Making a Statement

 A couple of days ago I took the online "Make a Statement" class taught by Gwen Lafleur. It was a mixed media class and besides basic jewelry/beading methods it also went into layering and using special mediums like embossing ink. I haven't yet gotten to Michaels in the next community, so I worked with what I had on hand.

The central medallion is one that I embroidered last June. I also made the tubular Inkle band at that time and put it together in a simple pendant style. Unfortunately it had a tendency to spin when worn and often showed the backside rather than the front. The problem was the way I had attached it  top and bottom from only one central point.

Now that it has beaded additions and is attached to the Inkle band on both sides it will stay put. 

Gwen Lafleur seemed to refer to "statement" as something containing a personal affirmation note. I would be more inclined to define statement jewelry they way Brittany's Fine Jewelry does in this quote:

"Statement jewelry allows both men and women to express themselves and their personality through jewelry. Statement jewelry is unique and bold and helps the wearer portray who they are through their outward appearance." 

When I portray who I am through my outward appearance I like to be seen as creative, unique, and a truly "one of a kind" fibre artist. I think this piece of wearable art says that quite nicely.

Jewel Splint

I've been having trouble for a number of years now with a trigger thumb. It doesn't happen all the time, but once it snaps once, it is painful, swollen, and takes time to heal. During that healing time I keep reinjuring it over and over. I've found a beautiful solution!

This trigger thumb ring-splint immobilizes the joint and prevents the "trigger" from occurring. Since the trigger thumb is most often set off by a period of hand spinning it was important to me that I still be able to spin with the ring-splint on. It came through the "test drive" with flying colours! It doesn't impede my spinning at all.

What is really amazing is that this custom ring, though it must fit both above and below the joint, as well as over the joint itself, and it came all the way from Israel, still fits perfectly, right out of the box. JewelSplint, the occupational therapist/jeweler, requests photos and measurements of the joint(s) in question and makes each splint to fit the customer. She did a wonderful job! I'm so pleased.

If you are a handspinner with a similar issue with your thumb, I highly recommend a custom made trigger thumb ring-splint by JewelSplint.

As always, links in this post are there for your information and convenience. I'm happy to send interested persons to good businesses, but I am not affiliated nor do I get kickbacks for your "clicks". 

19 New Shirts!

 I've been sewing --- a LOT! 19 new shirts have been added to my wardrobe.

Due to a large weight loss I have shrunk out of almost all of my pre-October 2020 wardrobe, from underwear to winter coats. I've bought a few pairs of jeans in the meantime, gradually buying smaller and smaller sizes of my favourite style over the past 6 months, but an update of my tops was very overdue!

Now that I'm no longer hiding under loose, layered clothing I came to the realization that what I really like to wear, that which I'm most comfortable in, is t-shirts --- long sleeved mock necks for cooler months, short sleeved V-necks in the warm summer days. Shopping for such shirts was futile. I don't like having writing and logos on my shirts, and I'm not overly fond of most prints. Add to that the fact that women's t-shirts these days are poorly made of cheap fabric that doesn't last, and are so thin you could spit through them! And colour? I like intense, bold colour in pure hues, nothing muted or pastel, and I can never find what I want in stores! Complicating things is that most stores in this area won't let you try anything on -- because of Covid. Returns are allowed, but what a hassle!

I decided that the only fix for all those problems would be to sew my own t-shirts from a tried and true pattern. I've made Jalie #2805, Women's T-shirts, with great success, many times before, in sizes from my smallest grandchild to me, at my largest. One pattern purchase and an incredible range of sizes (27!) all easily traced and used over and over again. 

Fabricland, the only fabric store in Chilliwack with knit fabric that I know of, didn't have much of a selection of jersey knit fabric. They had colours I don't care for, thin fabric, fussy prints, and high prices. Then one day while in Abbotsford for another reason I stopped in at Overseas Fabrics. Oh my word! What a selection they have! Reasonable prices too! ALL of the above fabrics were found there. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I couldn't choose just one or two. If you don't like my rather bold colour taste, they do have more muted, subtle selections too. 

So after about a month of frequent sewing I now have 19 new shirts! Nine of the shirts are long sleeved mock necks, and ten of them are short sleeved V-necks. 

In most of the colours I made both the long sleeved and the short sleeved versions. I have both styles in Dark Eggplant, Royal Blue, Kelly Green, Lime Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, and White. 

I also have just the short sleeved in Black and Navy. I didn't bother with those in the long sleeves because I already have good store bought turtlenecks in those colours. 

I have just the long sleeved in Hot Pink because, as much as I would have liked a t-shirt that colour there was not enough fabric remaining on the bolt. I'll be watching for a restock though!

All links in this post are there for your interest and convenience. I am not affiliated in any way nor do I receive any kick back for "clicks". 

Kickstarter Success

Last June I took a chance and backed a "Kickstarter" project for a new e-spinner. It wasn't much of a risk since this isn't the first go with Kickstarter for the inventor, Maurice Ribble of Dreaming Robots. Previous backers were very happy with the products he has come up with, his customer service, and his record for keeping backers informed throughout the process. 

It was well worth the wait! I love this great electric spinner, the "Electric Eel Wheel 6.0". It turns out all my fears about not being able to adapt to the steady pace of an electric spinner were unwarranted. With an easy stop/start foot switch I can stop and start quickly any time a section of spinning needs a little more attention.

And now I'll need more fibre to spin!

The link in this blog post is there for your convenience. I am not affiliated, nor do I receive any reimbursement for "clicks".