More about Beading Needles - Tulip Review

I promised I'd get back to you about the newer Japanese beading needles after I had time to give them a work out.  Well, I am very pleased indeed.

                               
The company name is Tulip - easy to remember -  and they are located in Japan. They are well known and respected already for their fine quality quilting needles and in December of 2010 they sent their first batch of beading needles to a US distributor to see how they would be received.  They went over extremely well and now they are available through many shops in North America.

From my initial experience with them, I have to say I am delighted with the quality and wearability of these needles.  On average,I am in the habit of using # 10's for my bead embroidery on fabric so that is the needle I am reviewing here. However, Tulips are also available in 11 and 13's for those who wish finer needles for smaller delicate beads and for jewellery makers etc. They come beautifully packaged in a pink cardboard box with a window and when opened, the needles are housed in a very strong plastic tube with a solid cork closure.  The moment you set eyes on the needles, even before they are out of the box, you can't help but notice their excellent quality.

                                                                                 

The eyes are gold plated and easy to thread.  An absolute charm. You can see from the photo below what quality the eyes are. Clean and clear with no snags when threading and you don't have to get out a microscope to see the holes.  The eyes slip through fabric easily too with very little separation to fibres.

                            


 They are durable and do not bend or break like standard beading needles. They are flexible and springy and the tip is rounded ever so slightly to slide easily into beads while preventing thread splits. The beading experience is very smooth and I believe there is less hand fatigue using them, which is especially welcome for me and something I think many beaders will appreciate!  After repeated use, the needles remain quite straight and bounce right back after major bending through lines of beads and layers of fabric.
I have heard from other beaders who have used them for extended periods that their longevity is superb.

                             


They proved their superiority to me when I couched down beads over a thick cord through two fused layers of cotton fabric and a layer of batting. There was plenty of stability within the needle, slight flex but no horrible bending or distortion and I did not have to force my hand to push it through. Also there was no sticky build up on the needle from the fusing.   The average price is around $5.00 US for four needles, which is great value when you consider the quality and longevity of them.

I was suitably impressed and although my experience with them is limited , I would definitely give them a thumbs up and A-1 grading.  I know they will be my needle of choice in the future.

Tulip also carries tapestry needles, crochet hooks and needle felting tools.  I think their products are well worth looking into.

Philosophy Friday - Feeling at home....

" Methinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts
 and accomplishments love to sew, especially
as they are never more at home with their own

 hearts than while so occupied. "

               - Nathaniel Hawthorne          

                    The Marble Faun 1859

                                                          

                                                             

                                                                                                        

Mother's Day - 2012

I am grateful for the gentle ground she still walks upon.  Thank you dear one for the gifts you have given me and the love you have so selflessly shared.  I will protect and cherish you for as long as I am privileged to have you in my life.

To the DA - thank you for the tenderness and your sweet spirit.  You are a man among men!

Philosophy Friday - On a lighter note......

but still stitching/sewing related......

                                                                    

"I hate a woman who offers herself because she ought to do so, and, cold and dry, thinks of her sewing when she's making love. "   ~Ovid

Yes, THAT Ovid - the writer of at least three volumes of  love poetry, self professed expert in love and the man who described himself as " praeceptor amoiris"  or " teacher of Love " - well it seems that some female called his bluff !  (-:

 I  smile at  his use of the word " hate " - wow that gal must have been something else!  I would have loved to have heard her version of the story !

It's  an established fact that I am devoted to my art  BUT what man could be that dull or stuck on  himself that a woman could not be enamoured by his sweet charms or think of anything else in a moment of passion?  Jeesh ........Ovid, be damned !

Just not the needleworkers........

