What is Kumihimo

Kumihimo, a type of Japanese braiding that came to mean all types of Japanese braiding then a shorthand for braiding on a Madurai and typically a foam disc. And now, at least should only, represents stand and bobbin braiding. Stand and bobbin braiding is exactly what the name implies, a stand of some type is used to hold the braiding and bobbins are used to hold and dole out the threads. In kumihimo, there are two main types of stands, a column and box.

‘Hey, that’s a little simple isn’t it, I know what a marudai and takadai are?’ Yes, that is a little simple, but if you look at the marudai, kakudai, dai-marudai, and o-marudai stand they all share a common profile, a top supported on four legs usually equally spaced giving an impression of an open cylinder or rectangle on end. The braid hangs and builds vertically off the top of the stand as if trapped in a column. The bobbins typically weigh less in the marudai family than the takadai family and are also counterweighted by the weight at the end of the braid to keep the braid from falling. It’s this counterbalance between the end of the braid and the bobbins that create the tension for a good braid.

Now the box class of stands, takadai, ayatakadai and karadumidai all utilize a more squarish box profile. The braid builds more or less horizontally from the back of the stand. The bobbins in this case only provide tension and a place to hold the threads. The framework of the stand holds the braid in place.

It’s the use of the stand and bobbins to hold the braid in place and provide the necessary tension that makes kumihimo work. The other defining feature of kumihimo is that each thread is it’s own element of the braid and is moved independently of all other threads. This is unlike loop braiding, where each thread represents two elements and are forced to move in unison.

And as usual, this is just an introduction. The origin of the word kumihimo will be featured in a future post and why it shouldn't cover loop braiding is covered in my Kumihimo vs Kute-Uchi post. The stands may get their own posts that define what differentiates them.