San Francisco Giants Kumihimo Necklace

Third grade is when my son Rowan first started having "Business Day" at school. His friend Lucas sold rubber band bracelets and was making an astronomical $25 ("Class Cash") per bracelet! So Rowan and I decided to do some research and find a bracelet to make that was sturdier but just as "cool." We went to our local beading store Legendary Beads where we discovered the Kumihimo Disc. We learned the technique on YouTube and at the next Business Day, Rowan sold all his bracelets. (He used his earnings to buy more rubber band bracelets, but "C'est la vie.")

We have since expanded to make necklaces too, and the orange and black SF Giants design is by far the most popular. Rowan is even getting orders from total strangers who love the necklace he wears day and night. The necklace he is making right now is for our local librarian, who is buying it as a birthday present for her brother. It takes about an hour to make the necklace.

What you need to begin:

Kumihimo Disk
5 yards black cord
5 yards orange cord
scissors
E6000 super-glue
magnetic end caps

Time Needed: One hour

Difficulty: Easy

1.) Choose two colors of cord and measure and cut four strands per color. One yard plus 6 inches is enough to make an adult-length necklace, but it will depend on the thickness of the cord. You can also use silk cord, but the kind we are using is cotton, the kind that is used for macrame.

2.) Tie a knot with all eight pieces of cord.

3.) Put the knot through the center of the Kumihimo disk.

4.) Place the black cords in slots 32 and 1 and slots 16 and 17. Place the orange cords in the slots 24 and 25 and slots 8 and 9. 

5.) Pull the bottom left black cord out and place it into the top left slot. Take the top right black cord and place it into the bottom right slot.

6.) Turn the disc counter-clockwise one quarter turn. Pull the bottom left orange cord out and place it into the top left slot. Take the top right orange cord and place it into the bottom right slot.

7.) Repeat 5.) and 6.) until you run out of cord.

8.) Pull all the cords out of the disc.

9.) Get out the E6000 glue. Cut the cord straight across and put the glue inside the magnetic end cap. Put the cord inside the end cap and hold it still.