My Color Box
Remember in this entry, I was trying to figure out which of the three spool sizes to use, and I figured that it would probably depend on which ones were easiest to store?
I went to the Container Store, and craft stores, and art supplies stores – and I finally found my solution.
It’s a pastels box. The fact that they look like little artist’s paint sticks, makes me very happy.
The little compartments keep them from shifting around, which would rub and damage the silk. Each tray holds 44 tubes, and there are 3 trays – so 132 colors in all. I think it ought to be enough!
The box, closed.
I also located something to carry around a “working palette” of a few spools – these are for pastels too.
I had to chop up the foam a little… the spools are a TINY bit too long to go in crossways (the way the pastels fit) so they have to go in on a slant.
That’s fantastic!! They look so pretty!
All I can say is… oooooooooo! Shiny!
It must be fun working with all those pretties.
Nice.
I wasn’t aware they sold the box separate from the pastels. Neat!
This isn’t a box that pastels come in… it’s a carrying case that you buy separately. I got it direct from the manufacturer, because the ones I saw at the art supply store were covered with pastel dust from people trying them out with pastels – not a lot, but it would be a pain in the butt to clean out.
These are great, and the colors are so beautiful on those little bobbins. How do you wind them on? I’ve some silk threads in their original package that I am afraid to use because I can’t figure out how to store them properly, or work with the whole skein. Thanks.
Ooh! That’s really cool!!!
Neato!
Oooh! So pretty! I didn’t realize you’d made that many colors now. **envy**
I absolutely love how perfect this is! Gah, I would be squealing like a little girl right now… I wouldn’t be able to stop gawking at my find. I just love when I find that perfect something!
Great job! 🙂
Oh lovely!
Wow.
Is that your own homegrown silk? The colours are amazing.
This post just lit up my container OCD across the board!
Yay!
When I found that my beading boxes fit perfecting into the file totes I found, I almost wet myself.
I love they way those silks look in the pastel box. For a smaller carry in your pocket type of box maybe you could use a fly case. The little things that fly fishers carry with them. I use one for small spools.
I’ve got an electric bobbin winder; I got this one as a gift, but there’s somebody on Ebay who sells them. With all the silk I work with, it saves a LOT of time and stress. When I’m doing reeling, I can easily make five or six thousand yards of filament in an evening.
It’s not homegrown, I wound it from commercial cocoons from China.
I raise about 1000 cocoons each year, but I go through about 4000 to 5000, doing demos and talks… I’m using up that silk in figuring out the process, before I touch the home-grown stuff. When working with that, I always sit quietly and work carefully without disruptions, so that I get more even filament, fewer knots, less lumpiness, etc.
I’ll have to check that out! Is there a particular brand you’d recommend?
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I have color box envy 🙂
How is that possible? OY
Beautiful collection you have there!
It’s (stupidly?) amazing how the right container can make my day. I’ve been in an organizing frenzy lately am practically a regular at the Container Store, Ikea and Harbor Freights.
I love your bobbin solution. They are so pretty all lined up like that!
Yup! The ziplok bags were definitely NOT cutting it. The right container makes a huge difference – I’m hoping to get it full of spectrum-organized colors soon!
My inner little girl is squealing now 🙂
There is something so appealing about a range of pretty, coloured objects arranged in a nice box ready for use. Gorgeous.
stunning and sexay solution! I LOVE compartmentalizing my supplies!!
oh… gosh…
I… I WANT THEM!
Beautiful threads, Michael!! I LOVE the greens and the blues…. and the purples… and the pinks, and the reds…
The box is an ingenious idea. It would probably work great with other kinds of threads, too – although the flat silks are so very flat. And shiny.
Great idea!
Mary C.
Pwetty!
and perfect for storage!
And I love that maroon coloured silk!
Thanks! I’m getting some striking results by blending with black; that sort of black-cherry color turned out exactly like I wanted it to, and will be perfect for shadows on the range next to it.
yuuuuuuuuumy!
I think I want to eat them! Color is sooooo seductive.
Where are you getting the perns for your mini spools. I have been using dry cleaning cardboard tubes from hangers. They work well, but aren’t very substantial.
E.
They’re Glimakra quills; I ordered them through a local weaving store. Certainly not as cost-conscious, but they fit the box perfectly and they look good. 🙂