December, 2011 - Joined Hands...

It's hard to believe, it's already almost the end of December and the end of the year. The weather is relatively cold and dry with not much rain here in Northern California. There are still some red, yellow and orange leaves on some trees, a bit of autumn so close to the Winter Solstice and Christmas.

I just had a workshop last Sunday. We joined hands at the end of the day to celebrate a day learning together and show our crown knot bracelets. The picture says it all...

Best for the holidays and have a happy and very creative New Year! - Marion

Still looking for a last minute gift, today is the last day for First Class mail for Christmas arrival. December 21is the last day for Priority Mail orders and December 22 or 23 is the last day for Express Mail for Christmas arrivals depending on location. To check transit time, go to the USPS Postage Calculator and enter 94062 as the departing zip code.

December 6, 2011 - Need Ideas for Gifts ?
Order a special gift, such as a Knit Bracelet Kit for someone who likes knitting, a Crochet Starter Jig Kit, or a Ribbon & Bead Kumihimo Kit. For stocking stuffers check out tools, such as a thread burner, gold plated scissors or get a collection of thread & cord for someone on your list. For kids, get a Mini Kumihimo Kit with a few spools of C-Lon Bead Cord Tex 400. Go to marion jewels in fiber gallery for a special gift and ready to wear jewelry. We will even gift wrap for you. Please add your gift wrap request at checkout!

November 6, 2011 - New Colors of 1.5 mm Greek Leather Cord
A number of colors just came in - the closest C-Lon Bead Thread Color is even listed. Try a yard and have fun! > Leather Cord

I have been playing with leather wrapped bracelet for a while using mostly 1.5 mm Greek leather in natural, brown and black leather. I decided to experiment and expand by adding new colors... As to cords, I like C-Lon Bead Thread Size D and AA when I want to minimize the cord as it flattens against the leather. I also like using C-Lon Micro Cord and C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord Tex135. Sometimes I like the color of the cord to match the leather blending in, other times I like contrast.

October 30, 2011 - Chinese Knotting Cord
New Size: 1mm Black Cord for Taiwan, similar in cord quality to the Black Extra Fine.
New Colors: Many new colors in Size E, the finest MICRO SIZE > Chinese Knotting Cord

Chinese Knotting Cord is HOT right now. Everyone is making square knots bracelets with beads. Based on traditional Chinese bracelets, the newest renditions of these bracelets are often called Shamballa or Disco Ball bracelets. Easy to make and fun to wear, try your own version. Larger cord such as the Medium Size is great for 10-12mm Beads, finer sizes for smaller beads. Bracelets can be made with a combination of sizes as well, one size for the knotting cord, another for the cord going through the beads. As to beads you can include anything your heart desires and budget allows, from plastic beads to black onyx with diamonds, including some of newer bead cuts in the shape of soccer balls!

Many of my customers are new to skeins. Not knowing how to deal with skeins can be a great source of frustration. An umbrella swift skein winder is a great tool, but not mandatory. Here in my studio, we do use one to transfer Chinese Knotting Cord from skein to cards, but for just a few skeins, a friend arms or the back of a chair will work just as well.

Read my new blog entry > Tips: Chinese Knotting Cord - Unwinding Skeins
Get a swift > Tools
Get Chinese Knotting Cord > Chinese Knotting Cord

September 22, 2011 - 8 NEW Colors of C-Lon Tex 135 Fine Weight Bead Cord

All 8 new colors of of Tex 135 are in. Cream, Grey, Orchid, Sea Shell, Grape, Capri, Forest Green & Chocolate are in transit. It brings the collection up to 24 colors. This size, the latest offering of C-Lon is right in between the standard size of C-Lon Bead Cord and the C-Lon Micro Cord Tex 70. It is especially good for working with fine bead, crochet ropes and kumihimo with seed beads size 8/0s and smaller > C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord

September 7, 2011 - Over 50 Colors of Kanagawa Added!

The Kanagawa (and Fujix) silk is the best filament silk available. Over the years less Kanagawa colors have been imported. So it is a pleasure to add over 50 colors back into the store inventory. > Kanagawa Silk

Many of the 'newly returned' colors are some of my favorites... It is a treat to have them back in my studio and know I can get more. It is so hard to work with a color when it is the last card available... I spend some time adding all the new colors on the website and playing musical chair with the color chart. Many of the jpegs were adjusted to make is easier to order without a color card!

D&E Nylon #18 is a bit different than the other bonded nylon brands. It has a soft bonded finish giving the cord more drape and a softer hand. If listing the brands by bond levels from more to less the list would go from Tuff Bead Cord with the most bond, old Conso, C-Lon, D&E and Vintage Mastex, and finally "New Conso" with the least bond. The bond adds body to the cord, makes it possible to cut the cord without the cord fraying and it also makes the cord abrasion resistant, but it also makes the cord stiffer. When more drape is desired, D&E and Vintage Mastex are my preferred choice... To read more about bond > Blog entry on Bond

Several colors are back in stock > D&E Nylon #18 (formerly Mastex)

Vintage Nylons - Some New Colors Added

Vintage nylons are spools of nylon no longer produced nor sold through ordinary channels. Nylon thread is quite incredible, it lasts a long time. Vintage Mastex #18 is available in several colors without equals such as Mahogany, Maple & Cognac. The Mastex Vintage White is a brilliant white. Some colors are limited to stock on hand > Vintage Mastex

Just received several new colors of Vintage Nylon #69 > Vintage Nylon #69

Gemstone Chips Knitted Bracelet Kits NOW AVAILABLE > Bead and Tool Kits

I made my first knitted bracelet as a sample for Stitches West to show what could be done when knitting with the C-Lon Bead Cord. I got lots of request for the pattern. Since then I made a second one while in vacation in Mexico for my mother's birthday, then my aunt saw it and she wanted one... I have made many since then, all with fresh water pearls, natural or dyed, and gemstone chips. A number od people have asked me if I could make the bead kit available with gemstone chips, so here it is. Try it, have fun, and experiment! - Marion > Gemstone Bead Kit for the Knitted Bracelet

New Ergonomic Crochet Tool - Eleggant Interchangeable Crochet System
Egg-shaped wooden handle designed to fit comfortably into the palm of the hand. Comes with 6 interchangeable crochet shafts.

It is very comfortable, the crochet hooks are very easy to exchange and you can cut your favorite steel crochet hook to fit into this handle. Just cut it right before the flat part where the size is marked. I often switch crochet hooks during a crochet session, it is just like changing shoes... It feels nice and fresh. Not designed for anyone holding their crochet hooks like a pencil...

The C-Lon Bead Thread Size AA is now available by single spools and collections.
Here is the list of all the C-Lon products:

Monocord Nylon Thread
C-Lon Bead Thread Size D - Tex 45 - 36 Colors > CLBD
C-Lon Bead Thread Size AA - Tex 35 - 39 Colors NEW to Store > CLBAA

3-Ply Bonded Nylon Cord
C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord - 48 Colors > CLC.400
C-Lon Bead Cord - 104 Colors (Tex 210/Equivalent to Nylon #18) > CLC
C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord - 16 Colors > CLC.135
C-Lon Micro Bead Cord - 32 Colors (Tex 70/Equivalent to Nylon #69) > CLMC

Chinese Knotting Cord come in 6 sizes (listed from larger to thinner):
18 colors of Medium, 18 colors of Fine, 8 colors of Extra Fine and 3 sizes of Micro with 53 colors in the Size G, 11 colors of Size F and 3 colors of Size E.

Go to > Chinese Knotting Cord and New Micro Sizes