bracelet is a bit heavier, wider in diameter and less flexible. It also has twice as many beads as the regular design with space between the beads, so if you want to do this design, get an extra 20 g bag of Magatam Beads. 

 Or change the cord placement to get a spiral design as shown on the lower kumihimo braid.

 

Before getting a kit, you can view a live demo of the kumihimo braiding process on YouTube. This kit is a great starter kit if you have never done any kumihimo before. It is fun and the instructions are easy to follow. As to starting with a bracelet or a necklace, it really make no difference as to the difficulty level. The bracelet, however, takes less time to braid...

 

> Kumihimo Kits with Long Magatamas and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

> More Kumihimo Kits

>  Earlier Post about the Bracelets

Kumihimo Neckpiece with PIP Beads

Many kumihimo bracelet patterns can be lengthened to make a neckpiece, but not all of them successfully. A neckpiece or long necklace needs special considerations. Some beaded kumihimo braids will roll over and show their backside making them inappropriate for a neckpiece at the base of the neck or a long necklace. They might work for a tight choker, but who wants to wear a tight choker... 

So with this in mind, I took two of the patterns created for the PIP Beads Kumihimo Bracelets and made neckpieces with them. 

This Argento neckpiece is 17 inch long and made using the Half Round PIP Pattern. This pattern has PIPs only on the front and all 8s on the backside. This pattern would not work for a long necklace. For this piece, I doubled the C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord and the Satin Cord length, but increasing them by 1.5 is sufficient and multiplied the beads quantities by approximately 3. I used around 360 PIP beads, and about 12 g of Miyuki 8s for this neckpiece. I loaded the beads in 3 batches to keep the EZ Bobs from overflowing.

These two neckpieces shown here were made with the PIPSs All Around Pattern, so they are bit more dimensional than the pattern shown above.

References

For kits and tutorials go here: PIP Beads Kumihimo Kits and Tutorial

This post continues previous posts on Kumihimo with PIP Beads found here:

Kumihimo with PIP Beads

Compare Kumihimo with Bead Weaving and Crochet Techniques

Kumihimo Earrings with PIP Beads

Kumihimo Bracelet Duo & Necklace Plus Continued - Santorini Colorway

In the previous post, the colorway featured was Place Vendome. 

Here are the photos of the kumihimo bracelets and necklace done with the Santorini colorway.

Oh, and why Santorini? The colors reminds me of the Minoan murals in Crete. Then I thought of the lost Minoan civilization of Atlantis, but the Atlantis has a bit too much attached to its name, so Santorini seemed much more appropriate as a name as it is the island where Atlantis may have been, before being destroyed when its volcano exploded… 

Here is the materials for the Kumihimo Bracelet Duo…

The start of bracelet #1

Bracelet #1

Left shows the back side of the bracelet, nice a soft against the wrist with no beads.

Right shows the front side with the small bead ridge in the center. 

Here are the two bracelet done with this kit. 

Bracelet #1 on the right; bracelet #2 on the left. 

What's intriguing is the texture and color differences between these two bracelets. It is also possible to switch and start with bracelet #2 first, then the color arrangement would be changed. 

Bracelets stacked

The Necklace Plus makes a long necklace and a bracelets, or two necklaces, your choice. 

A handmade glass bead can be added. 

 

The large bead can sometimes slide on over the clasp and beads. 

Other times, depending on the actual diameter of he inside hole, the beads needs to be integrated into the braid. Each bead is handmade one at a time, so inside diameter are not exact. 

The borosilicate bead contains silver globs and dichroic fragments within, giving it life when it moves. 

This pieces were braided with Rayon Bouclé that is space dyed, C-Lon Bead Cord, 4mm Magatamas, these beads are in the form of a droplet, Size 8 seed beads for bracelet #1, gold tone magnetic clasps covered by Peyote Sleeves. The focal large glass bead is an optional add on to the kit. > Get a kit

Kumihimo Bracelet Duo & Necklace Plus

Occasionally a new kit starts with a skein of yarn. 

I fell in love with the texture of the rayon boucle and its colors. 

It is a space dyed yarn with gorgeous colors, but would it work for kumihimo?

I started with the necklace...

Then tried a flat looking bracelet with beads only on the side - it is shown on the left.

It is made with the standard round braid but it looks like a flat braid.

Then I altered it by adding a ridge of smaller beads down it center… See bracelet on right. 

When I finished the first bracelet, I had lots of yarn left, so I added a second bracelet.

The second bracelet has a different bead placement. 

It makes it more interesting when both bracelets are worn together. 

Then I added a focal bead to the necklaces and Peyote sleeves over the clasps. 

This one is Black Starburst - a borosilicate glass with silver globs and dichroic chips inside. 

It is handmade in the USA. 

This one is Silver Moon. Not sure which one I like best… 

Here is what comes with the Bracelet Duo and the kumihimo tools that are needed. 

This colorway is Place Vendome > Get a kit or if you already have all the materials for this project, just the PDF of the instructions.  

Of course this process took some time. I got the skeins in two colorways in February and now it is August. And I still have to package the Necklace Kit Plus and finish the instructions for the Necklace Plus. Necklace Plus? Oh, that's because you can make two necklaces, or one long necklace and a bracelet with the kit.  

I brought this kit to my last show, last weekend in Portland. I only had the Bracelet Duo ready in the two colorways, Place Vendome and Santorini. Santorini sold out… Now, of course I need to post all the pictures showing the Santorini color way. See next post entry. 

Oh, why Place Vendome? The colors reminded me of Paris, the classy colors of the architecture and Place Vendome came to mind. I looked again at pictures of this beautiful square in Paris off Rue Rivoli and yes the colors are similar, with soft greys, soft rusts, some charcoal and some golds and bronze…