New pattern — Kikyō kikkō

29 July 2015 Filed in: Patterns | Book

This comparatively simple pattern for Book 3 is the kikyō kikkō, and it is grouped together with the yae-kikyō I covered in Book 2. Kikyō is the Japanese name for the bellflower. There are a couple of other kikyō patterns I'll include in the new book, and they involve multiple mitsu-kude joints within the pattern, so that in itself presents a new challenge.

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New pattern — Benten asa-no-ha

28 July 2015 Filed in: Patterns | Book

This is the next of the benten variations for Book 3. This one is the benten asa-no-ha.

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New pattern — Benten kikkō

24 July 2015 Filed in: Patterns | Book

This is another pattern for Book 3. This one is called Benten kikkō.

Benten is a Japanese Buddhist goddess, and is often shown playing a biwa (a Japanese lute). She is linked to the Hindu goddess Saraswati, and is one of the seven Gods of Fortune (Shichi Fukujin) in Japanese mythology and folklore.

The following photo shows the Shichi Fukujin at the Jōrenji Temple in Tokyo. Benten (or Benzaiten) is third from left playing the biwa.

There are a few benten patterns, and this is the least complicated.

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New pattern — Tawara kikkō

11 July 2015 Filed in: Patterns | Book

This is the first of the patterns for Book 3. It's called the tawara kikkō — tawara is the name for the round-shaped straw bag used for carrying rice, grains, and other produce.

This is also the first of the hexagonal patterns in which the pattern kumiko form half-lap joints across the jigumi. The jigumi kumiko are 3mm thick (mitsuke), and the pattern kumiko 2mm.

The book will go into a detailed step-by-step explanation on how to make this and the other patterns covered. As with all the patterns I'll cover in the book, this was crafted with normal hand tools, and jigs that have already been made. For these patterns, though, a pair of pincers or tweezers will prove to be an essential piece of kit.

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Starting Book 3

05 July 2015 Filed in: Book | Patterns

I'm just finishing off a hall table, and I should be able to start on Book 3 next week.

The new book (and a planned Book 4 following this) will cover kumiko patterns. The vast majority will be hexagonal patterns, and will be highly advanced. All the hexagonal patterns in Book 2 were structured within their own triangles to form the hexagonal shape, but most of the patterns in this book intersect the jigumi, and this raises the level of difficulty significantly. The following diagram is an example of the types of patterns that will be included in Book 3. This pattern is called the Kikyō tsuno kikkō, and it is one of the more complex patterns, but by no means the most difficult.

And if you thought cutting the mitsu-kude (three-way) joint was difficult, probably in Book 4 I'll introduce the tombo (or tonbo — dragonfly) pattern. This pattern incorporates the yotsu-kude (four-way joint), and will be a tremendous challenge.

I'll put the patterns up on the website as I complete them.

Similar to those in Book 1 and Book 2, all patterns in this book can be made with normal tools and jigs. No specialist tools will be necessary.

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