Skipping the Skipped Stitches in Your Free Motion Quilting

Recently, I was free motion quilting a baby quilt and I was interupted by skipped stitches. Everything would be perfect for a few inches and then I’d have to stop and rip. Since quilting is supposed to be fun (and this wasn’t), I did some research, started experimenting, and finally fixed the problem. Here’s what I learned – along with some words of wisdom from a few of my quilting friends.

What are Skipped Stitches?

The needle holes show where the stitches were skipped.

In free motion quilting, skipped stitches are when the needle carries the top thread into the quilt sandwich, but the thread does not form a stitch. The needle may leave a hole when it pulls out of the quilt, but the top thread also pulls out of the hole. Skipped stitches can come one at a time or several in sequence. I have a tolerance for one here and there, but groups look bad and I rip them out and try to figure out what’s causing the problem.

What Causes Skipped Stitches?

Skipped stitches are caused by incorrect timing in the stitch formation process. For stitches to form properly, the hook and needle’s bottom position must be timed just right. There are factors that can affect this:

• How you prepare your sewing machine for free motion quilting
• Thread size and quality
• Needle size and type
• Presser foot choice
• Presser foot pressure
• Your free motion quilting technique

As you make adjustments to solve the skipping problem, remember to change one thing at a time and test on a quilt sandwich that matches the quilt you’re working on.

Machine Preparation

Everything you need to clean your machine

• Make sure the machine is threaded properly. This sounds simple, but a small oversight can cause big issues. Michele Scott, quilter, author, teacher, suggests turning the machine off and back on to restart or reboot to reset anything that may have become “goofy.”
• Michele Scott also suggests trying a single hole or straight stitch throat (stitch) plate. The smaller opening leaves less room for the quilt to flap as the needle punctures the quilt sandwich, pushing it down and pulling it back up.
• Reduce the top thread tension. Start with small changes, but don’t be afraid to approach zero. Just keep checking where the stitch locks (top thread with bobbin thread) to make sure you’re fixing your skipping problem and not causing a tension problem.
• Make sure your feed dogs are down. I know, but check anyway. If you can’t cover them or lower them, then set the stitch length to zero to keep them from moving.
• Make sure the needle is inserted completely and properly.
• Clean the bobbin area and make sure there are no errant threads hiding there. Oil, if appropriate.
• Victoria Findlay Wolfe, artist, quilter, and owner of Bumble Beans, Inc., suggests getting rid of all those dust bunnies hiding under your throat (stitch) plate. You may be surprised by how many you find!
• Shannon Shirley, an award-winning quilter, says she gives her machine a good cleaning. Sounds like a great idea!

Thread

Successful combination of thread for this baby quilt

• Use quality thread. This will cut down on lint (bonus!) and make a nicer stitch.
• Try a different size thread. Sometimes really small threads can be too small to be caught by the hook. If this is consistently a problem, take your machine in to be serviced and explain the problem. This is an easy adjustment.  Try a thread that’s one step larger to see if this is the issue.
• According to Kathy Lincoln, who teaches machine quilting, some batiks grab the thread fiber, interfering with good stitch formation. If batiks are giving you trouble, trying a finer thread could be the solution.

Needles

• Dull or damaged needles can cause skipped stitches. Change your needle.
• Use the right needle for your machine. I like Schmetz for my Bernina.
• Microtex/Sharp needles work well with tightly woven fabrics, like batiks.
• Topstitch needles have a bigger eye, which can be helpful if you are using larger thread.
• Needles that are too small can cause flapping (why do they call it flagging?). Start with 80/12 and move up from there.
• Kathy Lincoln says this about needles: It may seem counter-intuitive, but try going from a sharp point to a ball point needle. The ball point will separate the fibers instead of cutting through them.

Bernina presser feet, left to right: #15, #44c, BSR with clear plastic sole

Presser Feet

• Start with whatever foot your machine manufacturer recommends. Generally, a darning foot is fine.
• My Bernina foot #15 is my go-to foot for free motion quilting.
• If flapping (flagging) becomes an issue, go for a foot that has more surface area, like Bernina’s #44. If you’re using the Bernina Stitch Regulator (the BSR), use the clear plastic sole. The idea is to provide as much coverage around the needle as possible to cut down on flapping.

