These are a smaller version of the big Violin Hoops. The curvy maple grain shimmers underneath the violin finish on these hand-rubbed, French polished gems. These super shimmery pieces have been dyed to a deep blush with weld and madder, and finished with tung oil and shellac to a sparkly shine. Minimalist sterling silver hardware keeps the warm, organic irregular hoop shape in the foreground. And they are sooooo smooth to the touch! Forward-facing, whereas the big Violin Hoops are side-facing.
Dimensions: 2" wide by 2.25" long
I developed the Violin Hoops by learning historic finishing methods from a luthier. Each piece - not even just each pair, but each piece - is individually shaped by hand, which gives a warmth to the organic, imprecise shapes that laser cut wood jewelry lacks. Each piece then has to be sanded, mordanted in two or three separate baths, dried, dyed in up to four dye applications, dried again, sanded, and then receives 3 to 7 coats of oil and/or shellac. I am constantly refining this process with each batch in order to balance the refractive qualities of the finish with the durability required for serious dancing.
Petroleum free
Small Botanical Violin Hoops - Deep Blush
Weld is native to Central Asia and Europe, where it has been used as a lightfast yellow dye since ancient times. It plays well with others and serves as a terrific, bright, clear base for overdyeing with other colors to produce wild oranges and greens! Non-invasive and safe to grow - which I hope to do next season!
Madder root was the primary European source for reds. Martin Luther (the religious reformer) grew madder plants in his dye garden. Achieving what we know as a "true red" with natural dyes is surprisingly difficult, and there are fantastic medieval recipes that call for lots of foul ingredients. As it turns out, many of those ingredients were pH-shifters. Madder's complex of dye molecules are also reactive to temperatures, alkalinity, and minerals. Hard to control, but fun to play with, madder can produce a range of reds from tangerine to terra cotta to blood red to mauve-y and peachy pinks.
