Grain News

WE'VE MOVED

2011-11-18T12:59:00.001-08:00

Come visit us at our new website, shop and blog:

www.graindesign.com

Thanks for your interest in Grain!

Scenes from Vancouver

2011-10-04T23:47:00.001-07:00

Above and below are a few images from our recent booth at IDS West in Vancouver that we shared with Iacoli & McAllister, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio and urbancase.

IDS West

2011-09-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

If you are planning on being in Vancouver this weekend, come check out our first booth at IDS West. We'll be in Studio North showing with fellow Northwest designers Iacoli & McAllister, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio and urbancase. IDS West is at the Vancouver Convention Centre West September 29 – October 2, 2011 and will host over 100 retailers, 30 manufacturers and 75 independent designers.

Viva Guatemala!

2011-09-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's hard to imagine a more inspiring place... We are back and filled with new ideas. Thanks to everyone who helped make our amazing trip back possible!

Fast Company US Design Pop-Up Shop

2011-09-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

For those of you like us without an iPad, here are a few "screen shots" (thanks to Chelsea's Mom) of the Fast Company US Design Pop-Up Shop featuring our Electric Love bangles. Fast Company paired with our friends at Fab.com so you can purchase all the products featured and get a free Fast Company subscription while your at it!

Bound in Western Living!

2011-09-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Thom Atkinson of Western Living for including Bound in this sneak peak feature on IDS West. We'll be heading to Vancouver later this month to show at IDS West with fellow Northwest designers Iacoli & McAllister, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio and urbancase. More on the show soon!

Welcome Alena + Morgan!

2011-09-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

With two new interns starting today, it officially feels like fall here at Grain. Alena Adler is a recent Pratt graduate who just relocated to Seattle and Morgan Conley is starting his senior year at Cornish. To get to know each other better, below is an interview they conducted of one another this afternoon.

Alena's questions for Morgan:

AA: If you were stranded on a deserted island and allowed one Grain product in an attempt to survive, what would it be? Why?

MC: I’d take the Spool modular building kit so I can build myself a raft to escape on.

AA: What is the one thing that has most influenced you?

MC: Japanese animation has definitely influenced me a lot, but I’ve been getting into American comic books a lot more lately.

AA: What is your most prized possession?

MC: I’d have to say that it’s this little roughly carved monk statue that I got from a temple tucked away in the mountain’s of Japan. It reminds me of how calm and mystical the atmosphere felt.

AA: What do you hope to gain/leave behind at Grain?

MC: I’m hoping to gain new skills and basic structure of how a business works and leave behind ideas and better understanding of how to structure their work.

AA: So who are you? (in your words, and as described by another)

MC: I’m that dork who dresses funny, likes Japanese animation, and is stubborn about any project I set my mind to. For better or worse.

Morgan's questions for Alena:

MC: At what school did you study and what was your focus?

AA: I studied Urban Design at Pratt. I guess you could call the focus experimental. There is a lot of theory, and the anticipation of what life could be, or should be like.

MC: What was it about Grain that caught your attention and made you take their internship program? Any specific skills you wanted to learn?

AA: The products. I just get a good feeling about them. They have an element of being clean and relaxed at the same time. They are comfortable. I want to learn more about how things are put together---objects by themselves, but also in relation to something else. Is that a skill?

MC: What do you do in your free time when you’re not designing/being an architect?

AA: I really like spending time with my family and friends. Who doesn’t have a crazy family? It is always an adventure.

MC: What are some of the things that inspire your work?

AA: I try to have an open mind when it comes to inspiration. Pretty much anything can inspire if you have the eyes to see it in a new light.

MC: If you could transform into any mythical creature at any given moment what would you be and in what situation?

AA: Ok I might have to google this one; my knowledge of mythical creatures is not that extensive. Probably something that can time travel. I am probably trying to escape something, like Micheal J. Fox in Back to the Future---where he is in the JCPenney Parking lot trying to escape some terrorists.

The Longest Week Ever

2011-09-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

Behind The Scenes

2011-08-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Our shop is pretty hectic (and in need of a good tidy) these days. Here are a few pics from behind the scenes.

The San Francisco SUPPLY

2011-08-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

If you are in San Francisco, we will be showing with the American Design Club at Rand + Statler starting August 27th! Big thanks to Kiel Mead and Sarah Boatright for making it all happen!

Memories of NYIGF

2011-08-22T21:18:00.001-07:00

The sun came out one afternoon at the Javits and we were feeling pretty lucky to be in our new location in the lobby. Above and below are a few pics from that afternoon.

