Carolyn's Profile

Miyuki has released a new beading thread called Dura-Line. This 100% polyethylene thread is being marketed as an alternative to Fireline, Nanofil, and other Dyneema/gel spun polyethelene fibers. Polyethylene is the most common form of plastic on the planet, making everything from shopping bags to Kevlar thread. The advantage of... Continue reading

Posted Sep 2, 2018 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Virtual Class Coming Soon

I'm pleased to announce that I will be teaching a virtual class for the American Kumihimo Society. This class will be teaching the basics and variations of the Edo Yatsu braid, also known as the hollow braid. Edo Yatsu is my favorite braid and is a great structure where simple... Continue reading

Posted May 26, 2017 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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I'm sure you can do it!

Commented Sep 22, 2016 on S Twist and Z Twist Kongo Gumi at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

American Flag Bracelet Pattern

Just in time for your Fourth of July celebrations, I'm publishing the first of what I hope will be a series of "snapshot" tutorials. An advanced beginner braider should be able to follow the diagram and notes to create the braid shown in the photo. I am interested in any... Continue reading

Posted Jun 24, 2016 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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S Twist and Z Twist Kongo Gumi

Kongo gumi, also known as the round braid, spiral braid, hard braid, or strong braid can be formed in two different directions. Each way gives you a similar looking braid, but the two braids are mirror images of each other. The two formations are called S twist or Z twist,... Continue reading

Posted May 30, 2016 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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I've been published!

I'm pleased to announce that I am now a published kumihimo author! A tutorial I devised for creating a beaded Edo Yatsu (aka hollow braid) has been included in the Kalmbach Publishing Kumihimo Fiber and Bead Jewelry Special. It's now available on news stands, at your local bead store, and... Continue reading

Posted May 20, 2016 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Carolyn is now following SandyNRichard

May 20, 2016

You're welcome! Nothing is worse than not getting the results you want, and I hope this helps you out. On 5/20/2016 3:28 PM, TypePad Notification wrote: Typepad HTML Email Hi Carolyn, SandyNRichard has left you a comment: Wow, Carolyn! This is a well-organized, excellently photographed ( and labeled ) and laid out .. and very helpful .. article! Short & sweet but the quality of a college project. Thank you so much for the very helpful info. You no doubt saved me a lot of trial & error confusion and frustration of having to figure this out on my own, not to mention wasted time and money, as I am just learning about the art and craft of Kumihimo. _Richard Status: Published Options: Unpublish

Commented May 21, 2016 on Matching Cord and Beads in Kumihimo Braiding at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

Thank you! On 5/20/2016 4:53 PM, TypePad Notification wrote: Typepad HTML Email Hi Carolyn, SandyNRichard has left you a comment: Thank you for this great, informative post, Carolyn. Status: Published Options: Unpublish

Commented May 21, 2016 on Beads for Braiders Info-torial #1: Size 8/0 seed beads at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

You're welcome! On 5/20/2016 5:43 PM, TypePad Notification wrote: Typepad HTML Email Hi Carolyn, SandyNRichard has left you a comment: Very helpful. Thank you, Carolyn. Status: Published Options: Unpublish

Commented May 21, 2016 on Buttonhole your braid at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

I'm so glad you've found my site helpful. I want everyone to have a good braiding experience, and being knowledgeable is the best way to do that. On 5/20/2016 5:59 PM, TypePad Notification wrote: Typepad HTML Email Hi Carolyn, SandyNRichard has left you a comment: Thank you, Carolyn. This and your other articles definitely supply a lot of helpful info to those of us just learning about Kumihimo. Status: Published Options: Unpublish

Commented May 21, 2016 on Product Review: Kumihimo Handle at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

Thank you for the comment, I appreciate it! On 5/20/2016 6:14 PM, TypePad Notification wrote: Typepad HTML Email Hi Carolyn, SandyNRichard has left you a comment: Thanks, Carolyn. Good article; great photos. Status: Published Options: Unpublish

Commented May 21, 2016 on Mixing Bead Manufacturers at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

Preparing Imposter for disk braiding

Silk is the traditional material that kumihimo is made with in Japan, in bundles of thin thread that are either prepared by the braider or purchased in pre-cut lengths. As silk is not always an economical choice, a product made from rayon or nylon called Imposter or Biron is also... Continue reading