Presser Foot Pressure

• If the skipped stitches are caused by flapping, then increasing presser foot pressure can help reduce the flapping. While the presser foot does not actually ride on the fabric while you are free motion quilting as it does in regular sewing, increasing the pressure can limit the space within which the quilt sandwich can flap up and down.
• Change presser foot pressure in small increments (On my Bernina, I change in increments of 5, starting with the default 50 setting) and test, test, test. For the batik baby quilt, I finally fixed the problem with a presser foot pressure set at 85.

Technique

• Don’t push the fabric too fast. If you can’t slow your hand speed, then increase the machine speed.
• Use your hands to keep the target section flat and firm (but not stretched or tight). I keep my hands flat, fingers at 12:00 and thumbs pointed toward each other at 3:00 and 9:00. Think of the stereotypical film director framing a shot with his hands. The area between my hands is where I stitch. Yes, you have to reposition your hands pretty often and, yes, it’s worth it.
• Try to keep a steady, consistent speed.
• Make a test sandwich out of the same materials you are using in your quilt. Test before you move to the quilt. Seriously. I like to skip this, but it’s best to play it safe. Use it to test tension and stitch quality.
• I have an anonymous quilting buddy who says she switches off her machine and heads to the kitchen for an adult beverage. Hmm. That sounds like a plan. Take a break and start fresh later.

If nothing here works, then your machine timing may be off. You may need to take it in to your machine tech for service. Be prepared to sew at the shop and demonstrate the skipped stitches. Take your quilt or the test sandwich with you to the shop.

My baby quilt has a batik top, batik backing, and thin cotton batting. I was quilting on my Bernina 820 with Superior Threads’s King Tut (cotton 40-weight thread) in the top and Aurifil Mako (50-weight cotton thread) in the bobbin. The winning combination was a 90/14 topstitch needle, 1.25 top thread tension, the Bernina Stitch Regulator with the clear plastic sole set on BSR 1, and the presser foot pressure set at 85.  Now I just need to finish the binding!

For more information about this quilt, read my previous blog entry.

In Defense of the Proper Quilt Sleeve (…and how to make it in 6 easy steps)

If your quilt is ever going to hang in a show with pipe-and-drape construction, then your quilt needs a proper sleeve. This sleeve needs to be a 4″ tube, finished on both ends, roomy enough for the show pipes, and sturdy enough to hold up under the wear and tear of quilt show life. Here’s how to make it.

1. Cut the Fabric

From a sturdy woven fabric, cut a strip 10” wide by the one inch less than the width of your finished quilt. If your quilt is 18” wide, then you would cut a 10” x 17” strip of fabric.

2. Finish the Ends

Hem the 10” ends of the unsewn sleeve by turning under ¼” hem, pressing, turning under another ¼” hem, and pressing again. Then, stitch in place. This covers the raw edges and creates a strong end for the sleeve. In case you care about thread color, this is the stitching that will show on your sleeve. Choose accordingly. The contrasting thread in the picture is for you, dear reader.

3. Construct the Tube

Fold the strip WRONG sides together so that the hems are at each end and the tube is now 5” wide. I press at this stage to make things easier. Stitch along the raw edge side, taking a ½” seam allowance. Then, BASTE along the fold ½” from the edge. Yes, it sounds weird, but it’s important to do this.

4. Finish the Sleeve

Press the sleeve so that the seam (raw edges) and the basting (folded edge) are nested together, one on top and one against the ironing board. I flip the seam allowance in one direction and the folded edge in the other direction. The task becomes more challenging for longer sleeves.

5. Attach the Sleeve to the Quilt Back

Pin the sleeve to the back of your quilt, centered left to right, about 1” below the top of the quilt. The raw edges should be toward the quilt and the basted fold should be away from the quilt. Do not take the shortcut of stitching the sleeve into the binding. Yes, it will save you time – unless you actually want to use the sleeve without it showing from the front. Resist the temptation.

Now, hand stitch around all four sides of the sleeve, including the ends where the sleeve is open. If you don’t, the people who hang your quilt are likely to slip the pole between the sleeve and your quilt instead of inside the sleeve, leaving potential yucky residue on your artwork. When you stitch, try to catch the sleeve and the quilt backing only. If you go all the way through, your stitches will show on the front. If you catch too much batting, the quilt front could dimple a bit.