The very best feature of the show was getting to spend some quality time with our friends and neighbors from the American Design Club. The photos above and below from both the JOIN and American Design Club booths. See more on the Grain Facebook page.

Summer In The City: JOIN Back At NYIGF

2011-08-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

It's New York International Gift Fair time again!

This summer, JOIN, featuring the work of eight Northwest designers and collectives, will combine forces with the American Design Club and “A+: The Young Designers’ Platform” to assemble a new section dedicated to emerging design. Positioned just outside the entrance to Accent on Design, visitors entering and exiting the fair will have an opportunity to take extra time to experience new work from up-and-coming designers.

The New York International Gift Fair is located at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 W 34th Street in New York, and will be open 9:00 am - 6:00 pm August 14 - August 17, 2011 and Noon - 6:00 pm August 18, 2011.

Above and below is a sneak peak at some of what you will find in the JOIN booth. The Canoe Canvas Pack above is by Blk Pine Workshop.

2012 Naturalist Almanac by Free Time Industries
SBiR Rings by friutsuper design

Hung by Grain
Hex Opener by Iacoli & McAllister
Terracotta Piggy Bank by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio
Bows Scarf by PlainMADE
Linen Button Scarf by R&L Goods

Guatemala Bound!

2011-07-28T20:49:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago we found out that we received a grant from the Guatemalan Exporters Association to travel back to Guatemala to work on some new product development. Today we made it official by booking our flights for September.

The goal of the trip is to visit with some new artisan communities as well as attend the largest craft fair in Central America. Above and below are a few pictures from our 2006 trip where we visited Antigua, Chichicastenango and several villages surrounding Lake Atitlan.

Needless to say, we are beyond excited and can hardly wait for September!

Grain Sale on Fab.com!

2011-07-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Our first sale with Fab.com will be live tomorrow Tuesday July 26th!

The three day sale will feature Grain personal accessories and home products at big discounts including exclusive colors (see photo below) of our Electric Love rings. If you don't already have an invite, email us at shop [at] graindesign.com and we'll see what we can do to get you one.

Happy shopping!

Welcome Nina + Robyn!

2011-07-13T14:49:00.001-07:00

We are super excited to have two new interns with us for the summer. Nina and Robyn (pictured above left to right) are both Seattle-area natives, friends and sophomores at the Rhode Island School of Design. They will be working on a number of projects while they are with us, but they can't seem to get enough of making, so we are keeping them busy with lots of Electric Love ring production as well as Bound mirror wrapping starting next week.

Here are short bios that Nina and Robyn put together for us with links to their work:

Nina Raizel: "I am a rising sophomore at RISD, majoring in jewelry. When not making jewelry, I love beading, knitting, sewing, working with wood and metal, doing taekwondo, and baking cupcakes. I enjoy interning for Grain because of their innovative designs and their dedication to using sustainable materials. You can see my work on Etsy here."

Robyn Luk: "Having discovered an interest in woodworking and furniture design over wintersession, I will be studying Furniture Design when I return to RISD in the fall. My curiosities include the workings of sustainable design and business in this field, hence my enthusiasm about interning at Grain. During my spare time, I enjoys wildlife photography, woodworking, baking, and reading. Feel free to check out some of my work here."

Here's to a fun summer on Bainbridge!

Field trip to Selfridges!

2011-07-11T15:35:00.001-07:00

On our recent trip to London, we checked out the Supermarket Sarah installation at Selfridges and found our Chi-Chi necklaces and Electric Love rings happily on display.

New Products in the Grain Shop!

2011-05-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

The new website has been pushed back a couple weeks, but in the meantime, all our new products are up in the shop. Above are our new Bound wall mirrors available in 16" Dia and 24" Dia. Below is our Hung wall mirror and our Spool modular system.

Much more in the shop or check out our online catalog!

Team Players

2011-05-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, there is strength in numbers! Huge thanks to Jess Chamberlain of Sunset for her continued support of all of us at JOIN and her fun piece in the latest issue of Sunset featuring a full page pic of our fearless founders, Jamie and Brian of Iacoli & McAllister.

Post Design Week Press

2011-05-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time in New York last week. We're still processing, but wanted to share a few links from the nice press we received. Thanks to everyone for their support!

At the airport, we were excited to find our Bound hand mirrors mentioned in the New York Times' Three Design Shops Popping Up in New York. For a recap from the Noho Design District (where we showed work with the American Design Club and Sight Unseen), here is a great summary from Sight Unseen.

