A Beginner's Guide to Kumihimo
by Donna McKean-Smith · Published by Search Press
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Winners:
Sample Projects
Meet the Author
Hey there, can you introduce yourself?
I'm Donna proud mother to 3 wonderful boys and self confessed beading addict! I founded Riverside Beads & Crafts in 2001 and my passion for crafting and beading has grown ever since!
Tell us a bit about the book?
Kumihimo is an ancient Japanese Braiding technique, my book helps anyone to learn everything they need to about Kumihimo and develop their braiding to incorporate beads, read Kumihimo patterns and create beautiful projects using a round Kumihimo disk.
What was the inspiration behind it?
I have been passionate about Kumihimo for many years and love nothing more that sitting and creating new braids, I was working on the book for a couple of years to create my favourite designs to include.
Which is your favourite project?
All the projects are named after my family, I love all the projects but I have a soft spot for the "Margaret" necklace which is named after my Nan and is a stunning feature project.
What is your craft space like?
I have a studio/office attached to my home, looking out into the garden so I can "work/play" and still be part of family life. I love my space and working in it inspires my creativity.
Have you always been creative?
Yes, I have made polymere clay charecters since I was 5. My Grandma used to travel to see my auntie in America and always brought back the latest crafting supplies which we did together.
When did you first start crafting?
When I was 5 I started with the polymere clay charecters, I used to make all sorts but one of my favourites was little pigs!
Who are your crafty heroes?
I love Pru McRae, she's a Kumihimo enthusiast too!
Where do you find inspiration?
I take colour inspiration for nature all the time, but the wonderful collection of beads we have in our shop make selecting colours easy too!
What's next for you?
At Riverside Beads & Crafts we are a very busy place, open 7 days a week with a daily workshop program too, inspiring others to learn new things through our wonderful classes. I'm always creating new projects and designs for kits and classes for the shop too, I hope to carry on with all of this and maybe work on some top secret projects behind the scenes too!
