Customer Reviews

Making Kumihimo: Japanese Interlaced Braids

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For anyone who has Owen's other book, Braids: 250 Patterns from Japan, Peru and Beyond, and thinks you will be getting more patterns to be used on the marudai loom, think again. I built the loom from the first book and thought this was other patterns for flat braids I could use on it. This book is about weaving on a completely different loom, a takadai loom. He does give a diagram of all the parts of the loom if you want to build one but doesn't include any dimensions. I could follow most of the instructions for the braiding but had trouble in spots where he made leaps over information a beginner would need. Someone who weaves already might have a clearer understanding of the instructions.

To my shock...there was nothing in the description that mentioned that if you want to make anything in this book you will need about $700.00 in equipment and supllies!

Other than that it is a good technical book with lots of pretty pictures and instructions.

Making Kumihimo is a thorough treatise on braiding techniques using a the takadai (lit. "high stand"), a Japanese braiding stand. Braids produced on the takadai have a wide, flat structure well-suited to projects such as sageo (the traditional braid used to tie on a samurai sword), bookmarks, and belts. Gorgeous, wider projects are also possible -- see the book (and search the web) for the works of Richard Sutherland for examples.

This book has two-fold value: First, it provides an extensive introduction to braid setup and working techniques for takadai braiding. Second, it has a wealth of clearly presented braids broken down into five chapters: plain and colour-and-weave patterns, rep braids, edge and center patterns, double braids, and pick-up braids. This coverage of technique and patterns alone is enough for years of exploration. Better still, the thorough exposition opens the door to even more braid structures and patterns available in works by Japanese kumihimo authors.

Darn I should have read the other reviews. I looked at the pictures and thought I could do them on one of my looms - but no it's for a way more complicated loom. Rats I should have not bought this since I am a complete novice!

The equipment needed to make these kumihimo braids is the Takadai, not Maurudai. It is an excellent book for takadai braids, covering color and weave patterns, rep braids, double weave braids, pick-up designs, texture and edges. The illustrations and directions are excellent. Most of these braids could be done with fingerweaving techniques. The takadai is just the elegant solution for this technique. Fingerweaving books: A Manual of Fingerweaving, Fingerweaving Basics

To read about the various types of kumihimo and for a bibliography go to http://www.weavershand.com/