DIY Projects & Crafts Kumihimo-Braided Bracelets and Lariats Tell recipients of these gorgeously textured accessories that you relied on kumihimo (translation: "gathered threads"), the ancient Japanese braiding technique, to create them. By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 5, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email The secret to these surprisingly simple projects is a kumihomo disk, available at crafts stores. It's a foam or cardboard circle the size of a CD with notches around its edge to keep the strands (try cord, yarn, or leather) in place as you twist them into lariat necklaces or wrap bracelets. Best of all, these one-of-a-kind pieces are one-size-fits all. For more ideas, scroll through our month-long campaign of DIY Gifts. What You'll Need Materials Thick yarn, thread, or cord (such as round leather cord, alpaca yarn, or flat linen tape) Kumihimo braiding disk (Pictured: Dazzle-It kumohimo round braiding disk, $4, michaels.com) Bugle beads (Pictured: Metal-tube beads from $3.60 for 4, tohoshoji-ny.com) Instructions Cut 8 strands of yarn, thread, or cord. (Tip: You'll need at least 1 yard to make a bracelet, and 2 yards for a lariat.) Knot strands together on one end, and slide it through hole in kumihimo disk. Place 2 strands in top two notches of disk. Repeat for bottom two notches, as well as the two on each of left and right sides. Remove yarn on top right and place on bottom right, immediately to right of the two at bottom (A). Take bottom-left yarn and place on top left (B). Rotate disk a quarter-turn to the right (C) and continue, repeating previous steps. (If you need to pause at any point, do so when you have three strands on one side, so you know what to do next.) Slide tube beads onto each end, about 2 inches from end. Unbraid everything past each tube; frayed edge will secure tube in place. (D)