6. Finish the Sleeve

Now, rip out the basting that you stitched ½” away from the fold. This makes the outside of the sleeve a little longer than the side that’s against the quilt back, creating ease to go around the pole. If you don’t create this ease, the top of your quilt can appear rounded when the pole is in the sleeve. If you’ve seen this effect, you know why you want to avoid it.

Bonus Tip!

If you’ve decided not to bind the quilt, but use an escape hatch (or knife edge, pillow case construction, stitch and flip – whatever you want to call it) instead, cut the opening you use to “birth” or turn the quilt where the sleeve will go. The sleeve will cover the opening and your secret will be hidden. Laura Wasilowski calls this the trapdoor or encasement binding technique; check it out in her book Fusing Fun! Fast Fearless Art Quilts. Or click here to read Melody Johnson’s explanation of the escape hatch technique. I learned it from her at QSDS…but that’s a story for another post.

Thoughts from the Beach

Every year, I go to the beach with a passel of girlfriends to celebrate friendship, talk about quilting (for fun and profit), and decompress. This year, I came directly here from the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, Virginia, driving my orange quilt truck filled to the top with sewing machines, fabric, supplies, and Kathy Lincoln, my partner in crime.

Today, I spent some of my time working on a baby quilt for new neighbors. My husband and I were thrilled when they bought a house on our street and we’re doubly happy that they are expecting. While I was at the MAQF last week, I searched for a kit (I have very limited time and kits are okay) for a baby quilt. There were lots of kits, but nothing that made my heart sing — until I visited my friend Bruce, owner of Sew Batiks. His Tiki Rolls made the perfect kit for a baby quilt top — (2) 2″ strips of 20 different (and lovely) batiks that only Sew Batik carries.

I laid out the pre-cut strips, sticking very close to the order in which there were packaged. So pretty! I often tell my classes to let the fabric do the work. In this case, I thought that was good advice — and the fabric is soooo pretty.

Did I mention that I had the best possible sewing space? I had an unobstructed view of the ocean, which proved quite distracting. Sew, admire the pelicans, sew, look for dolphins, sew, take a break. Sigh. It’s a wonder I got anything done at all! Can you see the ocean through the window?

To end, a few random thoughts about this quilt and the baby who receives it:

• I’d like to think that as I pieced the quilt, I infused the peace of this place into each seam.
• I’d like to think that Bruce’s generosity, his calm demeanor, and his positive nature are woven into his fabric.
• I’d like to think that the baby who receives this quilt feels the powerful influences and love that went into this quilt top.

I love this place and I love the time I get to spend here. I am fortunate.

Left to right: Kathy Lincoln, Sue Reich, me, Mary Kerr, and Shannon Shirley.  Picture by Darla Pittman.

Ten Tips for Organizing Your Studio

What is it about winter that makes us want to purge and organize? Is it just me?

Tip #3: Keep Like Things Together

When all the holiday decorations are put away and the house returns to normal, I always get a little antsy about my surroundings. I spend October through December feathering my nest: decorating for holidays, honoring traditions, remembering the provenance of the trinkets and treasures that make this time of year special. And in January? My thoughts turn to eradicating clutter, getting organized, and setting the stage for the pursuit of the holy grail: productivity.

Since this urge to get organized seems to be somewhat universal (and I base this on the deluge of marketing for containers, shelves, office supplies, and professional organizers), I’m sharing a few basic tips for getting your studio in order.

Tip #1: Organize For The Right Reasons

There are times when you need to assess your space, figure out if it’s working for you, and fix the things that are barriers to productivity. Why are you organizing your space and your stuff? Does it need do be done or are you putting off a different task? I admit that I sometimes use cleaning and organizing as avoidance tactics. If you are procrastinating, stop reading this and get back to work! No? Okay. Read on.

I use my studio for writing tasks, consulting tasks, teaching prep tasks, and (Notice what’s listed last?) making art. Try this: make a list of the things you do in your studio. Now reorder them by priority, making the first item the task you spend the most time on. How well organized are you for that first task? Do you have to move other things out of the way to make room for that activity? Now work your way down the list and see if your studio is a productivity tool or a roadblock.

 Tip #2: Start Small

Organizing can be really intimidating. Scary, even. I believe getting started is the hardest part. So, start small. Is there one drawer, one shelf, one section of a table that makes you crazy? Seriously, choose just one. For me, it was a drawer that had so much stuff in it that I couldn’t find anything.

