How to make a kumihimo bracelet from two sizes of beads - Bracelet weaving course on a kumihimo disk

We start by cutting off four pieces of cord - each one metre long. We connect the pieces together and in the middle of the strings we tie a knot. Make sure you have everything ready on your bead mat! 

We put the strings on the kumihimo disc in the same way as in the photo below - one string on both sides of each of the dots. The focal point is the knot of strings. I marked each string with a number (if I use a specific string number, I mean the number to the right of the incision).

Now we will weave a piece of bracelet without beads - this part will then be glued to the tips. At the beginning we put the string No. 1 - the first from the top left - from 32 to 18, that is, to the first free space from the bottom left (it is important to put the strings in the specific number given).

The first lower string on the right (No. 4) is put into the first free space on the upper right (1st place). Remember to keep the kumihimo disc in the same position at all times.

Now turn the disc over 90 degrees counterclockwise. Check you have done this in the correct way by looking at the picture below. 

Then we again put the first upper string from the left (7th place) to the first free space at the bottom left (i.e. from 8th to 26th place).

The lower right string (6th place) goes up to the first free space on the right (10). If you feel as though you may have made a mistake, go back to the previous move.

Again, turn the disc over 90 degrees - in the same way as before. We repeat the whole process: put the top left string down on the left, put the bottom right string up on the right, turn it. We do this until the strings are on both sides of the dots again. Thanks to this, we should create a piece of braid 6-7mm long that we will use to glue into the end caps.

We thread the beads in two different sequences:

Sequence A: O (onyx), 3xt (TOHO), O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O , 3xt, O, 3xt, O or 13 onyxes 4mm, and between them 12 times 3 TOHO 11/0 beads.

Sequence B: 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O, 3xt, O , 3xt , i.e. 13 times 3 TOHO 11/0 beads, and 12 4mm onyx between them.

Sequence A should be placed on strings 1, 3, 5, 7 . Sequence b on strings No. 2, 4, 6, 8. 

Now we will start working with beads. To begin with, unfasten the string No. 1 and pull closer one 4mm bead.

Hook it under thread number 5, and attach the string in the first lower place on the left, i.e. place number 26.

Unhook string number 4, pull closer 3 TOHO beads and hook them under string number 8. At first, keeping all three beads in the right place under the thread can be difficult, it's best to hold them with your finger when passing the strings.

Attach string number 4 in place 10, making sure that no TOHO beads slip out.

Again, we rotate the disk counterclockwise.

We proceed in the same way: the first upper string from the left, i.e. number 7, we put down on the left (in place of No. 2), making sure that the 4mm bead on it is under thread number 4.

Then put string 6 to place 18, hooking 3 TOHO beads under string number 1 at the same time.

Again, turn the disc over 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Cord number 3 is moved from place 25 to place 11, placing onyx under string number 6.

String number 2 must be in place 27, and three TOHO beads - hooked under thread number 7. We turn the disk over and continue preparing the bracelet in the same way. Let's remember about precision.

We check the length - for example, we need a 15-16cm braid for a 15cm wrist, depending on the type of fastener used.

If the bracelet is already long enough, we weave again a piece without beads, as long as the other side.

In turn, remove the strings lying opposite each other and tie them together.

After removing the bracelet from the disk, cut off excess cords.

Glue on the end caps, add the jump rings and a lobster clasp. Your bracelet is ready!

This is what your bracelet will look like on your wrist, I have combined it with some small TOHO beadede bracelets. The Onyx stone can be replaced with 4mm metal rounds, or anything you wish! 

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