Holiday Ornamental Scarf

We have been designing scarf necklaces since 2012. The idea for this design was pitched to us by a good friend, Sheryll, who is now based in the United States. When she purchased some of our handmade pieces, she suggested to us to make scarves, so that she can wear something for her fall outfit. We kept her suggestion in mind. We finally released our first batch of scarf necklace collection which we named "Hiraya" in 2012. After which, we made several versions of the beaded scarf using different materials such as; mother of pearl, fresh water pearls, semi precious stones and acrylic crystals for the embellishments. We used various fabrics, but mainly we kept our focus on chiffon by positioning the scarves as ornamental pieces. These designs can be worn on special occasions during the different seasons.

Our scarf necklaces received a following from our customers. Until now, our old designs are still being reordered.  They were also a big hit during the Christmas Season, when the ornamental scarves were commonly given as gifts. We first experimented with the idea of doing intricate beading on our chiffon scarves with the Queen of Thorns Collection. Its main design was done on felt cloth, and was eventually reinforced the scarf.

We have recently decided to focus on bead embroidery as a distinct technique and main style for our handmade pieces.  In line with this, we thought of fusing our chiffon scarves with our bead embroidery designs. We asked Marites, one of our women artisans from an urban poor community, to recreate Mayumi,  a popular design which was originally part of our summer collection. This time around, we shifted towards Fall Colors. Once finished, we added the chiffon scarf (2.5 yards) in place of a chain or satin cord. As a final touch, we used faux leather for the back finishing. This ornamental artisan scarf should be a great addition to any sophisticated Fall wardrobe!

Keeping it real.- PJV

Inspiring Stories: Meet Beng

Beng was part of the first group of mothers we trained from our chosen urban poor community. She became interested in making handmade accessories when another one of our beaders, Tess Dulce, started making accessories in her home. Whenever, she and the other mothers would call Tess for afternoon socializing, Tess would turn down the invitation because she was working on Palamuti Accessories. Beng, and other mothers became curious and asked Tess if they too can make handmade accessories during their spare time.

Thus, our relationship with Beng and the others based in Tess’ community began. We conducted a one-day training for this group of mothers and eventually assigned simple projects which they can make at home. We provided the materials for them to use in their projects and when the products are done, we pick and pay them upfront. Beng, as with most of the other mothers, is a full time housewife. She stays home to take care of her son, while her husband works 8-10 hours a day on a full time job. Palamuti became an opportunity to use up her idle time while providing additional income to her family. Her love for crafting made her a good candidate as a Palamutibeader. 

We took notice of Beng’s natural talent for crafting, and eventually started assigning her with more complicated assignments. She was best at making our Hiraya Scarf Necklaces, expertly producing them at great speed. She was especially helpful during the late Christmas rush of 2012, wherein we had a high demand for our handmade scarf necklaces. During that time, we only had a few beaders who were skilled enough to be able to make the embellished scarves. Beng was one of those beaders that you could count on.

With her earnings, she was able to put up her own "mini-grocery" in her community, which she manages along with her husband. We are very proud of Beng. She truly lives up to the “Hiraya” namesake, which means “hopes and dreams”. For us at Palamuti, we are glad to share these dreams and small successes with our beaders. It’s also a dream come true for us that our mission of spreading hope, beauty and empowerment, was able to make a difference with Beng.

   

Hiraya Scarf Necklace Tops This Year's Gift List

The big holiday rush has started! It's time to scout and hunt for that perfect Christmas present. However, I simply don't have the time and energy to visit malls and bazaars. Luckily enough, Palamuti has an array of wonderful gifts that I can choose from. Topping my list is this season's bestseller, the Hiraya scarf necklaces, which are embellished with a variety of stones, pearls, shells, and beads.

This is a wonderful addition to anyone's collection, as most people are fond of using plain scarves for the most part. I love the idea that it's a necklace and scarf in one, which gives a much-needed boost to a plain-looking wardrobe style. The fabric is very lightweight and soft to on skin, and it doesn't encumber me, unlike other wool or cotton scarves that my Grammy used to give me.



Hiraya comes in different colors and lengths, and you can even create your own design, since Palamuti accommodates requests for customization. It boasts the best quality, as the materials used came from excellent sources and manufacturers. It became a very popular gift item, even gaining some attention from the local press.

