Kumihimo Lupine Necklace

1. Cut eight 36 inch lengths of C-Lon Bead Cord (CLC).

2. Working at one end tie all eight cords together in an overhand knot.

3. Using a 2.5 inch collapsible eye needle, string 51 Miyuki 8/0 seed beads onto one piece of CLC cord.

4. Wind the cord onto a plastic bobbin, leaving about six inches between the beads and the knot.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 on three more pieces of cord.

6. String 50 Swarovski 4mm pearl beads onto two pieces of cord.

7. String 50 Miyuki Long Drop Beads (LDP) onto the last two pieces of cord.

8. Pull the knotted end of the cord through the hole in the Kumihimo Disk, with the bobbins on the numbered side. Use a piece of cord to tie a weight to your knot, a spare set of keys works well.

9. Hold the disk face up with #32 at the top. Each number corresponds with the slot to its left. Place the cords with 8/0 beads into slots 1, 9, 17, and 25. Place the cords with Swarovski pearls into slots 16 and 32. Place the cords with LDP beads into slots 8 and 24.

10. The weight should hang freely to ensure even tension and each cord should lay flat and taut on the face of the disk. Lower the bobbins as needed to maintain a couple of inches of cord between the disk and beads throughout braiding.

11. Bring the top right cord (slot 1) down to the right of the bottom two cords (and into slot 15).

12. Bring the bottom left cord (slot 17) up to the left of the top cord (and into slot 31).

13. Moving the disk counterclockwise, make a quarter turn so that the next pair of cords are positioned at the top (slots 8 and 9).

14. Bring the top right cord (slot 9) down to the right of the bottom two cords (into slot 23). Bring the bottom left cord (slot 25) up to the left of the top cord (and into slot 7).

15. Make a quarter turn counterclockwise so that the next pair of cords are positioned at the top. Bring the top right cord down into the slot on the right of the bottom two cords. Bring the bottom left cord up into the slot on the left of the top cord.

16. Continue in this way until all of the cords have been been moved and are back in the original order as described in step 9 (the slot numbers will have changed).

17. Check the underside of the disk to ensure the braid is forming correctly. You may need to adjust your weight or undo a portion of the braid if it appears there is an error. Continue until 3/4 of an inch of braided cord has formed.

18. Continue braiding as before until a cord carrying 8/0 beads is in the top right position. The basic movement across the disk is the same: top right cord down, bottom left cord up. Prior to moving the cord across the disk slide one 8/0 bead to the center of the disk.

19. As the cord moves down to the right be sure the 8/0 bead catches under the adjacent cords.

20. Repeat with the bottom left cord adding a second 8/0 bead to the braid.

21. Make a quarter turn counterclockwise and bring the top right cord down to the right, adding a third 8/0 bead.

22. Bring the bottom left cord up to the left adding a fourth 8/0 bead.

23. Repeat step 21 to add a Swarovski pearl bead.

24. Repeat step 22 adding a second pearl bead. Take special care when adding the pearls that they are catching under the adjacent cords. If the beads are popping out of place the tension may be too tight.

25. Make a quarter turn counterclockwise and bring the top right cord down to the right, adding a LDP bead.

26. Bring the bottom left cord up to the left adding a second LDP bead.

27. Allow the weight to hang freely while holding the disk. Check the braid periodically to make sure the beads are sitting correctly.

28. Continue adding beads to the braid until they have all been used. The final bead should be an 8/0.

29. Continue braiding the cord for another 3/4 of an inch.

30. Identify the four cords that were not most recently braided. Remove these four cords from the disk and tie a surgeon's knot. Pull tight to secure.

31. Remove the remaining cords from their slots. Immediately tie all 8 into an overhand knot at the base of the braid to prevent unraveling.

32. Cut about twelve inches of C-Lon size D beading thread. Tie the thread around the braided cord, about 1/4 inch from the closest 8/0.

33. Wrap one end of the thread around the braid a few times and tie. Wrap the second end of thread in the opposite direction and tie. Repeat as needed to ensure the braid is bound tightly.

34. Place a drop of Hypo Cement on the final knot to secure.

35. Cut off the end of the braid with a sharp pair of scissors, being extremely careful not to cut into the binding itself.

36. Take a ball pin and bend the bottom 1/4 inch over to a 90º angle. Carefully pierce the braid with the ball pin just beneath the binding. Pull the braid down the pin until it rests against the bent section.

37. Bend the longer side of the ball pin up past the binding and pinch it together with the ball end to form a triangle. Center the remaining wire above this triangle. Add a drop of E6000 or Hypo Cement to the end of the braid.

38. Slide the bead cap down the wire and over the binding. Slide an 8/0 bead onto the wire.

39. Make a wire-wrapped loop directly above the 8/0 bead.

40. Use a 6mm jump ring to attach a six inch length of chain.

41. Repeat steps 32 - 40 on the other end of the braid.

42. Use a 6mm jump ring to attach a lobster claw to the end of one side of the chain and attach a 6mm jump ring to the other side.

Boreal

Estuary

Prairie

Meadow

Reef

Savanna

Tidal

Tundra

Vernal