12 Strand Spiral Kumihimo Tutorial

So last week I shared with you the most basic Kumihimo cord, the 8 strand. It’s easy, easy and a great into into Kumihimo. It was so easy, that for some reason I worried that other patterns would be really difficult. I probably made 20 different 8 strand cords before I had teh confidence to move on to a new pattern.

And as it turns out, the 12 strand spiral is just as easy. I knocked 3 out my first night because they’re just that easy. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to see how your different color combinations will look.

For this you will need:

• Kumihimo round disk
• Cords, rattail cords at Amazon, the Etsy shop I used (2mm)
• OR Kumihimo starting set
• Scissors

For the spiral you will need 4 cuttings of your interior color and 2 cuttings of your outer color. I used pink inside and yellow outside.

Cut your interior colors (pink) about a 39 inches long. Cut your exterior color about 45 inches long.

Gather the ends of the cords and find the center. Take and make a firm knot.

Place the knot through the disk from the front.

And lace the disk as seen in the image above… Your interior color, which you have 8 total strands of will go on either side of the tabs marked 2, 14, 18 and 30.

Your exterior colors on either side of the tabs 8 and 24 (the ones marked with dots).

We’re going to divide the disk into two halves, the left and right.

On the left half take the bottom left cord and place it to the left of the top left cord.

Take the top right cord and place it to the right of the only cord on the bottom left.

On the right half, take the cord on the bottom left and place it to the left of the top left cord.

Take the top right cord and place it to the right of the only cord on the bottom right.

Turn the disk.

Take the bottom left cord and place it to the left of the top left cord.

Take the top right cord and place it to the right of the only cord left on the bottom.

Turn the disk and continue the same pattern over and over.

As you work the disk your cord will begin to come out of the backside.

When you get the length you need, grab all of the cords and pinch so that it doesn’t start coming undone on you. Carefully remove it from the disk.

Tie a knot in the end.

You can wear by tying the ends through the knot, much like on an every day friendship bracelet. But I often have a hard time doing that by myself so I knotted up in that very way, and then glued the knot in place. I made sure to squeeze glue inside and all around the knot. Be sure your glue dries clear. I used Aileene’s Tacky Glue.

Take your raw ends and hit them with the flame from a lighter. It only takes a second, but this will seal the ends so that you don’t get unravelling. Be sure that your cord isn’t flammable. I’m using satin rattail.

Since I glued my knot into place, I wear mine like a bangle and just slip in on my wrist. The color combinations you can play with are so fun, too!