Compare Pantone Fashion Color Fall 2015 with C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

Just for fun, lets find the C-Lon Bead Cord colors equivalent to the Pantone Fall of 2015 fashion colors. As you can see below the Pantone fall colors vary a bit in their rendition between pictures, so it is always an interpretation. Plus we all see colors a bit differently. Vive la difference, right!

C-Lon Bead Cord Colors to Pantone Fashion Color Fall 2015

OLVN Olivine —> Dried Herb

CEL Celadon —> Desert Sage

GR Grey, DEN Denim —> Stormy Weather

DKT Dark Tan —> Oak Bluff

SI Sienna —> Marsala

CER Cerulean —> Biscay Bay

N Navy, MA Marina, CHA Charcoal —> Reflecting Pond

TN Tangerine —> Cadmium Orange

AZ Azalea —> Cashmere Rose - Oops Azalea might a bit off, Petal might be better

AM Amethyst, O Orchid —> Amethyst Orchid

Azalea

Pantone Fashion Color Fall 2015 to C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

Dried Herb —> OLVN Olivine 

Desert Sage —> CEL Celadon

Stormy Weather —> GR Grey, DEN Denim

Oak Bluff —> DKT Dark Tan

Marsala —> SI Sienna - That's the color of the year. Another option is Black Currant...

--------------------------------------------

Biscay Bay —> CER Cerulean

Reflecting Pond —> N Navy, MA Marina, CHA Charcoal 

Cadmium Orange —> TN Tangerine

Cashmere Rose —> AZ Azalea - Oops Azalea might a bit off, Petal might be better

Amethyst Orchid —> AM Amethyst, O Orchid

As to the importance of these colors, who knows, but many fashion items will be available in stores in these colors. Then someone might be looking to accessorize these items and will be looking for something that will work with these colors, so being aware of the latest fashion colors promoted by industry is not such a bad idea. 

In California, I have found when I was doing lots of shows that there was a delay between the latest fashion and interest in a particular color. Plus some colors that were "promoted" never caught on… Others colors remained classics always in demand. 

—> C-Lon Bead Cord

Micro Macrame - The Latin American Version

ARUMI design by Martin and Ugne from Spain www.facebook.com/ARUMIdesign or www.arumidesign.etsy.com

While Macrame got its latest renewal as Micro Macrame in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia, another macrame revival has been taking place in Latin America.

The re-emergence of Macrame has been centered around jewelry, renamed Micro Macrame for short and mostly features knotted cords with beads or gemstones. DIY books have been published by artists and authors such as Joan Babcock, Kris Buchanan, Sherry Haab, Anika DeGroot and Marie Le Sueur. Websites such as Macrame Collective have been showing Macrame as an art form. The availability of materials to work with has been a major factor. You need cord. In 2005, I had difficulties finding bonded nylon in a wide range of colors for myself and my students, so when I discovered C-Lon, I decided to promote them.

At the time C-Lon made 24 colors of C-Lon Bead Cord and the C-Lon Bead Thread Size D and AA collections. Marion Jewels in Fiber, my supply website, was born in January 2006. Over the years I have helped C-Lon expand their collection and now they have 4 sizes of cords, with 72 colors of C-Lon Bead Cord Tex 400, 104 colors of the standard C-Lon Bead Cord, 24 colors of C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Cord, and 32 colors of C-Lon Micro Cord. C-Lon is planning to add 16 additional colors of the Fine Weight Tex 135 cord in 2013. They added 24 colors of Tex 400 last year, so they keep expanding!

In the meantime, another macrame revolution has been taking place in Latin America centered around Settanyl and Linhasita, two brands of Brazilian waxed polyester cord. These cords have been difficult to find until recently when KnotMore.com started importing Settanyl. After sourcing Linhasita a number of years ago, I had considered importing it from Brazil, but I was already busy enough and running out of room to store cords, plus I found that I am allergic to the wax coating, so that idea was nixed. So it is great that someone else has taken the baton.

The work featured on this page is made with waxed polyester cord, artist names are listed.

