Last night at the Solent Branch of the IGKT we were treated to Kumihimo; this is a form of braid making originating in Japan. The actual word in Japanese means “gathered threads”
For more detailed information on Kumihimo
Originall Kumihimo cord was created by using the fingers to create the braiding. It then followed that marudai and the takadai were used to make more complex forms of the braid.
I am no expert but I am guessing that the tools we used to create the braid were a version of marudai. The main difference is that the marudai uses weighted bobbins and also a weight to keep tension on the braid that is produced.
In our lesson we used four strands of cord two white and two a dark mauve. Obviously other colours can be used. In our case we used four strands in order to create a simple pattern, but more colours and strands can be used to create more intricate designs.
One thing that everyone commented on was how easy it was to create (mind you we were using the simplest pattern). Also that it was rather pleasant to make the braid, once you got into a routine.
Here are some photos of members in Kumihimo action, click on all photos to enlarge.