Collection Introduction
Here at GoodyBeads, we love a good design challenge. We are your headquarters for everything DIY. This time around, we had to reach out for some help with coming up with our next Kit idea. Tia is our resident customer service extraordinaire, and she is the person who so kindly and expertly answers all of your questions through telephone and email. We threw out the idea that we wanted a new Kit soon and she took that and ran with it. Crochet is not one of our specialities, but we’re willing to try anything at least once! It is, however, one of Tia’s talents, and we think she executed this Kit perfectly.
Behind The Scenes
When thinking of this Kit, Tia specifically wanted to challenge our customers and designers with a new technique. Also, she said she always gets asked what someone can do with gemstone chips, and she wanted to create a fun design with the chips to showcase their versatility and beauty. For the necklace, the crochet looks very complicated but it’s actually quite easy! And while wire wrapping is more of a common practice among our customers, we think the bracelet included in this Kit complements the necklace in a fun and creative way. The bracelet is made with a beginner level wire wrapping technique, and it makes the gemstones the star of the show!
The story behind the name is quite interesting. Tia came up with two of the colorways and our friend and co-worker Jacque came up with the other two. Originally, it was decided that only three colorways would make its way into the next phase, but everyone around the office couldn’t decide which colorway to vote out so all 4 were kept. Based on that, Tia knew she had to name the Kit after well known elements (fire, water, ice, and earth) because they fit so well with each color!
Tia’s Story
Tia has been designing jewelry for about 25 years, and has been designing for GoodyBeads for the last few months. She has created a few of our DIY Projects and this is her first Kit design! She first started making and designing jewelry at a bridal shop she worked at, and then that turned into taking on commissions and designing to sell. Tia is known for her eclectic personal style which directly translates into her jewelry. She often takes empty beer cans and makes upcycled jewelry with them!
As for crochet, she learned how after her dad passed away and she wanted something to focus on. She says crochet is very relaxing and anxiety reducing, which helped her when the pandemic was at its most severe. In Tia’s words, crochet is something that she can do to turn off the rest of the world for a little while.