More Kumihimo Experiments

As I've said previously (read: ad nauseum)........I love kumihimo.  The possibilities are endless and the weaving works up to be a beautiful piece - in just about every material.  The only blip on the radar for me is the finishing of the ends - I haven't stumbled upon a way to add the clasp (of choice) that I am entirely happy with..........hence more experimentation!

I started with some 2mm satin cord - really really love how it looks braided....................to start the braid, I slipped the round toggle end through the cords, then started braiding.  I really like how it looks - clean and secure:

To finish it I added the bar part of the toggle and then using macrame knots, added a decorative end and left the tails flowing - after adding some gold seed beads and knotting the ends of each strand.  

Not entirely in love with it, but it flows nicely and the overall bracelet looks good.

The bracelet feels good on and the "streamers" don't really get in the way - I suppose I could cut them off and glue the ends so the satin doesn't ravel..................will have to work with it a bit.

Using some black cotton cord and a copper washer, I started the next project the same way I've started a number of macrame projects - folded the cords in half, then knotted the cords around the washer

and started braiding from there. It holds nicely but looks a little more casual than the bracelet.  Once at the other end of the necklace I added the toggle bar and once again using some macrame knots, finished it up but this time cut all the ends off and glued them so they wouldn't unravel.

I like this look - but the cotton cord is thinner than the satin cord and it was easier to hide the ends when done knotting.

To complete the necklace, I used one of my previously etched copper pennies as a focal

and *Voila*, it's a necklace!

Copper Work

My muse does not seem to care that in this transitional home I am now living, there is no place to set up to do the sort of work she is compelling me to do. But, when it comes to art, you just have to find a way to do it.  So, I pulled out the things I could

copper flashing (reclaimed as scraps from a top secret project going on down the street - we don't want to get our sources in any hot water), hammer, shears, steel block

various sized punches (along with some not pictured leather tools I've had for many a year)

I couldn't find my saw blades (lots of things still in boxes) so I drew something that I knew I would be able to cut out with the shears - a leaf.  I had a leaf template (saved from some packaging or another)that I traced onto the copper, then using the shears pictured



  I cut out the leaf design.  I filed the edges then proceeded out to the driveway with hammer, copper leaf and steel block, to pound the copper and shape the leaf.  (really excellent instructions on working with copper, hammer and punches on ganoksin)

 It's not done yet.......it needs more definition and some clean-up work, but I'm encouraged by how the whole project is coming along..........studio or not!