If you've mastered the basic 8-strand Kumihimo braid but would love to take it to the next level, then this project will be right up your alley. Without learning anything new, you can make a simple braid look very classy just by working with a different stringing material and adding beads. In this project, you'll learn how to make a Kumihimo braid with leather cord, how to add beads and then how to make your bracelet adjustable by tying a sliding knot - no clasp required.  Here's what you'll need: 1mm ReaLeather Cord : Gold, Silver and Black (look for it at Michaels under the Bead Landing label) Seed beads with 1mm or larger hole : approximately 24 each of transparent gold and pearl white Cousin Trinkettes large hole bead 2 x 23mm gold filigree bead cones G-S Hypo Cement ReaLeather Kumihimo disk scissors How to Create the Kumihimo Braid Cut three 1m (39") lengths each of gold and silver cord and two 1m (39") lengths of black cord, Align the ends of the cords......

I am so excited..... All Free Jewelry Making has just announced it's top 100 most popular jewellery designs for 2012 and my Kumihimo bracelet tutorial was on that list! Yo u can see the project  here with complete step-by-step photos and instructions. Making Kumihimo braids is a really easy technique to learn and something that even children can master. There are a lot of different uses for the braids:  I made an extra long one and used it as my lanyard at CHA last week and it received so many admiring comments - it always surprises me when something so simple catches people's eye! It makes great necklaces and with the addition of a wonderful focal bead it can easily be given the Wow factor. It also makes a great keyring chain. And you are not restricted to using rat-tail; you can use a variety of different cords and fibres to make the braid. So pop on over to All Free Jewelry Making to see all 100 of the most popular designs  here . They're split into categor......

I'm in the midst of preparations for CHA at the moment and have lots of different projects on the go and one of those is a lanyard for my name badge. The ones given to attendees are purely functional, and frustratingly, I always find mine turns itself back to front so that when you meet someone and they look down at your name badge all they see is the back of it. It doesn't seem to matter which way you wear it, it always flips itself over again. Not surprising really, as they are secured by just one point at the top of the badge so no amount of fiddling with it will prevent this phenomenon from happening. But this show, I'll be wearing one that is a lot less likely to flip over; it will be attached by the two top corners and it's made from a sturdy Kumihimo braid. And whilst you might not have the need of a lanyard, this particular braid is also really suitable for jewellery making so let's get to and make a Kumihimo bracelet. You'll need four 1 metre (39")......