While we were setting up our ICFF booth, we found this nice post from Laura Cassidy's Wear What When blog for Seattle Metropolitan Magazine featuring our work along with fellow Seattle designers: Greypants, urbancase and Iacoli & McAllister.

After ICFF, we were happy to read that we were selected by Inhabit as part of the Best Green Furniture Design at ICFF 2011 (see above) as well as one of 15 Young Designers and Collectives to See at ICFF according to Apartment Therapy.

We also wanted to send thanks to Jess Chamberlain of Sunset for her ICFF 2011 (some Seattle-based faves), Ghislaine Viñas of Interior Design for including our Bound hand mirrors in a nice post from the Noho Design District, and Carl Collins of Core77 for including our Bound wall mirror in their Noho roundup.

Views from ICFF

2011-05-19T23:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a few quick glimpses into booth 849 at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair showing our new Spool wall system, small hemp wrapped Bound mirror, manilla threaded Hung mirror and Iacoli & McAllister's Large Frame Light Cluster. Our new website will be up next week. In the meantime, info on all the new products can be found in our online catalog.

New York Design Week

2011-05-02T17:48:00.001-07:00

It's kind of unbelievable that it is almost time for New York Design Week again, but we've been busy and are super excited for this year. With a new website (launching May 13) and several designs debuting at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and Noho Design District, it will be one whirlwind of a week.

If you are in New York, come visit us at the following:

International Contemporary Furniture Fair

Saturday May 14 - Monday May 17

10:00 am - 5:00 pm (closes 4:00 pm May 17)

Jacob Javits Center

655 West 34th Street, Booth 849

American Design Club Presents: Use Me

Friday May 13 - Monday May 16

12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The American Design Building at Great Jones Lumber

45 Great Jones Street

Sight Unseen Pop-Up Shop

Friday May 13 - Monday May 16

12:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The American Design Building at Great Jones Lumber

45 Great Jones Street

Grain at Poketo

2011-04-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

We're loving the new photos of Poketo's spring collection of artist tees and dresses paired with our jewelry which you can also find in their online shop.

Looking for summer intern...

2011-04-04T12:30:00.001-07:00

Our beloved intern Claire is leaving us in June after a year of amazing work. It is going to be difficult to fill her shoes, but we are on the hunt for a new intern (or two) to start in late June. Here is what we are looking for:

As our summer intern, you will have an opportunity to contribute to all aspects of our design consultancy and studio from research, to design process, to production assistance, to a variety of administrative projects. Knowledge of Adobe software and confidence in design drawing and model making is ideal.

This position would be a great fit for an Industrial Design or Furniture student, though we can tailor the position for a Graphic Design, Textiles or Architecture student as well.

Our focus this summer will be working on the growth of our in-house product and furniture line, which we show annually at the New York International Gift Fair and International Contemporary Furniture Fair.

Our home studio is on Bainbridge Island, a 35 min ferry commute from downtown Seattle. The position is unpaid, but we do cover ferry costs, lunch and coffee.

We are looking for someone who could start around June 27th and work through the summer. Full-time would be ideal, but we would be open to part-time as well. We could accommodate two interns.

To apply, please send portfolios and resumes to Chelsea chelsea [at] graindesign.com.

UPDATE 04/25/11: Huge thanks to everyone who applied. We are happy to report that the position has been filled. We will be looking for more interns in the fall so please continue to email info to Chelsea if interested in future postions.

Spotted at Anthropologie!

2011-03-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Ben Blood for spotting our custom cosmetic bags for Anthropologie in their New York store!

Seattle Mini-Boom

2011-03-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to John Rambow for the great article on JOIN and the Seattle design scene on Fast Company's blog today! We always love being mentioned along with our fellow JOIN'ers: Iacoli & McAllister, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio and BLK Pine.

Grain at Anthropologie!

2011-03-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Our custom Sololá cosmetics bags for Anthropologie are finally available!

Several months ago we started a collaboration with Anthropologie when one of their buyers spotted our Sololá purse. We worked with them to create this custom cosmetic bag using the same vintage huipils that we source in Guatemala. Each bag is totally different. You can find them online and in selected stores here in the US and UK.

N.E.E.T. Magazine

2011-03-03T15:02:00.001-08:00

We just wanted to give a quick thanks to N.E.E.T. Magazine for featuring Electric Love, Sololá and Bound in their March issue. N.E.E.T. is an "eco-friendly, grassroots style bible for the digital age" founded in 2005 in the UK and we're thrilled to be included throughout the issue. Thanks again Stephanie!

