Who is Clara aka Miss Wrap?
This month, we're delighted to have an exclusive interview with Clara aka Miss Wrap! Challenges? She loves them... She's undeniably one of this summer 2018's leading designers, creating DIY wrap bracelets that can be declined with all kinds of colors and beads.
Find more creative interviews in the toolbox section of our site!
Can you tell us who you are?
- Clara Rovello aka Miss Wrap Bracelets
- I live in Saint-Chamas, Bouches du Rhône
- I'm an accountant
What's your background in design?
- I've always loved manual activities, ever since I was a little girl. When I was about 8 or 9, I made a loom from a shoebox and used it to make cuffs with Indian patterns. A little later, I started making little beaded animals (crocodiles, frogs...) and around 2006, the Swarowski jewelry craze began, so I started selling my creations for a few months. When my first child arrived in 2007, I decided to put everything on hold. As time went by, my professional life took over again and I had a second child in the meantime. In 2015, I came across a photo of a wrap bracelet, and I was hooked! I was in the middle of my BTS, but I told myself that I absolutely had to know how to make them. After several wraps (the technique wasn't very complex), I started making them for my family, and little by little, word of mouth spread and Miss Wrap Bracelets became my 2nd professional activity.
What do you love most of all?
- What I love most of all is music, which has been with me since I was a little girl (I played the violin for 14/15 years, at the conservatory, in orchestras... which gave me some unforgettable moments). It's only music that can provide these unique emotions, whatever the genre... I can't do without it, it's vital for me.
What would you take with you to a desert island to keep you from getting bored?
- Lots of little things that would fit in a backpack: a phone, because even if there's no signal, I've got all my music in it, a magazine with lots of games in it, and I'm not going to be very original, but my bead case with all the kit (thread, beads, cord, thread cutter...) to be able to bead for hours on end.And finally, a rubik's cube so I can finally finish it!
What do you have a totally crazy addiction to?
- I love the romantic movies/telefilms that you can see in the afternoons on the big channels! And since I work during the day, I watch them on replay!
What is your proudest creation?
- I don't have any in particular, but I'm always proud to see the positive feedback on each of my bracelets, which encourages me to keep going!
What's your favorite creative technique?
- Without hesitation, the wrap technique. It's as simple as threading, the possibilities are endless and the result is top-notch!
What's your favorite Miyuki color range?
- Gold-plated miyuki are almost ubiquitous in my designs: DB-0031.
I also use these colors:
- Turquoise: DB-0759 and DB-0658
- Cream: DB-0203
- Bronze: DB-0115
- Green: DB-0858
What's the one tool you can't live without?
- My little needle to camouflage leftover threads, the thread cutter, which is also indispensable, and my centimeter so I can make even turns.
What's your secret trick?
- I think I've given you all my little tricks, but I'd say don't hesitate to double your thread, especially for the miyuki weaving part. Looking at the row, it should look like it's been done on a loom, so by doubling the thread, the miyuki don't curl and stay well aligned, so the result is clean and perfect!
What's your favorite source of inspiration?
- Landscape photos inspire me a lot, especially for color combinations, it could be a sunset, a beach, a bouquet of flowers Instagram is full of sources of inspiration, I spend a lot of time contemplating photos to find the one that will give me the idea for a new bracelet.
What's your favorite proverb or saying?
- Chi va piano va sano! Don't be in a hurry to get it right, quality is the most important thing.
Any current projects?
- I'm thinking of creating a blog or a web page where people can find my creations, my tutorials, the materials I use, the question/answer corner. I'd also like to make a collection of small wraps of just 1 or 2 turns.
Do you have any advice for beginners? What not to do?
- My advice would be not to go too fast, especially when weaving Miyuki beads. You have to take your time and line up row by row to get the best result (it's not so good when it's twisted or when the rows are too far apart/too close together).
Perles & Co and you...
- My first order dates back to 2007 (that doesn't make me any younger)! 11 years ago now, I thought it was great to have a French site that offered so much choice! For me, it's the French reference without hesitation! The quality and speed are there, which is the most important thing for me! And Perles&co is a golden team that puts the spotlight on designers and, thanks to its themes and competitions, helps you find new ideas and inspiration!
Find all the Miss Wrap bracelet tutorials in our Tutorials section.
Meci to Clara aka Miss Wrap for answering our questions.
August 2018
