Congratulations and Happy Retirement
to Dave and Janis Saunders,
Founders of BraidersHand.

For nearly a quarter of a century, BraidersHand has been the premier American destination for kumihimo equipment. From that initial meeting with Rodrick Owen in 2001, Dave’s exceptional woodworking skills made traditional stands accessible, portable, and beautiful. His products remain highly sought after for their quality and craftsmanship.

From an interview with Janis Saunders, May 10, 2026:
“I originally met Rodrick Owen through the Compuserve Kumihimo Braid group back in the mid-1990’s. In October 2001 [when] he came to San Diego to teach a workshop and visited our home. There he saw some of Dave’s woodworking. At a workshop dinner he and Dave started talking. Rodrick asked him if he would be interested in making equipment. His UK woodworker had retired and he had been looking for a replacement for some time. Dave said he would sleep on it and of course, we discussed it thoroughly. The next day Dave said yes. Rodrick pulled marudai and takadai plans out of his briefcase. BraidersHand was born!”

Janis’ expertise on Japanese silk and Imposter/Biron has been an invaluable resource to the community. The reference pages on BraidersHand regarding the details on how silk is portioned and used are invaluable even if you never use the material. She was also instrumental in the promotion and naming of the foam kumihimo disk when it was introduced.

The book selection at Braiders Hand made many obscure titles available in an era when obtaining foreign-press books was very difficult.  Her contributions to the promotion of the foam kumihimo disk and dedication to making obscure kumihimo books available have truly shaped the craft in America.

“Janis was already a braider but when asked to make long, long braids for horse tack, she knew that she needed a Marudai. She taught herself with the help from a Mary Dusenbury’s article (1983) and the book Kilot (1977, 1979 and 1988). She took
workshops and participated in the Compuserve Forum sample exchanges in the 1990s. BraidersHand was started in the fall of 2001 with Marudai orders; their first takadai order came in January 2002. Janis and Dave went on to be the first makers of a line of kumihimo equipment – marudai, tama, takadai, ayatakadai, kakudai and karakumidai – in the USA.” (Berlin, 2024, p.5) (Strands, 2024,p.3).

In May 2026, Jim and Debra Semrau became new owners of Braidershand. We are looking forward to see what they do with the legacy of Dave and Janis and how they help shape the future of kumihimo in America.

Their tools, supplies and books can be found at https://braidershand.com/