2010 Donation Time!

2011-02-27T19:21:00.000-08:00

As part of our 1% for the Planet commitment, we are proud to announce donations to The Organic Seed Alliance, PCC Farmland Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Park Foundation.

We selected these organizations because of their great local initiatives, both social and environmental, and because we have directly enjoyed the results of their work in the past year; from the trails we walk to the food we eat.

As members of 1% for the Planet, we donate 1% of our annual sales to environmental causes. Thanks to everyone who supported us in 2010 for helping to make this donation possible!

JOIN @ NYIGF

2011-02-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

A few quick pics from the JOIN booth at the New York International Gift Fair. We'll be here until Friday in booth 3916...

BLK Pine

plainMADE

Ladies & Gentlemen Studio

New: Electric Love Bangle

2011-01-24T12:36:00.000-08:00

We're excited to launch a new bangle version of our Electric Love rings!

Made from the same reclaimed electrical wire sourced from Seattle and Portland-area building salvage stores, the bangles are available now for $28.00 from our online shop and at Supermarket Sarah's shop in Selfridges in London.

JOIN Returns To New York International Gift Fair

2011-01-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

JOIN is combining forces once again to bring seven independent Northwest designers to the New York International Gift Fair to present a series of new products and accessories. If you are in New York, come say hello!

The New York International Gift Fair is located at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 W 34th Street in New York, and will be open 9:00 am - 6:00 pm January 30th - February 2nd, 2011 and Noon - 6:00 pm February 3rd, 2011. JOIN will be located in booth 3916 in Accent on Design.

BLK Pine

Grain

Iacoli & McAllister

Ladies & Gentlemen Studio

Meet Me Here

plainMADE

R&L

Grain and Supermarket Sarah at Selfridges!

2011-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

We're delighted to be participating in Supermarket Sarah's new shop at Selfridges in London. The shop will open January 10th and will include designers such as Patternity, Henrietta Swift, Eley Kishimoto, and Donna Wilson.

Electric Love in Toffee!

2010-12-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Australian indie arts and crafts magazine, Toffee, for featuring Electric Love in their first issue!

Do It Yourself Douchegordijn

2010-12-02T10:16:00.000-08:00

Huge thanks to editor Kim van Rossenberg for featuring Ty D.I.Y. Edition in the latest issue of Dutch magazine 101 Woonideeën!

Pre-Holiday Sale

2010-11-16T14:37:00.001-08:00

Everything in the Grain shop is 15% off through December 15th! Just use the discount code: HOLIDAY at check out. Happy shopping!

Electric Love featured in Seattle Magazine!

2010-11-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

Check out the November issue of Seattle Magazine to find our Electric Love ring featured on page 36! You can enter to win the pictured ring through their website or get one from our online shop right now for $19.00. Thanks Kate!

Electric Love + SFMOMA

2010-11-01T16:42:00.000-07:00

Check out the new SFMOMA holiday catalog. Our Electric Love rings are on page 12!

New Bound and Chi-Chi Colors/Sizes!

2010-10-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

Above is our new Bound all natural hand mirror. We made three of these for Bird several weeks ago on special order and liked them so much that we decided to add them to our online shop.

Above and in the two below images are our new Chi-Chi, Fat Strand necklaces (modeled nicely below by our intern Claire) that we are now offering in yellow and green. They are $36.00 and can be found in our online shop.

And finally, we now have Chi-Chi, 3 Strand Yellow necklaces. We originally made these on special order for The Whitney Museum Store and now they are available in our online shop as well.

New Intern!

2010-10-21T13:20:00.001-07:00

Hello, I'm Claire, Grain's very first intern! I am currently studying at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA where I have the freedom to design my own major, with an interdisciplinary approach, between the fields of fibers, textiles and sustainable business practices.

I came across Chelsea and James' work last year and was so inspired by their craftsmanship, creativity, and commitment to sustainability. They are a shining example of what I'd like to be doing down the road, and they have been so kind to share their own experiences and learning lessons from their journey, to help me better shape my vision. I'm so lucky to be here!

Vinyl shower curtains are scary!