Nicole Medema

Percy Palomino Tomayquispe

Teleisthai Macrame

Merlina Textile

Here is fun sculptural piece made with this waxed polyester cord by Merlina Textile. 

KnotMore.com was founded by Dawn Standera of Macrame Collective and Karen Forbes. Both Macrame artists were frustrated by the lack of availability of this type of cord, so they decided to venture into providing this cord for knotters, Macrame artists or anyone wanting to experiment with this cord. KnotMore carries 75 colors of Settanyl, a 1mm 2-ply waxed polyester from Brazil. The spools have 175 yards, so plenty of yardage for projects such jewelry, knotted sculptures, and basketry.

More : Read about comparisons between the Settanyl Brazilian Polyester cord and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord at http://jewelsinfiber.blogspot.com/2013/01/comparison-between-settanyl-brazilian.html.

Knitting with Square Needles: Innovation or Gimmick?

When I first heard about a new kind of knitting needle on the market, Kollage Square Needles, I thought it was gimmicky. I had just completed my first knitted bracelet with C-Lon Bead Cord and was telling a friend with a lot more knitting experience that the small needles were hard to hold and gave me cramps. She thought these new needles might be the perfect solution and convinced me to try them.

The more I thought about the concept of a square design for a needle the more sense it made. We do not realize when knitting that we are constantly compensating for the needles turning and twisting thereby putting stress on our hands. We then set about trying to locate some to try and had no success at our local knitting stores.


While at Stitches West last year, we found them and I bought 2 sets of needles, DPN US Size 1 and 2/2.25-2.50mm, and two Kollage Square Crochet Hooks, US Size A & B/2.00-2.25mm. I fell in love with them after my first try. I have since used the Kollage Square Needles mainly for knitting C-Lon Bead Cord and C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, the heavier weight cord, with beads on a jewelry scale. My friend has been knitting garments with larger needles and various yarns.

Kollage Square Crochet Hooks have become my favorite hooks to do single crochet chains interspersed with beads with C-Lon Bead Cord & C-Lon Tex 400 Cord. The square handle helps to rotate and to position the crochet hook without having look or thinking about it. I hope that Kollage will consider making square steel crochet hooks in the future for bead crochet ropes projects as I love their Rosewood handles!

These needles are recommended particularly for those of us with arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and stiffness in hands and fingers. In addition some knitters have found that their stitches are more consistent. As with all knitting projects, checking gauge is very important. Some people recommend going up a needle size to gain proper gauge but my friend and I have not observed this.

Kollage Square Knitting Needles are available in the following types: Straight, Double Pointed and Circular. The sizes are well represented. Two types of cable are available for the circular needles, soft and firm. We decided to carry the firm as they keep their shape and the joints between the actual needles and the cable are smoother.

The concept has been carried to crochet hooks using square wooden handles. The actual hook is made out of anodized aluminum, and the square shape of the handle helps orient the crochet heads at the right angle.

If you are interested got to > Kollage Square Needles

Eclipse on the Solstice

On the solstice, December 20, we were treated to a spectacular show, a total lunar eclipse at midnight here on the Pacific Coast. We are in the midst of winter storms with lots of rain coming in succession from Hawaii or from the Gulf of Alaska. So our weather vacillates between warm and cool storms. That evening by some amazing coincidence the clouds parted to give us a glorious show. We were able to see the full moon with stars and the Orion constellation, and then through various cloud veils and at times complete clearings, we could see the moon as it eclipsed. At total eclipse the moon was in a clearing and as a bonus we saw an orange shooting star and it crossed right in front of Orion. I still can't believe it.


In anticipation of the eclipse, my husband, Nicolai set up his art supplies outside on a table under the clouds. The clouds parted from time to time to reveal the moon in the penumbral shadow. The drawings below are his recording of the event.


This is the first lunar eclipse to fall on the winter solstice since 1638. The next solstice eclipse will be in 2094. In the meantime there will be lunar eclipses at other times during the year.

