Ultrasuede® is Ultra Cool

When you find something that works, you stick with it. Ultrasuede® is something that I love and that I can certainly attest to being one of the greatest fibers of today.

When something needs to be crafted for durability and softness, it's the first material I look for.  Having a fabric that is not only stain resistant but also comfortable - amazing! Could you imagine spilling red wine on your dress and not feeling like the world is coming to an end?  I love the freedom that you get with wearing this miracle fabric!

Another fantastic benefit of Ultrasuede® is the vegan-friendly aspect.  You get to wear all of the latest fashion trends without skipping a beat! Halston, Cynthia Rowley, and other high fashion designers have gotten rave reviews while using the material for outerwear in their collections. I've gotten creative and used Ultrasuede® in some of my tassel designs and love the movement and softness of it.

Click HERE for some of the tassel kits seen above!

I think everyone needs some Ultrasuede® in their life, don't you?

PS - back in 2008 TORAY, the company that manufacturers Ultrasuede®, asked me to contribute to their fashion catalog: how are designers using Ultrasuede®?  It was a great honor to be included among some prominent designers.  I contributed my choker, which is an intricate needlepoint piece embellished with beads, pearls and backed with none other than lovely Ultrasuede®. The second piece was what we called a "waistlet", i.e. a string of beads pearls and Ultrasuede®, and ending in tassels made of...  you guessed it, Ultrasuede®!!

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Needlepoint sculptures? Yes

The work of Swedish designer Ulla Stina Wikander. Wild, isn't it?

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Ground material fit to eat.

Terézia Krnáčová shows us that one person's sandwich is an person's canvas.

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How I choose my embellishment elements -

I am a collector.  I collect specific items which I source and shop for.  I also collect items that I come upon by chance and feel I must have.  These particular items may not have an immediate intended use, they may be items I will gaze upon for years, but one day I know they will find their place.

I collect lampwork beads from some of the best glass artists, some well known, some just making these bits of art for themselves.  I may buy one or two, I may buy a collection.  Glass has such an intensity of color, it absorbs and disperses light so beautifully, I find it magical.  For the past few months I have crafted scissor/key FOBs which have been received so well by you, my friends.  How do I choose the components of these FOBs?  Let's work through a case study!

Recently I purchased 2 magnificent lampwork beads from an American artist.  I was immediately drawn to the intricate work on these beads and the unexpected color combinations.  I could see how they could work as great focal beads for a FOB.

Below you can see 2 angles of one of these beads and marvel at it's intricacy.

 

I like to add an element of fiber to my FOBs so I decided to make my own tassel.  I used a beautiful bead cap as the head of the tassel and topped it off with another pretty bead.  You can see the tassel below.

Next I chose two possible connectors that would add weight when connected to the scissor/key ring itself.

I picked another two lampwork beads which played off the colors in my focal bead and chose a lovely star scissor/key ring to tie everything together.  I like to use little bits of silver chain when connecting the single elements to the larger connectors so that each of the elements has a bit of movement, some swing to it, instead of staying stiff and awkward.  

Using silver jewelry pins and very careful wrapping techniques, I combine all the elements, adding a few additional beads along the way.

Below is the completed Scissor/Key FOB I made for the sister lampwork bead.  Here I made my own tassel, using a variety of colored silk thread, and used additional bead embellishments. I think the result is quite beautiful.  I hope you agree.

(If you like these twin FOBs, they can be found in my ETSY store HERE)

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My summer collections, a huge pleasure!

When I want to get creative satisfaction, I often choose to go back to color.  This new thread collection has been extremely gratifying.  I decided to take simple bits of nature; an artichoke, a hen, a leaf, and dissect the colors.  Then take the colors and bring them back in texture and complexity, showing them in thread.

I have put together 12 colorways, each one comprised of 12 skeins of fiber; silk, cotton, overdye, stranded, everything is represented.  The combinations vary, but the quality is always there, only the best.  Along with the thread I am providing you with beads, mostly Miyuki, that can be used in a variety of ways but perhaps you will choose to use them in the free design you will receive along with the thread collection?  Summer 2016 gives you an opportunity to use different threads in different stitches, different colorways.
These are all present on ETSY, take a peek.  I only have a limited amount of each of the colorways, so if you are interested, grab on!
Here are some examples of the free design:

And here are the collections!!

All are on ETSY and include: 12 skeins of fibers, Japanese beads, free design at $68 each.

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A little breather :)

Polly Verity folds paper. She uses an origami technique, scores and folds from one sheet no cuts, no glue. I see tessellations everywhere.

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