2010-10-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

Matt Hickman posted a great response to the question of why standard PVC shower curtains are so dangerous to our health and environment on the Mother Nature Network yesterday. Here is an excerpt:

"...PVC vinyl shower curtains... contain the infamous and ubiquitous chemical plasticizer, phthalates, and a slew of other toxic chemicals that can easily off-gas in a hot ‘n’ steamy bathroom and pollute the air in your home. In various studies, phthalates have been linked to a myriad of health concerns including genital deformation, abnormal breast development, lowered IQs and ADHD in boys; shortened pregnancies in expectant mothers; and damage to the liver, kidney and reproductive system."

On recyclability he wrote:

"...PVC, a compound of chlorine and petroleum products, is the hardest to recycle of all the plastics and the production of it is highly polluting and releases carcinogenic dioxins into the air."

On safer alternatives he wrote:

"Mercifully, there are numerous alternatives to vinyl shower curtains made from materials like hemp, organic or non-organic cotton, and non-off-gassing EVA plastic, but be warned, you’ll probably have to pay a bit more. But as evidenced above, I think you’d agree it’s worth it. While perfectly acceptable, non-vinyl shower curtains can be found at major retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond and Target, I’m a huge fan of Grain’s Ty Shower Curtain that’s made from recyclable, long lasting and breathable — less mold and mildew! — HDPE (#2 plastic). For a couple bucks more, Grain also offers a Ty DIY Edition that comes with a permanent marker for shower curtain doodling."

Thanks Matt!

NwMODERN Installation

2010-10-19T11:15:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pics by Scott Kouchi from the installation of NwMODERN that opened in Portland last week. We showed our Bound hand mirrors and Appropriated Series: Bench along with work from Esque Studio, Pigeon Toe Ceramics, Crafted Systems and more.

NwMODERN: The Spirit of Place

2010-10-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

We're taking a road trip to Portland next week for the opening of NwModern. Grain will be one of the 60 artists and designers showing work that "reflects the unique spirit of place in the Pacific Northwest" curated by Giovanni Castillo within the context of the classic 1950's Twombly House.

If your in town too, here are the details:

The Twombly House

4449 SW Twombly St.

Portland, OR

Opening: October 15th, 4:00pm - 9:00pm

Open to the Public: October 16th – 28th, 4:00pm - 9:00pm

New Shops!!

2010-10-07T14:54:00.001-07:00

We have officially shipped out all our orders from the New York International Gift Fair! Here are a selection of the new shops that will be carrying Grain products:

Lola

Berkley, CA

Spartan

Austin, TX

The Future Perfect

Brooklyn, NY

Guggenheim Museum Store

New York, NY

Ideal

Bellingham, WA

Contemporary Arts Museum Shop

Houston, TX

St Charles, IL

New York, NY

Los Angeles, CA

Brooklyn, NY

Boston, MA

San Francisco, CA

For a full list email shop [at] graindesign.com.

JOIN @ NYIGF

2010-08-29T18:26:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from our recent booth at the New York International Gift Fair. The booth included products and personal accessories from nine Northwest design collectives - most showing at the Fair for the first time.

For more info on JOIN, check out our new website. For more pics, follow this link.

New: Bound Hand Mirror

2010-08-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

Made from used mirror that we source from various building salvage stores here in the Seattle-area, Bound is a new series for us here at Grain. The hand mirror (pictured above and below) is waterjet cut then hand-wrapped in hemp twine in our studio on Bainbridge Island.

The Bound hand mirror will retail for $265.00 and is available in two colorways (Blue/Black/Natural/Yellow or Red/Black/Natural/Purple) for now.

We will be launching Bound at the upcoming New York International Gift Fair this August 15 - 19 in the JOIN: Design Seattle booth (#3912) in Accent on Design.

Expect larger wall hanging versions this coming spring!

JOIN at New York International Gift Fair

2010-07-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

JOIN: Design Seattle is having its first national show this August 15 - 19 at the New York International Gift Fair. The booth (#3912 in Accent on Design) will show new products and accessories from nine Northwest designers: Blk Pine Workshop (pictured above), Erich Ginder, Free Time Industries, Grain, Iacoli & MacAllister, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, plainMADE, R&L Goods, and Urbancase.

Above and below are some portraits of each participating design studio by Seattle-based photographer Kyle Johnson. See you in New York!

Erich Ginder

Free Time Industries

Grain

Iacoli & McAllister

Ladies & Gentlemen Studio

plainMADE

R&L Goods

Urbancase

Free shipping through August 31!

2010-07-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

We're offering free shipping from now until the end of August in our online shop. The offer is good for all US orders with the exception of furniture. Happy shopping!

More Electric Love Press!

2010-07-15T16:55:00.001-07:00

Electric Love has been getting some great press over the past few days. Thanks Sunset, Design For Mankind, Mother Nature Network, Design Milk, Ethical Style and Color By Numbers for helping to spread the word!

DIY Tutorial: Electric Love

2010-07-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

On Monday we posted the how-to steps for making your own Electric Love on Ecouterre. Here they are if you'd like to give it a try:

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

Small needle-nose pliers
Wire cutter
Ring mandrel (shown) or dowel, carrot, thumb, etc.
Reclaimed electrical wire

STEP ONE

Find some wire in a color you like. The best wire for this project will have a solid core (it holds its shape better than braided wire) and a
thin plastic coating.

If it comes wound with other wires (as shown), carefully split out the color you’re after. You’ll need about 19 inches (50 cm) for the ring.

STEP TWO

Start your ring by twisting a tight hook on the very end of the wire. Make it as small as you can, then clench it flat with the pliers.

If you left a long tail, snip it down close to the bend with the wire cutters. This step shall henceforth be known as the “hook” and will prevent
the finished ring from coming undone.

STEP THREE

Locate your ring mandrel (or other sizing device mentioned above). Hold the hook down against the mandrel with your thumb and begin to wrap the wire around the mandrel. This step will determine the final size of your ring, so wrap it tight.

STEP FOUR

Three full wraps around the mandrel should do it. On your last time around, go past the hook a touch, then bend the remaining wire up at 90 degrees (shown).

STEP FIVE

Slide the ring off the mandrel and begin the top wrap by bringing the free wire over the top and through the ring. Pull.

STEP SIX

Be sure to place the first loop before the hook to keep the ring secure, and make it tight so the hook won’t come out. Then, make a few more loops sending the wire over the hook and through the ring in the same manner.

STEP SEVEN

Keep wrapping tightly until you’ve covered the hook, then do two or three more wraps beyond the hook but keep the loop diameter the same (shown). This will allow some space underneath the loops to tie off the end of the wire.

STEP EIGHT

Bring the wire around and poke it back through the loops from step 7.

STEP NINE

Pull it tight so it feels secure under the loops. Snip of the excess wire as short as you can manage.

STEP TEN

The loops probably separated a bit during this process so tuck in the loose end and mash everything back into shape. Voilà!

The finished ring, which can also be purchased from Grain’s online store, ready-made, for $19.

The ring in action.

Press: Electric Love

2010-07-05T21:40:00.001-07:00

We have been getting some fun blog coverage of Electric Love lately...

Abigail Doan wrote a really thoughtful post for Ecco*Eco (above) and then we found them over on Treehugger (below) thanks to Emma Grady.

For more, check out NotCot, Nacional Design, GreenMuze, and Girl In The Green Dress (written by Traci Roloff the co-owner of filzfelt). Thanks for the support everyone!

Café America in Chicago Home + Gardens!

2010-07-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

We're super excited to have our Café America chair featured with Mike Perry's Eames chair and Damian Barton's Petal chair in the July/August issue of Chicago Home + Garden. Thanks Deborah!

Café America in Chicago!

2010-06-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

Café America is now available through Buckingham Interiors + Design in Chicago. The following photos are from their June 18th opening party. More pics from the opening can be found here.

D&A Green Room Los Angeles

2010-06-15T00:03:00.001-07:00

We're in sunny California at the Designers & Agents Green Room this week. Here are a few pics from the booth on the first day. We'll be here until Wednesday if you are in Los Angeles!

UPDATE 06/21/2010: See more pics from the show on Grain's Facebook page!

Grain in the new RISD XYZ magazine!

2010-06-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

Rhode Island School of Design's new alumni magazine, RISD XYZ designed by WellNow Design, is finally out. Inside, we were excited to find our Sololá purses featured next to Paul Loebach's Gradient Table and Micheal Maltzan's Skid Row Housing Trust which we hope to see when we are in LA later this week.

Thanks Liisa for thinking of us again!

Grain Link Trades

2010-06-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Laura Cassidy for including our favorite links in her Wear What When blog for Seattle Met. Laura first wrote about our Chi-Chi necklaces in April, so we were delighted when she asked us to participate in her Link Trader series.

Thanks again Laura!

Grain at D&A in Los Angeles June 14 - 16

2010-06-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

We'll be in LA next week to show our jewelry and accessories at Designers & Agents. Designers & Agents is an international marketplace featuring clothing and accessories from more than 1,000 independent designers and the D&A Green Room (curated by eco fashion website Ecouterre) will exhibit a selection of up-and-coming sustainable designers.

We were thrilled to be invited to submit (thanks Jasmin and Ecouterre!) and can't wait to check out all the great work. See images from the recent D&A Green Room in New York on Inhabitat here. We'll send pics from our booth once it is set up on the 14th!

Sololá in Lucky!

2010-06-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Editor At Large, Elise Loehnen for featuring Sololá in the upcoming July issue of Lucky!

New Electric Love colors!

2010-06-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

We're super excited to have new Electric Love ring colors available in our shop. It has been raining for a month here in Seattle (no joke) so it feels good to be working with some bright new colors.

Joining our white and red/pink rings, we are now offering blue, orange, green, and yellow. Each one is handmade here in our studio on Bainbridge Island from upcycled electrical wire that we source in the Seattle-area. Check them out here!

New Packaging and Hang Tags!

2010-05-25T16:25:00.001-07:00

Our Electric Love rings now arrive in these custom recycled content chipboard matchbooks. Chi-Chi and Sololá have new hang tags too!

Photos from Model Citizens NYC

2010-05-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a few quick pics from the Model Citizens NYC exhibition last weekend. See more on Core77, Inhabitat, Ponoko, Design Glut, Metropolis (added 5/26/10) and on the Model Citizens NYC Facebook Page.

Photos above and below are from Inhabitat's The Best Green Designs from Model Citizens 2010. The above mobiles made from pencils are by Michiel Cornelissen.

Pins and necklaces crafted from bits of cracked ceramic.

The Floor (to Ceiling) Lamp by Jason Neufeld.

Bell jar stands made from scrap wood and glass by Niels Cosman.

Bowls made of colored pencils by Michiel Cornelissen.

The Perch chair designed by Jason Hu for The Guyana Project.

Hanging lamps by design since made from re purposed spools of measuring tape.

We showed our Ty and Ty D.I.Y. Edition shower curtains, Chi-Chi necklaces, and Electric Love rings which you can find for sale in our shop.

Ty D.I.Y. Edition + Mike Perry + Readymade

2010-05-21T11:23:00.001-07:00

Check out the June/July issue of Readymade. It features our Ty D.I.Y. Edition customized by one of our favorite illustrators, Mike Perry. We have been anxiously waiting to see what he came up with, and we couldn't be more pleased!

If you like it as much as we do, you can enter to win the one-of-a-kind curtain at Readymade here.

June Real Simple on Newsstands!

2010-05-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

We just got our copy of the latest issue of Real Simple featuring Ty D.I.Y. Edition. The editors at Real Simple suggest Ty as a good Grad/Hostess gift. We agree!

Die kleine Kunstlerin!

2010-05-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

Our favorite emails to receive here at Grain are from people who have used our products and have really connected with them. They totally make our week!

These photos come from Julia Schenk in Germany. She worked with her Mann and six year old Tochter to customize their Ty D.I.Y. Edition and was kind enough to send us some process shots. Danke Julia!

New Electric Love Colors for Model Citizens!

2010-05-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

James knotted up these new Electric Love rings for the Model Citizens NYC store last night. They are all handmade from upcycled electrical wire that we find here in Seattle.

We only have white and pink available in our store so Model Citizens NYC (May 15 - 17) will be the only place to find these new limited colors!

If you are in New York this weekend....

2010-05-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the second annual Model Citizens NYC exhibition curated by Mika Braakman at Hosfelt Gallery!

Model Citizens NYC will include new work by 50 independent designers (including Pratt/RISD/Bainbridge friends Mimi Kirmaci, Niels Cosman, Hello, We Are_______., Brandon Perhacs, and Stanley Ruiz) and we will have a few items for sale in the exhibition store.

Our other favorites for Design Week are:

> ICFF booths by Seattle friends Iacoli & McAllister, Urbancase, Kerf, and Greypants.

> Breakable at the Heller Gallery with new glass work by Hello, We Are______., Free Time Industries, Henry Julier, Sergio Silva, and more.

> New work from Portugal and Brazil at INTER-CONNECTED (curated by Zoë Melo) featuring a talk moderated by Frederico Duarte.

> Emily Pilloton's Design Revolution Roadshow (the exhibition's final stop) in the Metropolis Magazine booth at ICFF.

> Work by AREAWARE, Brad Ascalon, DesignGlut, Emily Rothschild, Henry Julier, Kiel Mead, Stanley Ruiz, and more at CITE Goes America.

> The NOHO Design District curated by Sight Unseen.