Start with one small task that you can complete. One drawer. One shelf. Empty it, throw away things that are beyond usefulness, fill a bin or bag with things you want to donate, and then refill the drawer or shelf with what’s left. You could stress yourself out trying to decide where these things are going to live permanently, but will that move you forward or will that paralyze you and stop your progress? Tell yourself you can truly reorganize later if you still want to and then celebrate your freshly organized area. Do a little dance. Go ahead; I’ll wait.

Tip #3: Keep Like Things Together

Why would you want to look for pins in three different places? Rotary cutters? Books on HTML and CSS? Keep ‘em together. While you’re thinking about it, where do you use these items? Could you keep them closer to the area where you use them? My geeky books are on a shelf next to where I write and do client websites; the pins are all together in a drawer. (How did I get so many pins, anyway?!)

Tip #4: Use Containers

Tip #4: Use Containers

If you have more than one of something, put it/them into a container. I don’t like to use bags for this because you cannot stack them and they often flop over. Think boxes, trays, bins. I like to keep projects in containers. I dump sketches, fabric, thread, anything related to the project into the container. I usually start with a tray and then I upgrade to a bigger box (or boxes) as the project grows.

By the way, I’m a big fan of drawer containers and dividers. You can lift them out and take them with you.

Tip #5: Picture The Room/Area/Drawer Empty

If you are lucky enough to have the time and resources to reorg your entire studio, do yourself a favor: picture it empty. Now, only put back the things you really want or use. If you need to draw on graph paper and move the furniture around, do it. If you need to physically move things around to see if they work, get strong help and go into it with a game plan. If your reorg plans are more modest, then picture the drawer, shelf, or table top empty. What tasks do you complete nearby? What tools could be conveniently stored there?

I had a drawer that I hardly ever opened — translation: the stuff in it was forgotten or was not very important. I emptied the drawer, disposed of the stuff (moved, donated, trashed), and filled the now empty space with electronics that had been living in a basket out in the middle of the studio. The electronics are more convenient and the clutter of the basket is gone.

Tip #6: Identify & Make the Best Use of Prime Real Estate

I consider prime real estate to be the space immediately around the command center of your studio. Do you use the things that you can easily reach from your chair? Are those nearby drawers and shelves accessed on a regular basis or is that stuff just taking up valuable space?I sit at a worktable in the middle of the studio for all of my computer work. To print, I had to get up and take my laptop to the printer across the room. The prime real estate next to my work table was filled with stuff I didn’t need to have at my elbow. My printer now lives on a bookshelf next to my worktable. Everything is connected to a universal docking station (Thanks, Hubby!), and I can print with a few quick keystrokes. Proximity saves time and aggravation. It really is location, location, location.

Tip #7: Set Up For Work

Is your space conducive to work? Do you have a task that you’re putting off because you need to set up or rearrange or get organized before you can actually do the work? Go back to that list of tasks organized by priority and think about how you might set up an area for each activity.

Tip #7: Set Up For Work

For the longest time, I kept my big board (for ironing) upright, leaning against a cabinet. To use it, I had to clear a horizontal space, move the big board, move the iron, you get the idea. I put off any projects where ironing was involved…which is pretty much all sewing. Yesterday I had an “aha moment.” I cleared a counter and put the big board on it, along with the iron. Yes, I still need to find homes for what used to be on the counter, but being ready to work is more important than storing more stuff out in the open.

Tip #8: Pitch What Does Not Work

Eventually, most things outlive their usefulness. Thread gets old and weak, fabric goes hopelessly out of style (and your tastes have moved on), books have been replaced by more updated resources, pins become bent, and rotary blades become old and dull. Don’t feel guilty. If something does not work for you, then there’s no room for it in your studio or storage area. Find a home for the things that have to go. Consider donating useful items to a school, senior citizen organization, quilt guild auction, Freecycle, or a younger quilter who is still in the acquisition phase. If something is no longer useful, then trash it. Really. You have my permission.

When my rotary blades get too dull for fabric, I like to save them for paper. Makes, sense, right? Maybe, but how many paper blades do I need? One? Five? Twenty? Discard or donate extras.