                                                                          

                                                                                    

                                                                                        

Came across this article today.  Seems it is just not the needleworkers who are finding complaint with offshore products:

http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/music/news-and-features/pipers-lament-the-sour-note-of-bags-made-in-china-1-2277993

Philosophy Friday - Three Rules of Work

Three Rules of Work: 

Out of clutter, find simplicity
From discord, find harmony
In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.
                               .....Albert Einstein

                            

                            

Olympic Pennant Travels Continued

For the month of May, a large number of the Olympic pennants will be hanging at the Stockton Discovery Centre in Luton, Bedfordshire UK, a city 30 miles north of London.  The Centre was formerly the Stockton Park Museum and was refurbished and rebuilt, opening again in July of 2008.  It is situated on the grounds of Stockwood House and has been designed with the best of environmental and sustainable principles.  It is run by the charitable Trust, Luton Culture.

The centre runs many educational programs in conjunction with schools and institutions, featuring geology, archaeology, social history and rural crafts. It showcases the history of the region dating back to Roman and Anglo Saxon times.

The centre also houses the Discovery Gardens which features classical gardens including sculptures, a Sensory Garden, a World Garden and a Medicinal Garden and displays the styles of the various gardens through the centuries.

The Olympic pennant exhibit will be an interesting forerunner to upcoming  events planned at the centre .  There will be an Olympics Opening Ceremony Family Fun Day on July 27th and then a Paralympics Family Fun Day on August 29th.

Upon learning the pennants would be displayed in Luton, I took a bit of a trip down memory lane.  My best friend during my teenage years, Suzy, spent time in Luton on one of her first job forays. At the time, she did not have many kind words to say about the area itself, although she loved the people and the friendships she made there.  I think there has been considerable growth and improvements to the community over the years. I dug through my old box of papers to find a bundle of letters she sent me from Luton and it was interesting to read them again, after the passing of several years had eroded some of the memories.  Tragically, my young friend passed suddenly from this world not too long after returning to Canada from overseas.  To re-read these old letters filled with stories of first loves, fashion of the day and new experiences in another country, while also reminiscing about old times together, was a sentimental journey I had not anticipated would be connected to my participation in the Olympic Pennant project.  How sweet to think my pennant hangs in Luton close to 42 years after my beloved friend's adventures there.

Philosophy Friday - The Child Within

" Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."
                                                                                          - Pablo Picasso

Yes indeed Mr. Picasso, it can be a problem.  As children, we had an innate sense of curiosity.  We questioned everything.  We experimented with things and we never had that sense of failure or dread that seems to come with adulthood. If we drew a picture and it did not really turn out as we had envisioned - did we agonize over it ?  NO - we usually tossed it aside, took up another piece of paper and started anew. We had a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around us. We had an eagerness to know about things and to learn.  Our minds were open, free flowing and uncluttered.

As adults, our world is more complicated -  filled with responsibilites, work commitments, obligations,  and social expectations.  Our minds are constantly littered with the debris of day to day activities and bound by the chains of routine.   We are all too aware of being judged and we too easily bow to the opinions of others. We care too much what others think of us, instead of being comfortable in our own skin and marching to our own drummer.

Maybe it's time to start looking through a child's eyes once again.  To experience the wonder of the world, to seek and question, to see new and extraordinary things. Ignite that creative spark and embrace the joy of looking with eyes wide open, feeling the bliss and the sense of freedom and innocence we enjoyed as a child.  Put fears of failure aside and enjoy learning to play again.  Look, see, do ......

                                      

" All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be, I learned in kindergarten.  Remember the Dick and Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all --- LOOK. "
                                                   - Robert Fulgham ( in"Importance of Kingergarten")

Earth Day - Textile Repurposing and Recycling

Earth Day 2012 and have there been any positive changes or improvements in the last year?  I think more people are becoming aware of environmental concerns and taking positive action.   And yes, in my field of textiles and fibres I have seen more textile recycling taking place and more companies established to handle these procedures.  A couple of years ago, a Google search produced only a handful of North American companies involved in textile recycling but today if you run that same search there are a myriad of companies listed and I am happy to say, many are Canadian. 
As a woman who creates with textiles on a daily basis and keeps an eye on the industry, I have a keen appreciation for the medium but I am also very aware that the processes and manufacture of these very fabrics I love is having a major negative impact on our world environment and is contributing to global warming and causing serious detriment to our climate.

