Japanese Kumihimo Bracelets

About a month ago, I learned about "kumihimo"--the art of Japanese braiding. It's a very beautiful art with many different types of intricate patterns that can be made with a variety of materials, from yarn (which is what I used) to silk. You can either use a small handheld wheel or a stand (I forget what it's called), but either way, the positioning of the threads, colors, and thickness can all determine what type of braid you make. On the handheld wheel, you move the threads to a certain position and turn the wheel clockwise, repeating the pattern as the braid is fed through the hole in the middle of the wheel. It's something you probably have to see for yourself in order to understand fully

Anyway, unfortunately, there aren't many patterns available online; most you have to get from books or other resources that aren't usually free. This is a pretty common pattern I've found through searching online.

I chose the colors red and white because they represent the country of Japan; the red symbolizes passion and intensity, while white represents purity and peace. I wanted the bracelets to sort of resemble the ropes that hang from the bells in Shinto shrines (the ones I've read about), which spurred me to add a little jingle bell to the bracelets as well. It sounds just lovely!

I'll be selling these at my table at AnimeNEXT; I don't know if they'll be a big hit, but I do know I have about 10 left to make I put my heart and hands into them, and I like the message they carry, so why not. ^.^