Beautiful Braiding Made Easy: Using kumihimo disks and plates Paperback – 17 Nov. 2014

As I make a lot of period doll costumes, I'm always looking for braid to match the yarn I use, often to no avail. So I was looking to learn how to make my own and wanted an easy to follow book. This is it! I found this book so easy to follow and had made three braids within 30 mins of picking it up for the first time. For the beginner, it's a no jargon, straight forward easy to follow diagrams and pictures, with some quite amusing cartoons. The author gives tips and some wonderful ideas of how to use the finished braid in projects with little pictures to get your creative juices flowing. Well thought out and a joy behold. I find I'm drawn back to it even when not making braids! I love this book and may have to purchase a second copy because my sister will claim this one when she sees it. (We do similar craft work.) Worth every penny.

Great as a starter book.....easy to understand

Does what it says the title very clear and simple diagrams.

One of the best Kumihimo books ive used. This book has a great range of diffrent style braids and patterns, far more so than my other books on the subject. The instructions are also very easy to understand and the colour step-by-step photos are wonderfully clear and easy to follow.The book includes a flat and round cardboard version of the Kumihimo braiding boards to get you started. Although I cannot suggest getting yourself one each of the foam versions straight off. They make this form of Japanese braiding very simple to do!X

Very happy. Good book. Thank you

The threads get tangked and it’s just no fun nor relaxing but this is not the book’s fault hence 3 otherwise would be 1 star from me

I am delighted with this book. The instructions for making braided cords (on a kumihimo disk) and flat braids (on a square plate) are as clear as can be and very easy to follow.The book starts with a very brief background to the technique, what threads or textiles are useable, how to use and dress the kumihimo disc and how to end off the braid once it is made. Beginning with a simple, 8-strand braid, Ms Deighan shows how to manipulate the threads. Her 'tips' are useful and the little cartoon figures on almost every page help to make learning fun, which is surely the sign of a good teacher.She progresses us to elaborate patterns without any fuss: simple twist, double twist, lattice, heart, dog-tooth and reversed spiral. Pretty good for a 48-page book! Each pattern has the thread number and position as well as clear working instructions.The instructions for using the square plate for flat braids are equally concise and clear. Ms Deighan gives us chevrons, square braids, zig-zig patterns and zig-zag braids.The final section of the book shows how to incorporate beads into the work. There are colour photographs of the braids that can be produced and not at any stage was I left puzzling what to do next.I am so pleased with this book and delighted with my first efforts. The navy/red cord is 2mm satin rat-tail, the 4-colour spiral - my second attempt! - is No. 5 crochet cotton.

Whilst a short book, it is very clear and easy to follow. The numbering is different to some discs(mine included) but this was fairly easy to adapt to; if it is found difficult it is always possible to turn the disc over and mark it to match the book's ones with a sharpie. The variations of chevron braids using the square disc were slightly repetitive, but a good selection of braids overall.