Posted Jan 10, 2016 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Mixing Bead Manufacturers

One of the questions that seems to be coming up in forums lately is what happens when you use beads from different manufacturers. It's one of those things that I never think about, because I like the differences in texture that mixing manufacturers can give you. Others want their beaded... Continue reading

Posted Dec 26, 2015 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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You're welcome, Daniel! I'm glad you found this helpful and I hope you braid happy. Carolyn On 11/3/2015 3:48 PM, TypePad Notification wrote: Typepad HTML Email Hi Carolyn, Daniel Shearer has left you a comment: THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH for this post! I am so glad to have come across this. It was a HUGE help and now I can finally make a decision on what size of C-LON to purchase! THANKS AGAIN! :) Status: Published Options: Unpublish

Commented Nov 4, 2015 on All About Nylon Beading Cord: S-Lon, Superlon, C-Lon at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

Hi Rebecca, Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad you found my information of use. One of the reasons that I started doing kumihimo is that I wanted something that would be easy to make but still fancy in order to show off beaded pendants and beads so I think your idea will work just fine. I have the beaded cord sizes in the posts about the individual bead sizes, but on average a 6/0 seed bead braid will be about 9mm, an 8/0 one will be about 7mm, an 11/0 one about 6mm, and a 15/0 one will be about 5mm. Carolyn

Commented Oct 8, 2015 on Matching Cord and Beads in Kumihimo Braiding at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

While I primarily design my own work, sometimes...

While I primarily design my own work, sometimes you want to take the easy method and do someone else's pattern. In this case it's Daggers and Dots by DMK Artisan Jewelry. My version is done in tones of green and with pellet beads as the "dots." A very substantial and... Continue reading

Posted May 7, 2015 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Product Review: Kumihimo Handle

First, I'd like to apologize for not posting in such a long time. Sometimes life just gets in the way of your hobbies! But I'm back now with a review of a new and controversial kumihimo product, the kumihimo handle. Developed by a man hoping to help his arthritic wife,... Continue reading

Posted Apr 10, 2015 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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It's come to my attention that the "subscribe to...

It's come to my attention that the "subscribe to this blog" feature is not working. I am trying to get it fixed, but until then please follow my facebook page. All updates to the blog will be posted on the facebook page. Sorry for the problems and thank you so... Continue reading

Posted Jan 9, 2015 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Thank you, Pat! I'm glad you find my posts useful.

Commented Jan 1, 2015 on All About Nylon Beading Cord: S-Lon, Superlon, C-Lon at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

All About Nylon Beading Cord: S-Lon, Superlon, C-Lon

What is S-Lon, Superlon, C-Lon? S-Lon, Superlon, and C-Lon are brand names for the same product, a plied and bonded nylon string that is very popular for use in kumihimo and other jewelry braiding. S-Lon and Superlon are the brand names used by The Beadsmith/Helby bead distributors, and C-Lon is... Continue reading

Posted Dec 27, 2014 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Tex is not just a cowboy

One of the biggest questions I get in response to my blog is "what does Tex mean"? I realize it's an unfamilar term, but it's simply the metric unit of measurement for string, cord, and thread. You may be familar with the imperial measurement term, denier, from hosiery. Tex is... Continue reading

Posted Nov 19, 2014 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Matching Cord and Beads in Kumihimo Braiding

Some of the most common questions I get from my students and see in on-line forums are about why a fully beaded kongo gumi/round braid doesn't work out as expected by the maker. While there are many reasons this can occur, the main issue is usually some sort of mismatch... Continue reading

Posted Sep 22, 2014 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Beads for Braiders Info-torial #4: Size 15/0 seed beads

Eight element kongo gumi/round braids with beads are one of things that are drawing people to the art of kumihimo. Because it is quick to learn and has a world of possibilities, people who don’t have a background in either fiber or beading arts are finding themselves drawn to braiding.... Continue reading

Posted Sep 1, 2014 at Kumihimo Disk & Plate

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Thanks, Linda, I appreciate the support.

Commented Jul 9, 2014 on Beads for Braiders Info-torial #3: Size 11/0 seed beads at Kumihimo Disk & Plate