kate cusack's zipper jewelry

(photos via katecusack.com)

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above, neckwear by jewelry designer kate cusack. her jewelry work makes smart use of something super ubiquitous: the hardworking zipper. she also makes brooches and bracelets, she sells the former over at etsy as well.
this one has been making the rounds lately, fo sho. see cool hunting, farpitz, and coral stars, for starters.
it strikes me, when looking at the pieces shown above more closely, that the metal teeth of the zippers ms. cusack uses to make these necklaces and other jewelry are like little jewels...they add a bit of ersatz preciousness to them, in a way. i love how they make use an unexpected material, to much modern, sculptural effect.

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see also:
-the work of junk jewelry
-the zipper collars of the amazing outi pyy (of outsapop)
both are also skilled at (making something out of "nothing")...

(thrift) finds

some choice picks from my thrifting haul this week...that happen to all be knits!found at goodwill and out of the closet thrift store, here in san francisco.

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an orla kiely wool sweater!

i saw it from afar...and had a feeling it was something good. i mean, HELLO, it has orange polka dots on gray, people!! you KNOW how i feel about orange and gray (if you've been lingering about for a while, anyway!). a peep at the tag confirmed my good luck. YAY!

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a sleeveless turtleneck knit shell with a PIXEL print (omg!)...

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a simple red-orange wool cardi:

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and a mustard-colored drop-waist tunic...

it doesn't look like much, but i loved the color. and i figured this would fit over my ever growing belly, and would be cute over slim/skinny jeans or leggings or whatever, plus, with a cowl of mine over the neck...one of many layers to keep me warm here in chilly SF.

fiber (diversion): knitted organs

mostly unknown fact (unless you're a particularly astute reader with a devilishly good memory): i'm sickeningly, hopelessly facinated with the biology of the human body. in my free time, i literally devour books on medicine, human biology, and watch everything interesting on the same on the telly. i wanted to be an MD when i was a wee girl.
couple that with with my thing for all things fiber...and you can see why i am obsessed with this knitted brain, heart, and intestines by artist sarah illenberger:

i think the use of yarn to fashion faux organs is a particularly sensitive, deeply metaphorical choice with a dual meaning: said yarn is soft, it's gauge delicate, echoing the equally delicate nature of our innards, sitting protected in our body cavities. but conversely, the choice to sculpt these organs out of yarn with the medium of knitting suggests strength: our organs are resilient, tough, capable of keeping most of us ticking, thinking, moving along in a myriad of ways daily, and for decades.

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see also: this slightly less poetic looking (though equally as cool) knitted digestive system by matie trewe (via craftster.org)