Kumihimo Friendship Bracelet Loom (8-Slot, Kids)

A simple 8-slot Kumihimo loom, sized for small hands.

I designed this loom to run a friendship-bracelet weaving workshop for a group of around 75 nine-year-olds. After a couple of revisions — the early versions were too large and the slot spacing too tight — this is the version that actually worked: small enough to hold comfortably, with 0.5 mm slot spacing that grips yarn without binding. Print-tested at scale on a Bambu X1 Carbon.

How to use it:

1. Cut eight ~10-inch (25 cm) lengths of yarn.
2. Thread one length into each of seven slots — leave one slot open.
3. Take the yarn three slots to the left of the empty slot (skipping two) and move it into the empty slot.
4. Rotate the loom slightly so the new empty slot is at the top, and repeat.
5. Keep the yarn and braided strand taut as you go — that's what gives you tight, even braids.

It's slow at first and then suddenly clicks. Kids picked it up in 5–10 minutes.

What you'll need:

• Yarn (7 colours, or mix as you like) — embroidery floss, scrap yarn, or anything in that thickness range
• Scissors
• A few minutes of patience for the first bracelet

Print notes:

• No supports needed
• Prints flat in one orientation, no fuss
• Tested across 70+ units on a Bambu X1 Carbon (PLA, 0.2 mm layer, 3 walls, 15% infill)

If you have a Bambu printer and want the tuned print profile (.3mf), grab it from the Printables version of this listing: Printables — Kumihimo Friendship Bracelet Loom. This is becasue MakerWorld doesnt let me upload using my current beta version of their own software…

If you make one, I'd love to see it — tag your make so I can check it out. And if you like the design and want to support more freebies like this, I run a small Etsy shop with finished pieces and other prints over at Grumble Pig Studio.

Happy weaving.