Tip #9: Get Help

Many hands make light work. If you’re moving big stuff around, get some muscle to help you. If you need motivation or if you just need some positive reinforcement, call a friend. Don’t try to do this in isolation unless that’s how you work best. If you absolutely cannot do the work on your own, hire a teen who needs some pocket money. If the job seems overwhelming, call a professional organizer. I think it’s worth the money.

Tip #10: Beware Visual Clutter

I know some quilters and artists who say they need to see everything, that it stimulates them. I used to be one of those people, but I’ve refined my position. I need to see the things that are related in some way to the projects I’m working on. I like having some images on my vision board. I like color and texture and tiny bits of art, but too much is distracting to me. Figure out what your personal limits are and then respect them.

Bonus Tip: Honor Your Personality

Your studio should reflect your tastes and your personality. You should look forward to being there and enjoy the time you spend there. Hang some art, recover your ironing board with some fun (non-bleeding) fabric, put out a cool rug. Make it yours. And then make some stuff. Enjoy!

It’s Time to Make Gift Bags!

With my apologies to the Muppets (Muppet Fans, sing along, using the tune from the show’s opening song):

It’s time to get out fabric!
It’s time to cut and sew!
It’s time to make some gift bags
For my presents –  Ho ho ho!

I look forward to this time of year. Yes, part of me dreads it, too, since there’s not enough time to do the things I want to do. And what is that, you ask? I want to make presents for all of the people I love. Do I have time to do that? More to the point, do you?

Okay, lean in. I’m going to tell you a secret. This is just for you, so don’t tell anyone else. I’m going to tell you the secret of how I find time to make gifts for everyone.

Ready? Here it is.

I buy gifts and then present them in handmade gift bags. Yup. It’s that simple. The bags are quick to make, can be made assembly-line style if you group the fabrics according to thread color, and you can use any fabric that suits you. And while I still think the gift is important, I find my family and friends are sometimes more excited about the gift bag. In fact, several family members hoard them in the fear that I will stop making them. I give them a gift bag filled with other gift bags so that they will actually use them. Plus a personal gift in, yes, a gift bag.

Why do I make my own gift bags?

• I have a lot of fabric.
• People love them.
• I don’t have time to make personalized gifts for everyone I care about, but I can give each person a little homemade love in a bag.
• I have a lot of fabric.
• It’s faster to wrap a gift in a bag than it is to use paper, tape, and a bow or ribbon.
• It’s a green alternative. No need to throw out piles of paper after the gift opening frenzy.
• I have a lot of fabric.
• The gift bags can (should!) be given away by the recipient to keep the love moving around.
• Or the gift bags can be kept and used in other ways.
• I have a lot of fabric.

And so I’ll steal time between writing projects and teaching and family stuff to play with my fabric and sew, sew, sew…guilt-free!

If you want to join my handmade gift bag movement, march yourself into your studio and start pulling fabric! Want more structure than that? You can order my gift bag pattern by clicking here or you can buy my pattern at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, Virginia, on Saturday, December 3, 10am-5pm (I’ll be there until 4pm) during their annual Holiday Open House. I’ll be there, demonstrating Paintstik techniques and chatting about upcoming classes.

For pictures and more information about my gift bags, visit this previous blog post.

Power Suit Quilts Go Public

Power Suit Art Quilt Debut

Saturday, October 22, 2011 was a big day. We unveiled Power Suits: An Art Quilt Challenge at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, Virginia, to a bustling space filled with artists, family members, friends, and newcomers to the art quilt world.

About the Exhibit

When Judy Gula and I issued this art quilt challenge in April, we could not have predicted the number, variety, or quality of quilts that were sent to us. Every day was Christmas as we opened boxes and registered the 18″ x 18″ treasures! 105 artists responded with 108 quilts, addressing topics as varied and unexpected as playing cards, super heroes, swim suits, ancestors, robots, politics, and animals. And there were, of course, quilts that focused on men’s suits and women’s equivalents to the power suit wardrobe. As our guests moved from quilt to quilt, reading artist’s statements and reacting the artwork, I repeatedly heard comments like, “How did they do that?” and “I would never have thought of that!” Surprisingly, while some topics were addressed by multiple artists, each quilt was unique.

Power in Any Suit by Marilyn Owendoff

Quilts will remain on exhibit at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, Virginia, through November 23, 2011. They are available for viewing during shop hours or by special appointment.

