About

Youngest Child came out of nowhere. I have always had restless little hands, most likely from my Northern Irish mother who never sits still. I have tried my hands at many things, some stick and some do not, like the balls of wool under my bed with the same three lines knitted. Photography stuck, bread making stuck, and somewhere along the way my hands met a small bag of colorful Japanese glass beads. I love the reward of a slow and meditative task, and stringing beads is really very similar to climbing mountains, a favorite pastime. One step at a time gets you to the summit, one small bead at a time slowly forms a beautiful little prize to wear or share. 

I named the project Youngest Child to celebrate the fortuitousness of an unexpected passion that becomes all consuming. I am the youngest of three sisters and in my family, bing the youngest gave me the freedom to be utterly random, and to prioritize experience over all the traditional ducks in a row. Encouraged by the process of sharing this project, it is now Youngest Child Studio, to indulge art in many forms.

excerpt from a feature on Studio Bear, check out the fill article here.

Where to find Youngest Child?

currently available in Seattle & Tacoma

 FAQs

  • You bettcha! I am happy to repair any Youngest Child product. Eventually I will have a more stream line process for repairs, but for now, get in touch via our contact page.

    Repairs cost between $10-20 depending on the issue, materials involved and shipping.

    If a repair is not possible, we will figure out another solution for you.

  • As a new smol biz I don’t yet have the capacity to process returns. That said, if you have any issues please get in touch via our contact page and i will try and help you out.

    For right now, all sales are final.

  • This is a one woman show, with a day job, and it takes on average 2 weeks for order processing, manufacturing, quality control, packaging and shipping. If you need something expedited, for a gift or special occasion, get in touch via the contact page and I will try to accommodate ya.

  • For Pearls: someone once told me that all pearls should be stored in a plastic bag to maintain their luster. There are lots of tips and tricks out there, but this is one I practice and can recommend.

    For Sterling Silver: I don’t love a plastic bag but I have found that they will keep silver from tarnishing. So if you take off your beads and plan to take a break from them, store them in a small plastic bag and it will keep the sterling silver clasp crisp and shiny.

    Showers and swimming: I never take my everyday beads off, I shower, swim and surf in them. However, keeping them from getting wet increases their lifetime and helps prevent discoloration. Does that mean you shouldn’t jump in a lake this summer, I don’t think so.

    For Silk String: Anything strung on silk string should not get wet, silk string will stretch if exposed to water. I try to pre-stretch silk string but there is always potential for more stretchin’ to happen with increased exposure.

    If you have questions or concerns not addressed here, feel free to reach out!