Governments, manufacturers and environmental lobbyists are slowly creating changes to processes and years of neglect and mismanagement of the industry which has caused pollution, energy and water waste in astronomical and devastating quantities. It is a slow process and many of these decisions are out of our hands, so how do we as individuals bring positive changes within our local communities?

I was shocked to discover that in Canada alone, there is an average of 7 kilograms of textile waste per person in our landfills and that accounts for 4% of all materials in Canadian landfills while an American individual throws away about 68 pounds of clothing and textiles in their garbage and dumps per year.  Most of these articles are tossed because they are considered damaged, worn out, outgrown or out of fashion.  We are indeed a throw away society.  People no longer bother to sew on a button or replace a zipper or alter clothing when it is easier to buy new.

 We can definitely take better care of our garments and household textiles by repairing or altering these items instead of disposing of them.  We can be more aware and educate ourselves about the types of fabrics we are purchasing and attempt to buy more natural and organic materials and clothing.

Give your used and unwanted textiles to charities and thrift shops. Clothes can be re-sold in their shops and many charities ship worldwide to other countries where second hand clothes are welcomed.  Items in poor shape can be recycled into rags for industry or can be shredded to make cushion fillings, carpet underlay, insulation, roofing felt, speaker cones, and compost.   Some municipalities and communities now have textile recycling programs in operation. Check in your specific area.
Textile recycling service companies are more prevalent now and they are committed to providing sustainable solutions for corporate, city governments, school districts and various other agencies, including charities.

Retro is very "in" these days and perusing the aisles of your local thrift shops can unearth unknown treasures and camp clothing styles. The remaking or refashioning of clothing can be rewarding and fun.  You can create accesories and clothing from older style acquisitions which can result in a unique and distinctive wardrobe.  Be a trendsetter!   Repurpose second hand clothing and household linens to make purses, bags for shopping, table runners, toss cushions, quilt backs,  curtain tiebacks and table coverings. 

Consider donating used household textiles to a local animal shelter, where they are usually welcomed. Most shelters will accept old blankets, bath and hand towels, sheets, pillows, bathroom rugs and t-shirts. They are used for lining pet cages, cleaning up messes, drying of wet animals, providing warm bedding and comfort etc.

Please give some serious thought as to how you can improve your textile habits and help Mother Earth clean up her act.

PS:
I love what this organization is doing in Vancouver BC - would love to have them around the corner from me!

http://www.oursocialfabric.org/

Philosophy Friday - Further thoughts on Creativity

"The creative is the place where no one else has ever been.  You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition."  - Alan Alda

I've been contemplating further the subject of creativity. In reading various people's opinions and thoughts on the subject, I came across a lecture given by the British actor and comedian, John Cleese of Monty Phython fame, who one could absolutely define as a " creative".  Mr. Cleese offered up " Five factors that you can arrange to make your lives more creative" and his thoughts definitely resonated with me.








1.  SPACE - "You can't become playful and therefore creative, if you are under your      usual pressures."
2.  TIME - " It's not enough to create space; you have to create your space for a     
     specific period of time."
3.  TIME - " Giving your mind as long as possible to come up with something
     original, and learning to tolerate the discomfort of pondering time and indecision."
4.  CONFIDENCE - " Nothing will stop you being creative so effectively as the fear
     of making a mistake."
5.  HUMOUR - " The main evolutionary significance of humour is that it gets us from
     the closed mode to the open mode quicker than anything else."

I wonder as to how often we look at a day when we play and dream as a day to be considered as " unproductive". Is it societal pressures and expectations, family commitments or self flagellation that gives us these " guilty" feelings, even though we know this time for us personally brings a sense of well being and produces many thoughts and ideas for our work?  How do we reconcile our feelings on this?  I do believe that personal meditation and more play time is required to come to terms with
that one !!  (-: