Leslie Wind's Shawl Pins

I stopped to visit Leslie yesterday. I had a scarf for her and she had two new shawl pins for me. I love Leslie's Shawl Pins, they are elegant and graceful in addition to being highly useful. Leslie and I both belong to the Rockport Community House Needleworkers Group which Leslie started several years ago. She is one of those amazing people who has an abundance of energy and ideas. She is also a superbly skillful metalsmith as you can see in the following pictures.

I'm a bit of a purist in certain areas. I don't wear much jewlery but what I wear tends to be very classic with a funky twist, thus Leslie's designs are perfect for me. When I first started making shawls I saw a lot of shawl pins but they just weren't my style. Many of them looked like big safety pins with beads strung on them. I think they might be cute as a sweater pin but when I wear one of my shawls I want something beautiful and elegant holding it in place. Thus began Leslie's adventure in shawl pin making. Back in December I posted pictures of the first two pins she designed. I gave them to the people I made shawls for at Christmas time. The people I gave them to loved them, they are so classic. Since then Leslie has been on a quest to find other ways to hold beautiful shawls in place so the following two pins are her latest creations:

The Spiral: I absolutely love this pin! Of all the designs she has made this is my favorite. It comes in two weights - this is the heavier one designed for bulkier shawls and is shown here on one I knit out of ivory colored silk chenille that I bought at Webs in Northampton. The lighterweight one can be used for gossamers. All her pins are beautifully finished so as not to cause snags. It is also available in silver. This is a highly versatile design. The two ends of the spiral end in blunt-end hooks that just catch between stitches. it can be used as a belt buckle also. More photos in the Mermaid KAL Index Page.

The Circle: This is a very cool and versatile pin. You can leave it open to hold your shawl loosely in place or thread the bar through the center hole for a snugger fit. It is crafted here in brass and silver together but Leslie can make variations on this. I love the design

It is shown here on my Barbie Rose scarf and, as you can see, there is a little chain that loops through the two sides of the scarf then is secured by the bar threaded through the center. More photos in the Mermaid KAL Index Page.

All of Leslie's Shawl Pins are available at her shop in Folly Cove or by calling her at 978.546.6539 or emailing her at wind@cove.com. She takes credit cards and will ship them to you. She can do custom and bulk orders, too. I love these for their elegance and craftsmanship. You can see more of Leslie's work at her web site www.LeslieWind.com. She is revising the web site but there is still a lot to see.

Also, I have posted more pictures of the Mermaid Shawl in progress on the Mermaid Shawl Knitalong Index Page. Check it out for closeups of the lace patterns in progress.

Thanks for reading!!!
Pins are copyright © 2006 Leslie Wind