Scale Mail Halter Top - Part 3

Linking all those scales together can be a chore, but the result is so lovely, it's hard to complain.

Updates this week will be light and I'm building up inventory for Madison, but I'm looking forward to jumping into this project again when I get back.  Look at those cap sleeves!  I just want to spend all day working on this.

But for now, I'm making plenty of new designs, like little star earrings:

Scale Mail Halter Top - The Beginning!

I'm lucky enough to know a lot of talented, interesting people.  One of them, MsPixy--burlesque hostess, performer, and producer extraordinaire--commissioned me to make her a scale halter top for GenCon.  After a couple meetings, we settled on a bronze/gold number with a fake leather back. 

I started working on this in June after teaching at Bead&Button, but here are some photos of my creative process so far.

I try to keep all of my ongoing projects in little plastic bins.  It's a small attempt at staying organized.

With scale projects, I always start by linking together many pairs of scales.  I get the quick feeling of accomplishment with every pair I link, and it makes the scale mail process more efficient.

Patterns... I don't know why for the first several pieces of clothing I didn't make any patterns.  I guess the struggle of putting on and taking off bits of scale mail was exciting to me.  In any case, when working on a piece for someone else, that's not possible.  Thankfully, Pixy had some muslin and cut out some pieces like a sewing ninja at our meeting.  Here are the shoulders:

I love watching a piece come to life.

I'll be posting daily updates until the piece is finished.  Stay tuned tomorrow for images of the front of the piece!

Vanessa
Handmade jewelry
Chainmail jewelry

Make Something Beautiful, Day 1

I'm one of those people who wants a lot from life. Of course, when I'm thinking about all the neat things that I want (and what I have to do to get them), I can get overwhelmed and just end up checking my email since that's a concrete thing I *can* do.

I've come up with a project for myself in order to keep on track. My new motto and approach to every day is, "Facere Pulchrum." For those of you who aren't Latin nerds, "facere" means to do or make (it's one of those verbs that means pretty much anything in various idioms). The adjective pulcher means beautiful, or lovely, but can also convey a sense of being excellent or admirable. The quick translation is, "to make something beautiful." Every day, I have to make something with significance, or something that I just find striking. Schiller stated that, "All art is devoted to joy, and there is no higher, no more serious endeavor than making human beings happy." Why not create beauty every day if you can?



The first thing I've made is a bracelet for the silent auction for the Chicago Tap Theatre. One of my co-workers at Blue Buddha Boutique, Jenna, is a tap dancer with the Chicago Tap Theatre, and they are having what will be an awesome fundraiser, the Shim Sham Shindig on March 6th. (Who doesn't love a good shindig?) Arts organizations are struggling in this tough economy. I hope they raise a lot of money so that can keep dancing. Those of you in the Chicago area should check it out.

Vanessa Walilko
Kali Butterfly - Eclectic Chainmaille Jewelry, Fashion, and Art

Upcoming shows

There is some good jewelry mojo in the air. I think the universe is helping me celebrating my upcoming birthday, because next week is a jewelry extravaganza. Firstly, I'll be showcasing some of my latest designs at the Peoria Art Guild's Jewelry Invitational from February 6-February 13. You can find out more on the Peoria Art Guild's website.

Next week, I'll also be participating in a Chicago fashion speed networking event at Salud Tequila, organized by L'Shanell Event Productions. My pieces will be featured in a runway show that night. It looks like an excellent event!

Time to get back to work. I have lots of jewelry to make.

Vanessa
Kali Butterfly
Unique chainmaille jewelry, fashion, and art.