A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with Ashley Delose. We are big fans of both Ashley’s work, and her label: Ashdel (which we carry in the SHOP). Here’s a bit from the interview.

GP: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

AD: My name is Ashley Delose and I’m an independent jewelry designer.  I live and work out of Brooklyn and have been making textile jewelry since 2006, using recycled and vintage fabrics.

GP:  We carry several versions of your beautiful braided studs in our store. Can you tell us a bit about the work that goes into making them?

AD: The braided studs are made entirely from thread. Sometimes I’ll hand pick color combinations from vintage sewing spools or use all one color of thread. I start by braiding threads together into a cord using a Japanese braiding technique (Kumihimo). Each braided cord is coiled and hand stitched into a small ball and then hand sewn onto the earring posts. For the finished product, I gift wrap each pair in an original handmade fabric print box.

GP: Can you tell us a bit about your inspiration and your creative process?

AD: My work is constantly evolving. I get bored easily so experimentation is a big part of what I do. Sometimes revisiting an earlier idea or experiment and refining it further will lead to a new one. The braided stud earrings evolved from fabric vessels I originally created to contain earrings.

I draw a lot of my inspiration from existing materials. The act of collecting has always been a part of my process. There is such a variety of vintage and recycled textiles I’ve acquired and every textile I source is unique. I will do limited collections from the textiles I’ve collected and when the it’s used up, the collection ends.

Ashley’s one-of-a kind, eco-friendly designs can be purchased in person Textile Arts Center’s shop or online here.