One of my great joys is clicking around the internet. Going down rabbit holes of creativity, where I can discover the exciting ways people express themselves through art. I've done it for many years on my blog, Brown Paper Bag, and through my newest book, Threads of Treasure.
But I especially enjoy doing it in newsletter form; email is an oddly intimate thing. Maybe it’s because some of life's best and worst moments exist in our inboxes, which while amazing, always unnerves me. (A quote from this article about Gmail sums it up well: “When you have enough storage that you never have to delete anything, you can keep an infinite record of your life.”)
So I want to thank you for subscribing to Orts. Having launched it at the beginning of 2024, it's been rewarding to share crafty inspiration.
I’m excited about a new offering: newsletter pledges. If you enjoy having this in your inbox each week and would like to support it, pledges are optional but very appreciated. It allows me to prioritize this type of work and helps me grow an Orts community.
You'll still receive a weekly Friday email regardless of whether or not you're a paid subscriber. But, a paid subscription has its perks.
Free subscriber
- One email a week: two in the popular 5/5 format, and two flexible formats (interview, tutorial, etc)
Paid subscriber
$5/month or $48/year
- One email a week: two in the popular 5/5 format, and two flexible formats (interview, tutorial, etc)
- + Two more 5/5 emails (meaning you'll get one 5/5 a week)
- + Quarterly subscriber-only exclusives like a tutorial, pattern, special interview, or something else. (Think of it like Orts Labs.)
You'll also receive access to my full archive and paid subscriber-only posts. I’ve got some other ideas for subscribers that I’ll eventually implement, such as a place for the community to chat.
Now onto a pair of scissors I've fallen in love with. It sounds weird to say it about scissors; but when you work with thread, you know a good pair from a dud. (There's nothing worse than dull scissors!)
My latest supplies obsession is Kai 4” curved scissors [affiliate link] meant for embroidery and other sewing projects. I like them because they’re lightweight and precise. The curved tip is a great makeshift seam ripper (ask me how I know), as it allows you to get especially close to the fabric and thread.
The diminutive size is OK to bring in your airplane carry-on in the U.S. I've flown on a few flights with them and have not had any trouble. And while they're small, they're not so small as to be hard to manage.
This pair of Kai scissors is best used for trimming thread. I wouldn't cut fabric with them. For fabric, I'd recommend a couple of Fiskars products: ergonomic shears for big swaths of fabric and this beloved (sharp!) microtip for the finer details. [affiliate links]
Talk to you next week,
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Sara Barnes
Embroidery illustrator and writer
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