To see more of Nicolai's work go to his website:
www.nicolailarsen.com or Facebook/Nicolai Larsen

Nylon for Jewelry... Bonded or Waxed?

And more about bond than you probably want to know...


Nylon #18, a cord made originally for upholstery, used to be available waxed or bonded in the USA, but sometimes in the late 70's the waxed variety was mostly discontinued. Bonded nylon is better when used in industrial sewing machine. 

Nylon was originally invented in 1935 by Wallace Hume Carothers at DuPont as an alternative to silk for stockings. Nylon is a continuous fiber similar to filament silk. Continuous filament fibers makes nylon thread and cord very strong. Polyester on the other hand is a spun fiber mimicking cotton with shorter fibers spun into thread. Spun thread or cord is usually less strong, has more stetch and breaks more easily when pulled. This makes cotton or polyester good choice for sewing as the thread are less slippery. For jewelry making, silk and nylon are better choices when no stretch is desired.

Waxed cord is a bit easier to knot but harder to un-knot than bonded cord. There is a learning curve, for example for tying double half hitches in Cavandoli knotting with bonded cord versus wax cord, but once it is mastered bonded cord is a better choice. 

Advantages of bonded versus waxed nylon

• Better abrasion resistance
• Easier to undo knots
• Bond outlast wax
• Wax is allergenic

What's bond? What is it all about?

Here is the explanation from one of the C-Lon factory expert. 

It is a polymer coating applied the cord or thread after it has been plied, then heated and dried in ovens. The bond coating is critical in keeping the 3-ply cord together. It hold all the nylon filaments together and adds durability with a tough and smooth protective coating. Afterwards to make the cord stick together and hold its shape on the bobbin, tack is applied to the cord. 

The bond is essential for working with beads and for jewelry making, but of course how much bond is desired is a complex question... More bond creates a stiffer cord... Less bond makes a softer cord.

A consistent bond quality is essential to a cord brand. Drastic changes in bond levels can be a real problem. This is what happened with Conso Nylon #18. The newer supply had a drastically lower bond level than the older supply and the newer dye lots did not match previous ones. Everyone was returning the new supply and Conso discontinued manufacturing bonded nylon.

Bond whitening 
When the bond or tack experiences friction or abrasion, it will go from its transparent form to more of a white/grey color....think of cooled wax. When you break a colored candle, at the crack or breaking point you see white in the color. This whitening is going to happen with all colors but shows up more in the dark colors and is almost impossible to completely avoid. It can be worse when the bond level is on the heavy side and it is more noticeable on darker colors. 

Bond whitening occasionally happens with new cord production. It seems to occur in the middle of the summer or winter... and might be due to extreme temperatures differences when the cord was shipped. 

I have mainly seen this whitening of the bond with some of my older bonded nylon spools stored for a long time in a garage. 

Heavy manipulation of the cord can also produce whitening of the bond. 

For example, I noticed that square knot braids held up next to double half hitches were not as dark even though they were knotted with the same color. But when applying the fix below, the colors matched again...

Bond whitening - How to fix it

To fix this, simply rub a lint free piece of fabric soaked with isopropyl alcohol across the thread or cord. The alcohol activates the bond back to its translucent form.

I use lens cleaning cloths.

I have been making jewelry with bonded nylon and silk all my professional life. My very first pieces were made with waxed cord. Some of my pieces in my personal collection were made many years ago and have been worn extensively. Other than a slight fading and an occasional washing, they are in remarkable shapes.

In 2005 after a disruption of bonded nylon supply, I started an online supply store specializing in bonded nylon and silk thread & cord for my students. - Marion

Tubular Bead Crochet Ropes, the Easy Way!

After I opened my online store for nylon cord, originally meant for my students, I encountered many questions about bead crochet and decided to learn about it in my spare time. First I educated myself with a few books, then took a class making a necklace with single chain crochet - See my earlier blog entry. I also tried to teach myself tubular bead crochet ropes with mixed result as I could never get the first inch to look like it should, so I gave it up and planned to try again at some future time.