New Chi-Chi in the shop!

2010-05-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

We just added new 3 strand Chi-Chi necklaces to the Grain shop this afternoon. They are available in green (pictured above), blue, orange and pink/red for $36.00.

Chi-Chi is made from 100% cotton by Guatemalan artisans, and like all our products, their sales support our commitment to 1% For The Planet.

Exclusive Ty in UncommonGoods catalog!

2010-05-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

We put together an exclusive Ty D.I.Y. Edition kit for the Summer UncommomGooods catalog and it is finally out. The kit includes all three marker colors so you can create designs like the one below. Check out the full catalog here.

Ty D.I.Y. Edition at Urban Outfitters!!!

2010-04-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

Yep, get them while they are hot through the Urban Outfitters website!

Grain at the Whitney Museum Store!

2010-04-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

We are SO super excited to announce that our Ty D.I.Y. Edition shower curtains, Chi-Chi necklaces, and Electric Love rings will soon be available for purchase at the Whitney Museum Store! Big thanks to our rep Marianne!! Woo-hoo!!

Image above: "Untitled (I shop, therefore I am)" by Barbara Kruger from 1987 from here.

Zero Waste: Sold Out!

2010-04-30T15:16:00.001-07:00

Last summer we designed Zero Waste (in collaboration with our dear friend Mika Carmichael) in response to American Design Club's call for concepts for Areaware's Design To Go.

They were looking for products that encompassed the idea of travel. We thought a bag would be a great response to that - especially one that you could add your own designs to over time. We envisioned people adding notes, maps, and other info that they collected in their everyday travel.

The final pattern for Zero Waste was made to utilize a single sheet of HDPE (leftovers from our Ty and Ty D.I.Y. Edition shower curtains) and allows for zero cutting waste, hence the name.

We didn't put much effort into spreading the word on the bag after Design To Go, but the word definitely got out and as of today we are totally sold out! Thanks so much to Commerce With A Conscience, NOTCOT, Better Living Through Design, What The Cool, Visual Therapy, and Green By Design for the recent posts.

And YES, we are working on Zero Waste 2.0!

Project H Seattle Happy Hour Benefit

2010-04-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

If you are in Seattle, we hope to see you at the Project H happy hour benefit on May 19th at 5:30 pm at Red Door in Fremont!

Project H is a national organization that connects the power of design to the people who need it most. It is a team of volunteer designers and builders engaging locally to improve the quality of life for the socially overlooked.

Curious? This will be your chance to learn more about Project H and what the Seattle Chapter has been up since it formed last summer!

Grain Summer Workshops at Open Satellite!

2010-04-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Do you know any Seattle-area teens curious about design?

Grain is leading two two-week design workshops for teens (12 - 15 years old) at Bellevue's Open Satellite residency space this summer and we are looking participants!

Teens will walk away with a design process tool kit that includes concept development, learning how to refine ideas, creating prototypes, and developing presentation skills. The hands-on workshop will culminate in a weekend public showcase of teen prototypes and products that will coincide with the Bellevue Arts Museum's Art Fair.

The workshops will run June 28th - July 10th and July 12th - July 23rd with the special weekend exhibition at Open Satellite July 24th - 25th.

For more info, please contact Open Satellite Public Programs Manager, Laura O'Quin at laura [at] opensatellite.org or at 425.454.7355.

Ty in Better Homes and Gardens!

2010-04-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

Better Homes and Gardens contacted us a while back about an article that they were putting together on indoor air quality. The article was inspired by a recent study that found US homes often have higher levels of air pollutants than found outdoors. This is due to off-gassing building materials, paints, and products as well as mold and dust.

We are proud to have Ty and Ty D.I.Y. Edition suggested as safe alternatives to traditional off-gassing products in May's issue (see above and below). Check out the full article Breathe Easy on pages 213 - 218.

Below is a detail showing the Ty recommendation:

Target's Red Hot Shop

2010-04-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

For the whole month of April, Target and Daily Candy are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day with 10 products that help support a more sustainable lifestyle in Target's Red Hot Shop. We are thrilled to have Ty D.I.Y. Edition included in the mix!

Free shipping through April!

2010-04-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Happy spring! We are offering free shipping on everything in the shop (besides furniture) for the entire month of April.

Ty D.I.Y. Edition in Pregnancy & Newborn!

2010-04-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

We just found out that Ty D.I.Y. Edition will be featured in Pregnancy & Newborn's April issue! Above and below is a sneak peak.