Today's installment of Tools on Tuesday features Courtney Webb of
Webbedware. Courtney makes cuff bracelets and (coming soon to her shop) necklaces. Courtney's trademark is the use of textiles or other fiber in her designs.
Courtney's collection of "tiny tools" --- mini versions of standard hardware store stock -- enable her to achieve a level of craftsmanship that would be impossible otherwise. More specifically, her tiny ruler, tiny drill bits, tiny file and tiny scissors allow her to make precise cuts of leather for her cuff bracelets, teeny holes in shapes to attach to jump rings and chains for her soon-to-be-introduced dove and butterfly necklaces, and smooth edges on said shapes. They are her favorite tools not only because they're easy to use and perfect for the job, but also because "they're so darn cute!"
Now, to illustrate:
First, using the tiny ruler to measure and precisely cut the leather for cuff bracelets. The bracelets are metal, and the leather goes on the inside as a liner so that the cuff is comfortable to wear.
Next, using a tiny drill bit to make holes in the shapes for attaching to chains and jump rings. The hole has to be drilled in exactly the right spot for the shape to hang properly. As you can see, the shapes are so dainty that there's not a lot of room for error---nor really for the hole itself! Talk about precision!
And then, using the tiny file to smooth out the edges of the metal shapes before fusing the fabric to them.
Followed by trimming the excess fabric off of the metal shapes using the tiny scissors. Once the fabric is in place Courtney coats the pieces with acrylic to enhance the color of the fabric and to preserve its condition.
Put it all together with a dash of style and you get Courtney's distinctive couture-inspired accessories. Nice work, Courtney!
Until next time --
Linda
Kelley//Kelley Gudahl Photography
