| Monthly Newsletter - Issue 95 July 2018 |
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Hello Braiders,
I hope you are all enjoying summer and that you had a great 4th of July!
Crazy busy here with the Reno Convergence Conference. It
 was one week of classes, marketplace shopping, exhibits, lectures, tours, etc. I had a great time teaching my favorite 2-Day Kumihimo Workshop, "Many Faces of the Kongoh Gumi". I had a great group of braiders.
I have lots and lots of fun new thi
ngs t0
tantalize you! I brought in some beautiful
handpain
ted porcelain pendants and porcelain focal beads.
Oh! Happy dance...My latest shipment of Kumihimo Rayon Ribbon,  Kumihimo Rayon Gimp and Kumihimo Rayon Filament just arrived. I can't keep this in stock. Order now while I have it. This fiber is super beautiful. The new Kumihimo Rayon Filament looks and feels like silk and the colors are amazing. The holidays are coming so plan ahead!
I have also added an array of slider beads. I am trying to  encourage you to braid gorgeous fiber braids and then embellish them with porcelain, ceramic and metal slider beads. The sky is the limit!
The July Kits of the Month are a variety of fiber multi-braid necklaces embellished with focal beads. The fist version is all Petite Satin and the second version is a combination of Petite Satin and KRR. They are loads of fun. I wish I had time to sample all the color combinations I think up!
And last but not least, a warm welcome to all of What a Braid's new subscribers and customers. The What a Braid tribe is over 5,000 and growing. I appreciate all of you so much!
Thanks.
Happy Braiding,
karen@whataknit.com
530-448-3624
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July Kit of the Month - Two-Braid Necklace with Porcelain Focal Bead
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This necklace is very easy to make and is made up of two gorgeous
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Make sure to check out all 5 color ways! |
braids. There are 2 versions of the Two-Braid Necklace. The first necklace is all Petite Satin Cord with 2 braids of "Spot" pattern and the second necklace is made up of a combination of Petite Satin Cord and Kumihimo Rayon Ribbon with a braid in the "Spot" pattern and another in the "Spiral" pattern. The pattern makes a necklace up to 24" (plus or minus depending on braider). You can also make the necklace shorter if you like. The finished braids are threaded through the porcelain focal bead and end caps are attached. It's that simple and so much fun. Think of the possibilities!
You will need:
Kumihimo Disk, 8 Bobbins, Scissors, 2 scraps of string each 8" to 10" long (for Lark's Head Knots), Tape Measure, Sewing Needle & Thread (to finish ends), Glue (I like WeldBond).
You should know: Kongoh Gumi or Round Braid (Left up, right down or Right down, left up).
Kit Includes:
- Braiding Fiber (either all Petite Satin or Petite Satin & KRR)
- 1 Porcelain Focal Bead
- 1 8mm All-in-One Magnetic Closure
- Instructions
- Cost: $24 to $26
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Braiding Fibers!
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Frilly Novelty Yarn (Front)
Shimmer Tubular Yarn (Back)
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From Petite Satin Cord, to the fun Frilly Yarn to the Sparkling Shimmer Yarn, to Ribbon and Gimp and Filament there's no shortage of choices for you.
If you haven't tried these gorgeous fibers. the time is now. It is a real treat.
The Ribbon, Gimp and Filament are all variegated (to more and lesser degrees) and you can do fun things with matching color repeats that you can show off in your braids. Lots of fun.
Click here for Kumihmo Braiding Fibers!!
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Kumihimo Rayon Filament (Front)
Kumihimo Rayon Ribbon (Back)
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Beautiful Porcelain Pendants & More!
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Oh, you are going to have so much fun with these. The fun is in the creating. Choose a focal piece, select
fiber or beads and braid an ensemble that you will enjoy wearing or sharing.
When you take a look at these pendants on the
What a Braid website, you will see the dimensions and hole sizes.
Choose some Kumihimo Rayon Ribbon (KRR) or some Kumihimo Rayon Gimp (KRG) or Kumihimo Rayon Filament (KRF). Combine fibers and add complimentary colors of Shimmer or Petite Satin. Don't be afraid to experiment. Trust your creative instincts.
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Embellish with Slider Beads
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Simplicity. Once single slider.
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ve all colors in two sizes: Medium and S
maller. The holes size is identical only the height is halved on the smaller slider. There
are many more colors on my website!!
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One silver slider (left) 3 Smaller Porcelain Sliders (right)
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New! Mystery Stainless Steel Magnetic Clasp
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Just kidding! It's not really a mystery but it is a little tricky at first. This is an awesome shiny Stainless Steel magnetic, glue-in clasp. It reflects light like crazy and it sparkles!
As you can see in the photo (top) there is a full end cap (looks like two halves put together). In the photo below you can see that there are the two pieces. On the right end of the braid there is an insert that snugs in nicely into the end cap on the left end of the braid.
The trick to this end cap is that you have to glue both ends of the braid into the clasp assembly (top) and when the glue is 100% dried, you can pull the end with the insert out from the clasp. It's really quite nice. But you have to wait for the glue to completely dry. I use WeldBond Universal Glue and I get it at Michaels or Ace Hardware. It's one part glue that is odorless, dries in an hour and cures in 24 hours. Wait at the very least a few hours before trying to pull the end cap apart!
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Back in Stock! Teardrop Fringe Necklace in Rainbow Teal
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Back in Stock for those that missed out. This is a great looking
necklace. T
he Rainbow Teal with Geometric Teal Teardrops sold out ins
tantly and I have br
ought more in. There are 4 color ways total and they are all equally b
eautiful.
The Rainbow Teal with Geometric Teal Teardrops
is shimmering blends of blues and greens.
Kit Includes:
- 1 Spool C-Lon BeadCord
- 3 or 4 colors 8/o Toho / Miyuki Seed Beads
- 1 color 6/o Toho / Miyuki Seed beads (except Colorblock Swirl colorway)
- 17 Glass Teardrops
- Wide Eye Needle
- 4mm Acrylic Magnetic Glue-in Clasp
- Instructions
Cost $42 -$44 (4 color ways)
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All 3 Colorways Now Available!!
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You must love this one because no matter how many I have, they all sell out! This necklace is such a beauty and with the holidays around the corner it is none to early to start making those special Christmas gifts.
Kit Includes:
- 1 Spool C-Lon BeadCord
- 4 colors 8/o Toho and/or Miyuki Seed Beads
- 1 Hand-painted Porcelain Pendant
- 2 Porcelain Pony Beads
- 1 Porcelain Cheerio Bead
- Wide Eye Needle
- Barrel Bead for Adjustable Closure
- Instructions
Cost $42 (3 color ways)
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Drop Beads Galore! Baubles, Teardrops & Pips
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Kumihimo Artist of the Month - Philonese Simmons
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Kumihimo Artist of the Month: Philonese Simmons
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In this Kumihimo Necklace, Philonese combines beads with the Kumihimo Rayon Ribbon (KRR-H).
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From: River Forest, Illinois
Philonese has been one of my customers for quite a long time and from time to time she makes my day by sending me photos of her Kumihimo creations. She also shares her own helpful hints.
Philonese lives in River Forest, Illinois a suburb of Chicago.
She took her first jewelry making class about twelve years ago, but found simple stringing boring. When she saw a Beads, Baubles and Jewels show on peyote bead weaving, she knew that's what she had been trying to do. She started taking classes at the bead shop (Bead in Hand in Oak Park). She also took classes at the Bead and Button show. She met a woman that invited her to a monthly beading group and she continued to learn techniques there. One of the women in the group got into Kumihimo and she taught those that were interested. Whether it's bead weaving or Kumihimo, Philonese finds both to be meditative, relaxing and creative. Philonese is now retired and works part time in the same bead shop. She displays here creations for sale and she teaches classes in various techniques. She keeps busy with 6 to 9 craft fairs a year selling her creations!
In the necklace above, Philonese made a braid using some "continuous beaded" elements combined with
Kumihimo Rayon Ribbon elements. Beautiful and very creative!
Thank you Philonese.
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Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram
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What a Braid has gone Social
and this is where I introduce some of the mid-month "special" kits.
So make sure you:
Follow me on Pinterest!
Like me on Facebook!
And you can also Follow Me on Instagram!
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What a Braid Monthly Newsletters
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Reminder....
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Copyrighted patterns are not to be copied, shared electronically, given to friends or members of the guild or used for teaching purposes
without express consent of the author. What a Knit or What a Braid patterns are for your personal use. Feel free to sell your creations but remember to give proper credit to the Designer. If you decide you want to write a tutorial,
it is not appropriate to "borrow" parts of a copyrighted pattern. Thank you.
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Please share this newsletter with your Kumihimo friends!
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