A 69"+ finished section
Drawn down to 1/4"
Categories: Commerce and business
Word count/read time: 552 words; 2 minutes
It started with my helping to identify a chain. I forwarded some links from my website
so she could learn about loop-in-loop chains.
There was mention of needing 10 meters but the cost would have been prohibitive for
her purposes and budget. So I made a few samples of Viking Knit instead which
proved to be satisfactory.
Abruptly and inexplicably the emails dropped off Thursday. It seemed like we
were right in the middle of an ultra-time-sensitive cyber
negotiation. Then emails wouldn't load
at all and it turns out iPage, my ISP, had yet another bug.
That company is incompetent and I've since changed.
But nothing since Thursday.
What's this, a phone number
with way too many digits to be American? At 4:33pm, she asked
what I was doing. I said making chainmaille. She was relieved until she found out it
wasn't for her. She was sending emails all along but even after the problem
was "fixed," they never showed up! It was a green light but it needed to be
mailed Monday. A tall order for five meters of double-loop six-sided Viking Knit chain.
I hit the road immediately to get wire. At the fourth store, a course
correction was necessary because there was not enough of the wire I wanted. The weave
would have to be changed slightly which meant the original 24 hours
became 30! A blessing in disguise - the weave came out better than my sample.
Silverplated wire saved well over $1000
compared to 0.999 fine silver. Besides, it would have taken too much time to draw the wire
and then I'd have to weave it all by myself...45 hours of labor doesn't fit
into a 36-hour window.
(FYI: Precious metal Viking Knit chains are poorly made low-quality
impostors if each successive wire is not welded or soldered to the existing one.
It isn't jewelry if it isn't made to high standards; it's over-priced junk.
"Everyone" chooses the simple and lazy way instead of doing it properly.)
The first stitch hit the dowel at 10pm. Two all-nighters weren't gonna happen
so I called my professional knitter friend.
Ideally it was supposed to be one continuous chain but it had to be woven in three separate
sections to make the deadline. It would have been interesting to make a 5m chain.
Still, it was the longest I've made.
With less than an hour to spare, $130 express shipping sent 5.4 meters of finished chain, comprising
nearly 600ft. of 24ga wire, to a frenzied Friday
fiendish fashion shoot in New Zealand. It was one of
the least stressful chains I've made, rhythmic and rote without a sense of time or tedium. Compared to the
Dragonscale bracelet,
it was a walk in the park.
In stark contrast, some sellers' claim to fame seems to be how many shows their pieces appear on.
Since anyone could do the same with a hefty bank account - pay a company a ridiculous price
for an obscure actor to wear it - it shows how desperate some are
for fame. Shamelessly bragging about it,
as if quality or desirability played a role, is pitiful.
The irony: They pay a handsome price for the privilege whereas I was paid a handsome price
as a privilege. I will stick to the latter and remain silent.
Posted by M: October 30, 2020
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