The solution arrived when I met a Bay Area jewelry designer and teacher who got so frustrated trying to teach tubular bead crochet to her students that she found a better way. She created a small tool to support the beginning of the crochet tube and came up with a foolproof method. Her small tool, a jig, help stabilize the first few inches of the crochet rope and it make all the difference. She has a patent pending on her jig and method. In the meantime, she gave me a jig and tutorial to try. The tutorial has over 60 closeup color photos and clear instructions.

On my first try, the sample rope was perfect. When I moved on to make a full bangle, a few times I had to undo and redo a row as I had not placed a bead in the right place. If you get careless as I did, you will see it right away as the bead does not move to the right place when working the next row. Here is my first completed bracelet!

It is best to start with 6/0 seed beads and C-Lon Bead Cord (the standard size). The 6/0s are about 4mm in diameter. I started with Miyuki beads from Caravan Beads and mixed different finishes. I worked with 5 color groups of beads, with 80 beads in each group, but had to remove some of the beads as the bracelet was too long. I recommend sizing your bangle before the final stitching of the cord and adding or removing rows if necessary. Mine still ended up a bit large for my wrist. I will size the next one better. One of the color I used is a mix, another two colors used at random to add a bit of spice. Using 5 distinct colors on the first few bracelet is best as it help keep track the crochet stitches. I used one of the new C-Lon Bead Cord color Argentum. One spool has enough yardage to make over 8 bracelets. My focal bead is a piece of coral and the bead ropes are finished with antiqued brass bead caps I got from B'Sue Boutiques.


The crochet starter jig and the tutorial on the CD teaches not only tubular bead crochet but also how to make the bangle bracelet shown above from start to finish. The pdf document on the CD can be downloaded and looked on screen with a pdf reader or it can be printed of course. You will need seed beads size 6 in 5 colors, 2 12mm end caps, a focal bead, 30 feet of 0.5mm bonded nylon cord such as C-Lon Bead Cord, Bonded Nylon #18 or Tuff bead Cord Size 5 to make the bracelet. As to tools you will need a steel crochet hook, a big eye needle to load the bead unto the thread, a mini-clip to hold the loop when taking a break or removing the crochet tube from the jig, a tapestry needle to finish the piece.




The tutorial has in addition information on measurements, optional designs such as an endless ropes, adding findings and suggestions for design changes.

Of course as soon as you master the ropes with 6/0s beads, you can move to smaller seed beads or to random patterns. Here is sample made with seed beads size 8. I used the new C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord Tex 135 for easy loading of the beads, and of course smaller crochet hooks. I also found out that the ropes made with Miyuki size 8 seed beads fit perfectly included in one of the silver clasp I carry. It is a 9mm sterling silver kumihimo clasp. Yes, because it is made out of solid silver, it is a bit expensive, but it would be great for a special neckpiece. I will try as soon as I have some spare time to do additional samples and will come back here to post the results. In the meantime, I will return to my usual field of expertise, knotting, micro macrame, Cavandoli knotting, braiding and cord making interspersed by a few other fiber and jewelry techniques to keep me on my toes.

The jig and tutorial is still not widely available, but Randi at StudioDax has agreed to let me offer them for sale. So get one and be on your way to learn this wonderful method to make tubular bead crochet rope, the easy way!

Order the Bead Crochet Rope Starter Jig and Tutorial at www.store.jewelsinfiber/crochet.html

Additional note: I do not usually work with seed beads or haven't really since I was a teenager. I played then with recycled French beads recovered from beaded flowers at cemetery after the wire decayed from exposure to the elements. At the time I made bangle bracelets using an Afghan method or I embroidered seed beads on my jeans, but of course just for fun. I have always admired the work done by beaders with seed beads and the incredible patience it requires! - Marion

New Book on Micro Macrame by Annika deGroot

One of the wonder the internet is the open flow of communication. I found out about this book through questions received by email from customers about the Tuff Bead Cord especially the Size 3. I ordered the book, and found to my surprise my online store listed in the resource page.

