Yeah I am Still On My Easter Holiday

I hope you all had a great Easter.  The weather here took a turn for the worse but their was an abundance of Chocolate Eggs to compensate for this.  Sadly the upshot of this is I will be joining Weight Watchers later this week!  Oh dear, it feels like a very guilty confessional.  Moving swiftly on to matters that make me happy. . .
I have finished my 'Ring', my six inch ring for The Annual Exhibition for The Guild of  Weavers Spinners and Dyers.  Members were invited to submit an 'un-selected' piece of work to be displayed at the exhibition.  All of the 'Rings' will be displayed together in July.   I can not say I am happy with the results but I am happy it is finished!  I used my hand spun beaded yarn to weave, crochet, Kumihimo Braid and 'Flower Loom' my way to completion.  I have not used a flower loom for decades.  I had a yellow plastic 'Flower Loom in the seventies and would make colourful flowers when I was a kid, I don't know what I did with them, but that is the beauty of being a kid, you don't feel obligated to do anything with them, creating for the pure sake of creating.

One of our Guild Members makes these looms, this is the one I used today.  I had forgot how much fun making these little flowers is.  I also enjoy Kumihimo Braiding and whipped up my little 'loom' from the plastic  lid of a coffee tin.

I braided Beaded 'Flower Yarn' and made sure the little flower bead were on the outside of the braid.

I used 'Butterfly' beads for extra 'Flower Meadow' effect (also to hide lumps and bumps, but don't tell anyone)!  I am sure it will look wonderful displayed, if viewed from afar through squinted eyes.
          I have also been working on more crochet.  The little black hexagon is coming on nicely.  It just doesn't like to be photographed.

It likes to pretend it is a square, or a pentagon. . . anything but a hexagon.  I have high hopes for this hexagon.  The main thing it has going for it is...

It folds neatly into this shape. . . or . . .

This shape.  I could not for the life of me work out in my head how a hexagon could fold into either of these shapes.  I had to see it with my own eyes. . . trust me it works. . . a hexagon into these shapes, fancy that!   I think they have great potential.  I will keep you posted as to their progress and the plans I have for them.
          Over the Easter Weekend my Blog Counter blasted through 100 000 hits.  It caught me a bit unawares.  I had planned another 'Give Away' as 100 000 hits feels like a big deal to me as I am only a little Blogger at heart.  I have waited for months for my Blog Counter to reach the magic number.  I will get organised and post about 'The Give Away' asap too.  Thanks for following me, I admire anyone who manages to hang on in there and read my ramblings.  'The More the Merrier' so they say.  I also appreciate all of your comments too,  it is great to know you are out there.  XXX

Kumihimo-Japanese Braiding - Another Great Craft Activity For Adults And Children

Kumihimo is a Japanese word for this craft (kumi = to braid, himo = cord). I first saw this technique for braiding at my first visit to my local Birmingham and District Guild of Spinning, Weaving and Dyeing.  Most Guilds offer a varied programme over the year and many skills and crafts involving yarn are shared and taught, both formally and informally.  This is something you can pick up in an instant, it is very quick and easy to learn, a great portable activity for adults and children alike.  This activity is ideal for a craft lesson, 'camp craft', or therapeutic craft activity.  It is very creative, below is a video link for the simplest syle of Kumihimo braiding, on a small homemade 'loom'.  You can buy or make more complexed looms for a greater number of strands of yarn or thread, many bought kits include instructions.  Many different effects can be achieved by varying your yarns and techniques. 

The braids can have many uses, embellishing other crafts, key chains, bracelets, spectacle straps, laces and hair accessories. 

There are numerous possibilites. 

The resulting braids are very strong. 

I use soft, flexible, circular plastic lids to make my own 'looms', rather than buy one.  I like the idea of recycling something and putting it to creative use and I like the idea of saving my money for other craft pursuits.  You can use strong cardboard but this 'soft' plastic is ideal and more durable.  You can use the 'loom' again and again.  I find they are easy to make with very sharp scissors, I simply snip little V shapes, these seem to hold the threads neatly.  Also the slight lip on the lid helps to grip the loom and the threads. 

Sometimes you do not have a suitable lid available and it is a shame because you have to go and buy a tube of sweets and eat them up quick, just because you need the lid!

All of the above braids were made on an eight space 'loom'.  If you search the web you can see many different 'looms' and styles.  It is possible to get a variety of effects by following different patterns and sequences of braiding, with varied threads and yarns.  This afternoon I made my first sixteen space 'loom' to experiment with.  I will let you know how I get on...