In Japanese, the word kumihimo means to gather or combine cord or thread. The traditional belt of the kimono, the obi, was once bound by a cord of kumihimo called an obijime. Samurai once used kumihimo as laces for their armor. It is an art both culturally significant and beautiful.
For this workshop, students will learn how to braid strands of ornate, jewel-like thread into modern kumihimorope, selecting warp threads to create a braid that can also be embellished with beads. Participants will learn how to finish the ends of their braids by making an embellished tassel, as well as how to make decorative pom-poms. Bring a plain cotton handbag or tote and apply your creations to the surface, or learn how to replace simple straps with a braided, decorative creation all your own.
Bring your own tote or cotton handbag, or purchase a simple cotton tote bag for $5 when buying your ticket. Those purchasing a tote will receive their bag at the workshop. All other materials provided. No previous experience necessary.
About the Instructor Vien Le Wood is an award-winning British textile designer and founder of Gold Spink Studio, a fashion embellishment concept house based in Brooklyn, New York. Before founding her own studio, Wood worked in the fashion industry for ten years for such renowned fashion labels as Rebecca Taylor and Anthropologie, producing embellishment work featured on runways and in various periodicals. Wood trained at Northumbria University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Fashion Marketing. She also studied at the Chelsea College of Art and Design and the Glasgow School of Art, where she achieved her Master’s degree in Design, Textiles, and Fashion. Her many accolades include the prestigious Belsay Fellowship, which enabled her to exhibit alongside fashion designers Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Zandra Rhodes, and Paul Smith at Belsay Hall in Northumberland, UK. She was also the winner of the Textile Award during Graduate Fashion Week in London. She is currently artist-in-residence at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, where she also teaches a variety of courses.