Viewers’ Choice

Judy and I agreed to put out ballots for Viewers’ Choice Awards, not to judge the quality of the quilts but to celebrate the reactions the quilts evoked. Thanks to my hubby for that idea. We found that people (read: people who are not quilters but came anyway) seemed more engaged in really looking at the quilts. I loved watching the discussions!

 

The Viewer’s Choice Made Me Laugh Award went to Marilyn Owendoff for her quilt Power in Any Suit. I watched as people led their friends over to see Marilyn’s quilt. It certainly had lots of people smiling as the bikini-clad body on the quilt clutched her smart phone while enjoying the rays on the beach.

The Real Power Suits by Ellen Flaherty

The Viewers’ Choice Made Me Think Award went to Ellie Flaherty for her quilt The Real Power Suits. The quilt featured three nuns made in the image of her mother, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother. I love the play on words: The Real Higher Power Suit.

The Viewers’ Choice Hands-Down Favorite Award went to, well, me! I created a quilt called Power Suited Him from a portrait of my father. This image of my father has been a favorite of mine and I loved using it for our Power Suit Challenge logo. I tried to develop a different idea for my challenge quilt, but I kept coming back to my father’s picture. I’ll try to blog a little about process later. In response to requests for a class in this technique, I will offer a Studio Tech class in photo-inspired art quilts at Artistic Artifacts in the coming year.  

Power Suited Him by Cyndi Zacheis Souder

Exhibit Travel and the Power Suit CD
I’m thrilled to say that our quilts are scheduled to travel! We currently have two quilt shows on our calendar and we are looking for more opportunities to share these treasures with more quilters. If you are interested in showing our quilts, please contact me. We’d love to hear from you!

Look for Power Suit Quilts at these shows:

• March 14-17, 2012: Lancaster Spring Quilt Show at the Host Resort in Lancaster, PA
• January 24-27, 2013: Road to California in Ontario, California

We’ve created a Power Suit Quilts CD that includes the quilt images and artist’s statements. We’ve included two formats on the CD: a PowerPoint presentation that requires PowerPoint on your machine to view and a PDF that requires Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free download that comes loaded on most machines) to view. These will be available at Artistic Artifacts in Alexandria, Virginia, at the Artistic Artifacts booth at the IQA Festival in Houston, TX November 3-6, 2011, and on the Artistic Artifacts website after the second week in November.

Next Challenge
While we had a captive audience, Judy and I announced our next challenge: Arts & Old Lace!

Unlike the Power Suit Challenge, we’ve limited the number of packets we’re distributing. After the feeding frenzy at the debut, we continued to receive calls for the packets. We’re taking whatever we have left to the IQA Festival in Houston, where I believe they will disappear in a flash. More about the next challenge in a future blog. For now, thanks for following our Power Suits Art Quilt Challenge. We’ve had an unbelievable amount of fun and we hope you have, too!

Celebration Jewelry

I love to make things. Mostly I sew, but sometimes I like to take a break from fabric and make jewelry. 

A little while ago, a friend of mine asked me to create a special necklace to celebrate a big day — his wife was scheduled to take the oath of U.S. citizenship. Today’s the big day for his wife and I thought I’d share the necklace I made to commemorate the occasion.

Close Up of the Pendant

The Pendant
We agreed that it would be nice to have a pendant or focal point for the necklace, and so he went looking for the perfect piece. We wanted to find something appropriate for the day that his wife could wear year round. He found it when a Google search landed him on Kellee Bostic’s webpage: http://artseekraftsee.artfire.com. This lovely piece has stars and stripes, but I think it’s subtle.

The pendant is made of PMC (precious metal clay) and is .999 silver. Very pure. And a perfect starting point for this necklace. My friends at Eminence Jewelers in Fairfax, VA engraved the date on the back.

FInished Necklace

Materials
The client wanted to evoke a patriotic spirit but we agreed that we didn’t want the piece to scream red, white, and blue. Once I had the pendant in hand, blue became the obvious choice. After a little searching, I found these lovely resin teardrop beads in a faded denim blue. I added blue seed beads and then began to play with the sterling components I have collected. The closure is a lovely moonstone and sterling box clasp from Star’s beads in Vienna, VA.

I wish my client and his wife all the best! Congratulations! It’s a big day.