"Micro-Macramé 30 Beaded Designs for Jewelry Using Crystals and Cords' is a paperback book, written by Annika deGroot, published by St. Martin Griffin. The 144 pages are 10.8 by 8.5 inches. It is in full color throughout.

The book has 30 projects to choose from, a page on beads, a section of cords, tools and a creative way to make a padded knotting board. Many Europeans, for example, prefer working with hard pillows similar to the ones used for bobbin lace rather than traditional macrame boards. I use an easel as I prefer to work vertically to save myself from back and neck pain. Annika de Groot also has a section on setting a cabochon by gluing it to a piece of ultrasuede and stitching beads around it. The photos used in the knot section are clear, most of the basic knots are shown with some naming variation such as calling the standard square knot a flat knot. A flat knot as far as I know is a square knot without its central cords or inner cords. Terminology is not very consistent in the world of knots, as different traditions mingle. In addition it has a tip section, a resource page and an index. Several of the resources listed are wholesale only.


The 30 beaded designs include good projects for beginners at micro macrame in the macrame lace tradition, with lots of loose thread between the knots filled with seed beads and crystal bead such as Swarovski. The list of materials for each project names the actual colors and brand names of the cord. Many ask for Tuff Bead Cord in size 3 and 5. Two ask for C-Lon Bead Cord, 4 Conso and 2 Stringth, a sub-name of the Tuff Bead Cord packaged by Rio Grande. Colors and brand name of course can be easily changed as all Nylon #18 and C-lon Bead Cord can be used for any of the projects other than those requiring Tuff Bead Cord Size 3, a different thread diameter.


Many of the designs in Annika's book have a vintage feel reminiscent of the Victorian era, similar in style to Marie Le Sueur's book. Both books are focused on macrame lace, Marie Le Sueur's is in French, a big disadvantage for anyone not well versed in 'la belle langue'. See April 2008 post on Marie's book. The advantage of macrame lace, with its many beads is the speed at which many of the designs can be done, but of course speed is a relative notion. For beginners, knots can be challenging, but of course one must start somewhere. Whereas for professionals like myself or 'power knotters' a term coined I believe by Kris Buchanan, knots seem just like keys on a piano to a concert pianist.


Most projects seem self-evident by just looking at the step by step pictures, at least for me, but please understand that I have not actually done any of the projects nor carefully read any of the instructions.

Visit Annika's website and see if this is a style of micro macrame you want to explore. She has a free download of one of the design in the book, a great feature before buying the book. Then if so inclined, you can buy it right on her site.

Annika's website: http://www.annikadegroot.com

Book Reviews

I often get asked for book recommendations. Occasionally I write a book review. In February or March I wrote about Marie Le Sueur's book on micro macrame (posted in the news section on the online jewels in fiber store).

One of my website visitor wrote me upset about her purchase based on my recommendation, feeling she had wasted $45.00. I offered to trade with her. Several days later I got her copy, she got a package of supplies as trade, and one of my student asked me about books, saw it and took it off my hand, really happy not to have to order it. So problem solved, right...

Others have emailed me pictures of pieces they have made based on the book. Here is a copy of an email I got:



Marie le Sueur’s book Micro-macrame de la dentelle aux bijoux is beautifully illustrated with step-by-step instructions that inspired me to create a piece in her style immediately. I do not speak or read French but found most of the directions easy to follow because of the detailed, clear illustrations. My husband did translate a few steps that were confusing at first glance, but I think that with some trial and error even those would have worked out fine.

I did not follow any one project exactly because I have not been able to locate a source for the findings or crystal settings that she uses. But it is very easy to adapt the techniques to the stones and beads on hand. Notice on my bracelet that the end is longer than the ribbon end crimp but I could not find a longer one and wanted to wear it immediately so I used what was available. In the future I’ll use Marion’s techniques for starting and ending to avoid this problem or make my own findings; as I plan to do for this piece. Even with the not so perfect end, compliments are plentiful when it is worn! ~ Fran/Ohio