I own dozens of beading books, and this one is truly exceptional -- even the book design deserves an award! I am fairly new to 8-strand beaded kumihimo, and this book has clear and well-illustrated answers to all my questions, from selecting the right-sized cord and combining fibers, to braiding with large or multiple sizes of beads, to incorporating pendants and multiple focal beads on a braid. Combs' projects each introduce a new technique, but it's not just "follow these instructions and make what I made." For the various projects, she explains why it works, how to modify it, and how to change the length. Her many "Troubleshooting" pages are invaluable, as are her easy-to-follow explanations of "Kumihimo Math". She also shows you how to arrange both different colors and larger-scale beads (teardrops, magatamas, etc.) to achieve different patterns. Her explanations are so clear, I feel like I'm sitting in the same room with her. I am not someone who usually writes book reviews (this is my first!) and I don't know Rebecca, but she's definitely written a classic.
First of all, I love this book. It is well designed. The instructions are clear. Every piece is something I'll try. Kudos to the author for doing a great job.
Okay, the only problem I have with it is the following statement. "The jewelry designs in KUMIHIMO BASICS & BEYOND are the copyrighted property of the author, and they may not be taught or sold without permission. Please use them for your education and personal enjoyment only".
Let me start by stating that I'm a retired librarian and, I know a little bit about copyright protection and believe in it. No problem copyrighting this book start to finish. No, you can't copy it, sell parts of it, use it as the basis for a class. Just fine. Just what copyright was meant to do. Three cheers for you.
But then it goes terribly wrong. The designs in it are your interpretations of existing designs. You may have used colors in each project t that are unique but how would you know even that. I have many books on kumihimo with projects just like yours. In fact, I would be concerned, if I were you, claiming copyright on any of the designs you feature. They are everywhere.
What you did better than anyone was write and excellent tool for learning to do kumihimo. That you can copyright proudly. The rest, seriously? Kumihimo has been around for a very long time. I venture to say there is little original anywhere..
Copyrighting ideas that are not your own cheapens the intent of copyright protection.
Enough said
I am a beginner at Kumihimo and this book is very clear and concise on the variations that can be done with kumihimo braiding. I especially have enjoy the little hints that she gives throughout the book.
The instructions are clear.
The illustrations are clear.
The hints make sense.
The only problem is finding some of the different materials that she uses to make the different braids. After searching on the web, I ended up with about 6 different sources to get the materials at the best price. The best way I found was to make an Excel spreadsheet with the materials I would need for each project and then spent a good amount of time finding web sites that had the material or beads and then putting the data in the spreadsheet. Then depending on sales or coupons and how many projects I wanted to purchase for - then I had the information to place the order.
The text and photos make it easy for a beginner to understand. The "math" (for example, the length of cord required for a desired final braided length) for each project is clearly stated. The projects are in a logical sequence and build upon each other. Can't wait to try many of the projects, now that I have finished my first round braid.
I had the good fortune of taking a class with the author of this book, but believe that I could have easily learned how to do this with just her book alone. I won't say that her class didn't make it easier.
I had always wondered how to figure out how many beads to put on each warp, whether they were required on each warp, etc. This book spells it all out, and quite concisely.
It is written in easily understandable terms. I have found that not all beading authors are also capable of writing instructions that can be understood once one is away from their personal guidance, but such is not the case with Ms. Combs writing.
This is not my first Kumihimo book purchase and I have found excellent information in all the books I have purchased, but so far, this is my favorite. I will admit that this may well be because I was taught under the author and found her to be quite personable, patient and humorous. But, she has also written a very good book on the subject.
I hope she writes many more.
Feature Product
- This book is ideal for beginners or those who have made a kumihimo braid and are ready to add beads, mix up fibers and expand their skills
- This all-in-one resource provides clear techniques for both all-cord and beaded braids
- Plus, it teaches beaders how to transform them into finished jewelry
- All 24 projects use an easy- to-find kumihimo disk
- Author: Rebecca Ann Combs
Description
This is a newly published book and it is a must have for kumihimo crafters! Great illustrations, great instructions and covers information not usually seen in other kumihimo books. Especially the topic of finishing the ends of your project. And the projects are really beautiful and wearable!
I've had this book for several years (plus others) & this is the first one I pick up every time. Goes from beginner to experienced projects with excellent instructions & pictures of the final result. Also a good section to get you started. Picked this copy up for SIL who does a little bit of kumihimo & has been wanting this particular book.
This book is fabulous. I immediately sat down and read it cover to cover. I had taken a class on Kumihimo but this book gave me tons more info and great tips. Better than the class I took! The photos are beautiful and the instructions clear and concise. Charts are easy to understand and I liked that she progressed you from beginning Kumi through to more advanced. Work your way through the book and in the end you will be well schooled in the technique. As a beader I was more interested in that part, but you need the basics first. Once you have that, you can start adding beads to pretty much any pattern. This book gives you the basics you need to move on to that. I too would love to have a book with more intricate patterns now that I have worked my way through this great teaching book. Hopefully she is working on a second book for more advanced patterns involving beads. This is one purchase you will definitely not regret.
Beautifully written, designed and illustrated, this book provided me with exactly the introduction to kumihimo I was looking for. To me, it is comparable in quality and utility to Carol Wilcox Wells' 1998 "Creative Bead Weaving" as a guide to getting started in a new craft discipline. One more advanced braider/reviewer commented that it might appeal primarily to beaders looking to incorporate kumihimo into their beadwork; I am one such, and it certainly works for me. I am not particularly interested in copying others' designs and projects (which is one reason I don't like beadwork classes and kits). But simply by reading and studying Rebecca Combs' projects and instructions I was able to glean the information and confidence I needed to get started playing with my own bead and fiber combinations on the braiding disk. The Kumihimo Math sections and Troubleshooting hints are clearly presented and show up exactly where you need an answer to a question you didn't even have to ask. Though I don't take classes, I can recognize and appreciate a great teacher when I read one, and here she is. Thank you, Rebecca Combs, for opening the door to kumihimo for me.
Whether you are a beginner or even an intermediate braider, this book lays it all out. I especially appreciate the detailed explanation on alternate approaches to finishing besides the bulky knot, trim and glue. Answers questions both verbally and visually on layout of colors (fiber or with beads, adding focals etc. Couldn't ask for more, no exaggeration! Design suggestions are for wearable pieces with materials that are available to all; (doesn't leave me yearning to make a piece for which I have no chance of ever finding all the elements, a real frustration with other beading publications. The repeated placement of "kumi math" boxes throughout the book is a real stroke of brilliance. Have been waiting months for this book in hopes it would be an improvement over other kumi publications, and have not been disappointed.
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