For the Love of Jewels Interview

I get a lot of emails everyday and make an effort to respond as quickly as I can to questions and requests for information.
Sally Jewett-Bocato contacted me by email: 'I came across your website while looking for artisan jewelry galleries in the SF area....I was blown away by your beautiful work and would like to do a profile about you in my blog which focuses on "the best of the best" of jewelry designers, teachers and suppliers. If you are interested, I send questions via email and publish your responses.'
Her profile on published on the June 23 post at http://fortheloveofjewels.blogspot.com/2008/06/marion-hunziker-larsen-jewels-in-fiber.html

Colors

When do we have enough colors? As an artist, designer and artisan working primarily with Nylon #18/C-Lon Bead Cord type thread, I struggled for many years with a limited color range, unreliable supplies, a lack of quality control, companies going out of business... All of this was of course before to C-Lon got into the thread business.

C-Lon has now 64 colors, Mastex 22 colors, Conso 14, Beadsmith 17 (Beadsmith may no longer produce their Nylon #18, every time I reorder a few more colors have been discontinued). In addition I also use vintage cords, colors produced in the past by companies no longer in business, discontinued colors and old dye lots. Vintage cord is difficult to come by to newcomers in this field. So essentially most of us have about 100 colors to work with if we are willing to mix brands. Is that enough?

While pondering on this question, I decided to take a look at artist colored pencils. I easily found 9 artist quality brand with sets ranging from 12 to 132 colors. All the sets come in numbers such as 12, 24, 36, 49, 72, 96, 120 and 132 (Prismacolor only). In all the sets the colors are arranged chromatically using different logical systems. Keep in mind that color pencils can be layered, thread can only be juxtaposed. Then I looked at the Madeira Rayon thread used for machine embroidery and they boast 356 colors...

... Back to the nylons: Conso has not changed or added colors for 25 years. Mastex has reduced its color range. Oh, I forgot a sub-brand, S-Lon, well it's just a fact simile or exact duplicate of C-Lon in 51 colors. So we can forget about that brand as an option for additional colors. C-Lon is the only company that may be willing to expand their offering. So the main question remains:

Are 64 colors enough? Or do you still dream of more colors...

Grateful to have 64 colors! ~ Marion

Post your feedback on this question...

Added on January 9, 2009: 2008 saw the shrinking of company offering Nylon #18 with Mastex going out of business :(. I am always sorry to see our choices shrinking. On a positive notes C-Lon decided to expand their colors. I was asked to advise as to possible new colors. As of a week ago 8 new colors are on order at the factory expected to be released toward the end of February. So 64 is growing to 72. Hurrah!

New Heavyweight C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord

Did you get the new heavyweight C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord? What's you opinion on this new thread?

Post your comments on this thread, send pictures of pieces you have done with it...

It is available in 16 colors for now.

Update - This cord is now available in 24 colors and I have since had the chance to use it for a square knot bracelet I taught for an enrichment class to 4th-8th graders. The resulting bracelets made or attenpted were great for some and not so great for others, but bear in mind that for most of the students in this class, it was their first introduction to square knotting!
I will do a new blog entry as soon as I get the chance.

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

Feedjit Map

A Feedjit map was added to this blog and my websites. See it in the left column. It shows a world map and tracks the latest visitors on a map by red dots and if you click on the map, it will take you to larger map with little flags for the towns where the visitors are from and it shows the pages they visited. It adds a cookie to your visit to my sites, but the sites will function even if you refuse the cookies from Feedjit. The info they collect is general enough not be intrusive to your privacy. I find it fun as it illustrates the global reach of the internet. Please post your thoughts about the map!

A Special Order

Occasionally I get a special order. A customer requests a piece for a special occasion or a specific dress...

In this instance, a very special customer needed jewelry for a Bar Mitzvah. She had found the dress, and we designed together this dramatic set for her special event.
Imagine this piece worn by a tall statuesque blond, in a long black dress with a very low back decolleté (and she speaks French as she is Parisian).

We also wanted this neckpiece to be wearable beyond this one occasion, thus the removable back tassel... making this piece more casual. The idea was to wear it in winter with a turtle neck sweater and black pants, and in summer with a dress or a light suit. The bracelet shown below completes this jewelry set.

Neckpiece and Earrings. Braided and knotted nylon thread, satin cord as the core for the braid, dyed coral and black onyx rings and toggles. Designed, handmade and © 2007 by Marion Hunziker-Larsen

Photography by George Post © 2008

The Bracelet

Bracelet (shown framed with the neckpiece braid). Knotted nylon thread, dyed coral, black onyx rings and toggle.

Designed, handmade and © 2007 by Marion Hunziker-Larsen

Photography by George Post © 2008