Retired - Braided Love Beaded Kumihimo Necklace

Note: Components and tools listed within this INSTRUCTIONS box and the printer-friendly PDF, if available, may have been discontinued since this project was published. Refer to the PURCHASE COMPONENTS and TOOLS AND OTHER SUPPLIES sections for current availability.

1. Start this necklace by first cutting your 6 yards of silver satin rattail into 4 segments, 1 1/2 yards long each. Next, take your lilac purple mix of satin rattail and remove the darkest color purple and also the pinkiest strand. You will not be using these for this project. Take your remaining two strands and cut them in half. You should have a total of 8 strands. Take all their ends, line them up, and tie an overhand knot 1 inch from the end.
2. Please watch the video How to Make a Simple 8-warp Kumihimo Braid Bracelet. You will also want to watch the video: How to Braid Beaded Kumihimo.
3. Thread your strands through the Kumihimo disk and secure with the weight.
4. Carefully untangle your strands if they are twisted and position them in the following slots on your Kumihimo disk (make sure you are looking at your disk with the 32 up top): On the left and right side of the 32 dot, place a silver satin rattail strand. On the left and right side of the 16 dot, place a a silver satin rattail strand. On the left side of the 24 dot, place the darker colored purple satin rattail cord. On the right side of the 24 dot, place the lighter colored purple satin rattail cord. On the left side of the 8 dot, place the darker colored purple satin rattail cord. On the right side of the 8 dot, place the lighter colored satin rattail cord. Make sure you tension is tight, your strands are all securely in their slots, and the knot is in the center hole hanging just slightly down. Wind your cord ends into bobbins.
5. Start to braid an 8-warp Kumihimo braid and do not worry about adding any beads. Just braid as normal. Braid 7". Using a scrap piece of string, tie a bow around the end of your braid to secure it and prevent it from unraveling. Now, take your cords off of your bobbins and carefully tape their ends together (just a single wrap of scotch tape). Remove your braiding from the Kumihimo disk. Slide two of your Murano style lilac feathered large hole beads onto your cords, using the taped tails as a needle to bring all the strands though the hole together at once. Slide one of beads to the 4 1/2" point along the braid (counting from your knot). Slide the second bead so that it just overlaps the last part that you braided (remove the bow you tied earlier).
6. Wind your 4 silver satin rattail cords and your two darker colored purple ones back onto the bobbins. Place a small amount of Crafter's Pick glue onto the tip of one of the lighter colored purple satin rattail cords. Using your fingers, squish the glue into the fibers and then smooth out to create a flat pointed segment. Let dry. Repeat this with the other lighter colored purple satin rattail cord. You have just created two "glue needles" which will make it much easier to slide your beads onto the cords.
7. Slide 10 Toho seed beads size 6/0 in crystal/rose gold lined onto each of your lighter purple cords. Now wind these back onto bobbins.
8. Reposition your cords onto the Kumihimo disk and in the slots in the same order you originally started with.
9. From what you learned in the video on to to do beaded Kumihimo, braid 1 1/2 inches of beaded Kumihimo. You should use up all your beads on each strand. Now braid 1 inch of Kumihimo without beads. Take your cords off of your bobbins and carefully tape their ends together. Slide your large hole Murano style glass heart bead onto your strands and slide it all the way over the 1" of non-beaded kumihimo.
10. Make the second half of your necklace a mirror image of the first.
11. From what you saw in the video about making a simple 8-warp Kumihimo braid bracelet, attach your cord end findings and clasp in the same manner as in the video. You will be using your head pins, cord end caps, jump rings, and clasp.
12. All done!

• BGL-8444 - Murano Style Glass Lampwork Lilac Swirl Heart European Style Large Hole Bead - 25mm (1)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• BGL-8029 - Murano Style Glass Lampwork European Style Large Hole Bead - Lilac Feathered 13mm (1)
  Project uses 1 pieces. You will need 4 packages.


• XCR-3003 - Beadsmith Satin Rattail Braiding Cord 1mm Lilac Purple Mix 4 Colors - 3 Yds Each
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• XCR-3016 - Beadsmith Satin Rattail Braiding Cord 1mm Silver 6 Yards - For Kumihimo
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• JSF-0089 - Toho Round Seed Beads 6/0 267 'Crystal/Rose Gold Lined' 8 Gram Tube
  Project uses 40 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1054 - E6000 Industrial Strength Glue Adhesive (0.18 fl oz)
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.


• BMB-8603 - Antiqued Silver Plated Bead/Cord End Caps Openwork Vine Pattern 11x8.5mm (2)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• FJR-3094 - Antiqued Silver Plated Open Jump Rings 6mm 18 Gauge (50)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• FHP-6340 - Antiqued Silver Plated Head Pins 1.5 Inches Long/21 Gauge (50)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1026 - Crafter's Pick The Ultimate Permanent Glue Cement Adhesive 4 OZ
  Project uses 1 package. You will need 1 package.

• XTL-6095 - Beadsmith Lightweight Kumihimo Round Disc Disk For Japanese Braiding and Cording 35mm Hole
• XTL-6103 - Beadsmith No Tangle Flexible Plastic Thread Bobbins For Kumihimo Or Macrame 1 7/8 Inch (8 Pack)
• XTL-5700 - Fiskars 5 Precision Tip Scissors - Super Sharp
• XTL-5514 - Beadsmith Jewelry Fine Round Nose Micro Pliers
• XTL-5511 - Beadsmith Jeweller's Micro Pliers Chain Nose Flat Nose
• XTL-5600 - Xuron Sharp Flush Cutter Pliers - Wire/Soft Flex