Hiraya can be worn over formal dresses and it is perfect to wear for work. If you're looking for a gift to give your boss, clients, or office colleagues; this item is a perfect choice. See how they manage to work this versatile piece with their office attires:

Hiraya is available online at palamutishop.com. For wholesale or bulk orders, send us a query at the following email addresses:

Philippines: kimph@palamutishop.com 

United Arab Emirates: marivic@palamutishop.com 

US/Canada/Europe: michelle@palamutishop.com 

Hong Kong: aileenhk@palamutishop.com 

So It's The Scarf Season, I Say

Hooray! Here comes the days when I can wear jackets, sweaters, boots, and -- most definitely -- scarves! I'm glad the scarves we have in our Palamuti Shop are interestingly styled and are very comfortable to wrap around my neck. I always want scarves this way -- cushy and soft yet snazzy and original.

For this season, I wanted to switch between traditional styles and new ones. I have a beaded scarf Rosalina -- made from softest chiffon and lined with charming beads -- which I intend to wear on my upcoming evening parties specially during the Christmas season. Look below and see if you agree with my chosen pairs. I'm pretty sure my McDreamBoy is gonna be at one of those parties so I gotta make sure I have my ensemble up and ready.

At work, my scarves will have to be alluring. I have Hiraya scarf necklaces that goes well with my formal skirts and slacks. I know I'll be at my best during those meetings with execs or those make-or-break board presentations.

Now for some days I'm going with Mom on our shopping dates (because I trust Mom's taste more than anyone) or visiting the some of the clients off-work, my scarf look would be like the images below. My Balasang scarves mixed with boots, sweaters, and jackets look downright casually classy.

Then for those playfully simple days, I have Marichi Pashmina scarves here to accompany me in my goofy times with my girlfriends (see those beaded necklace accents? the girls will definitely love it). I like my clothes neutral so I can make these scarves pop from anyone's first sight.

So I think I got my wardrobe covered this season. Have you got yours ready too?

NEW PALAMUTI SCARVES

The greatest gift our work gives us, is the chance to create with our own hands everyday. We're sharing with you our newest scarf necklace designs, something sure  to spice up your fall/ winter outfit. 

These scarves are now available on NIMLI.COM! 

You can shop for more designs on our website. Click here and shop now. 

Palamuti Artisan: Novi

We are very proud of our women artisans, who we trained in the art of accessory making. Our mission includes sending them to fashion schools to improve their skills and increase their knowledge in designing. Today, it's a dream come true for us, and for one of our in-house beaders, Novi. She just started taking classes on fashion accessories in one of the best fashion schools in the country. She'll also be enrolled in other curricula such, as fashion embellishment and bag making! Prior to taking classes, Novi has been designing for Palamuti, and specializes in making embellished scarves. 

Fall-en- Transition from Summer to Fall

We are bidding good bye to citrus colors, while ushering the coming of the fall season. For this set, we featured our Hiraya Scarf Necklaces, since scarves are traditionally staple to a fall outfit. We chose an orange scarf, with tassels paired with nudes, to celebrate the transition from summer to autumn, characterized by fun and bright colors. A blue top is a great contrast to an orange scarf, so be sure to have one at hand. 

PALAMUTI MUST HAVE: HIRAYA SCARF NECKLACE

Fall-en by palamuti-storytelling-jewels featuring Miu Miu

Object Collectors Item loose fitting top
$53 - objectci.com

People Tree khaki pants
$82 - peopletree.co.uk

Madewell tote bag
madewell.com

Vionnet jewelry
thecorner.com

Michael kors jewelry
saksfifthavenue.com

Wet Seal imitation jewelry
wetseal.com

Miu Miu belt
yoox.com

Developing our Scarf Necklaces

We haven't posted in awhile, as we were busy developing our handmade scarf-necklaces. We  have now reached a wide variety of designs and elements on the humble scarf; from basic embellishment using stones, crystals, and shells, to making infinity scarves with layered beads. We are especially proud of our Queen of Thorns scarf-necklace, wherein we decided to use our signature bead embroidery.

Our latest design for the scarf-necklace  shows off our strength in using bead embroidery designs. Instead of using semi-precious stones, shells and crystals, we embroidered the main necklace accent with seed beads and cut beads. 

The Josefina scarf-necklace is our version of the infinity scarf.  We used layered crystals to make the necklace design for this scarf-necklace. We also added basic bead embroidery to the knot where layered crystals are attached.

The Estrella collection is fashioned with layered multi-strand semi-precious stones, making it the main design accent of the piece.

We value feedback from our clients.  This design suggestion combines two scarves sewn together. We then embellished the piece with stones and shells to form the necklace.