edwardsjessica

[edwardsjessica]

Designing

So, I decided to start using all my schoolin’ and put some of this graphic design stuff to use. I’ve met up with a few people now that have asked for business cards and I thought it would be as good a time as any to design up some cards. I haven’t even really thought of making a logo, so that happened too this week. After some time with Adobe Illustrator, I managed a logo that I liked.

Fr…

[edwardsjessica]

Building an Art Whip

Building an Art Whip

I am sure every whipmaker has their own formula for making their whips. Depending on the maker, the cost, the quality, the designs will vary from one to the other. The important thing, in my opinion, is quality, balance, accuracy, longevity, and last but not least, beauty. I love a beautiful whip, beautiful clothes, beautiful shoes, beautiful cosmetics, beautiful things. It’s not because I’m…

[edwardsjessica]

I am climbing on the T-Spring Bandwagon and selling Sui Generis Whips Merchandise.  What I did not know is, the campaigns only go for a few days at a time, so!  I will try this out and possibly a new T shirt a week will need to be created?  Should this be a blog thing or should it be a website thing?  I wonder if I can make this a more permanent design?  I’m a graphic design student for the love of Pete!  I can do this.  Until I figure it all out, we have T-Spring, so let’s start out this week with Everybody Chill, I Brought My Whip…

The front and back:

These can be bought as a standard T or a hoodie for everyone and for the girls,  a ladies v-neck in girly colors.  This is fun.  🙂

Be Well,

Jessie

Pimpin’ ‘Merch I am climbing on the T-Spring Bandwagon and selling Sui Generis Whips Merchandise.  What I did not know is, the campaigns only go for a few days at a time, so!  

[edwardsjessica]

And here it is!!!

And here it is!!!

I woke up this morning and stepped on the scale to finally see 2 more pounds gone.  If you read my entry from the other day, you know that I was a little frustrated, so today is a happy day.  I really want you to see this today and know that you have to just keep going.  All too often I hear, “I diet for a while and lose a little weight and then gain it back.”  This is a lifelong change.  You…

[edwardsjessica]

Progress

Good morning, Whippers!

I just came in from a bit of practice after some step aerobics.  I am trying to come up with a smooth routine that I may possibly be able to share with my readers, demonstrating what I mean by “meditative” cracking.  I’m having a hard time figuring out how to smoothly transition from a vertical to a horizontal plane without stopping.  I also spent some time trying to learn…

[edwardsjessica]

The Fat Acceptance Movement is Bullshit

The Fat Acceptance Movement is Bullshit

Ohhh, riled up are you?  Good.  Now listen up.

Health at every size is a lie.  This entire movement with overweight people screaming oppression is made up of people scared to fail.

You are scared.  You want someone else to blame for your own failure and that’s more comfortable to you than taking responsibility for what you are putting in your mouth.  It’s easier to wave a little flag than take a…

[edwardsjessica]

About a year ago, I decided I wanted to make a whip from 275 paracord.  for those who don’t know, 275 is very very small, about half the size of regular 550 pracord.  I had managed to make one as a prototype, but the plait count was off and the build was just wrong.  It performed  horribly.  Despite this, I took it to Germany for my friend Robert Amper to try.  He agreed.  It has potential, but its not right.

So, I came back home and started trying to figure out how I wanted this build to go.  I wanted length, but I wanted it to be markedly lighter than my other whips.  I wanted control and a slow roll out with accuracy in target work.  Light, but behaving heavy.  I was able to achieve this with my Practical Whip line, but I was unsure I could do it again at a different, lighter level.

After some thinking, I was able to build something that I think has done the trick.  An overall length of 7 feet, with a 20-plait overlay, weighted heel, gradual core weight extending all the way to the tip.  It is incredibly light, but with the control capabilities you would find in a much heavier target whip.

I am thinking this will be a great whip for anyone suffering with arthritis, or a beginning step for someone who is just starting out with whipcracking and needs to start light until their strength is up.

I look forward to warmer days here in Wisconsin where I will be able to spend some real time breaking it in without the subzero climate stiffening up the wax.  By the end of the month, I anticipate a good long dance in the backyard.

The 275 whip About a year ago, I decided I wanted to make a whip from 275 paracord.  for those who don't know, 275 is very very small, about half the size of regular 550 pracord.  

[edwardsjessica]

Whips and Workouts

How are you doing Whippers?

I had mentioned last week how you can easily log your calories and set yourself some goals.  By this time, you should be trying out different ways to move around and have an idea how to get those calories under control.  You are doing awesome!  You may have even seen a pound or 2 missing from the scale (YAY!). You can be happy about this, this is what gets you…

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What I've learned these last 2 months about weight loss

What I’ve learned these last 2 months about weight loss

Good morning whippers!

I hope you are doing well today!  Happily, I was able to step on the scale and see a couple more pounds gone.  Of course that is so encouraging  when you are on your journey.  My goal this year was to lose 90 pounds.  I know I will make it and so will you.  I want to share a couple of things with you, first:  I started out on this journey desperate for help.

When we are…

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Whips and Weight Loss

Whips and Weight Loss

So, I was finally talked into sharing my story with the world.  I am not the average whip maker inspired by Indiana Jones.  I was, instead, inspired by a nameless person with a random whip at an Old West Festival.  There were no movie heroes for me.  No famous encounters, or dazzling  performances.  Just a random guy in a random place, who knew 1 crack.

It was at a time of my life that I was…

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A Whipmaker's Shoutout

A Whipmaker’s Shoutout

I’m not sure if you are an avid follower of the awesome Paracord Planet or not, but when shopping for ideas the other day, I noticed a new section in the 550 paracord section for metallic cord.

WOOO!

First, a little customer service story:

I had purchased the rainbow specialty cord from Paracord Planet.  It’s something I have wanted for a while, but it being double the price of regular cord, I…

[edwardsjessica]

A new section!

Hello whippers!

I just wanted to alert my readers to a couple of things on the site.  First, I am finally able to post some art whips.  There is one in there now and more will be coming as I am able to finish them.

Also, a new section under Practical Whips:  Off-The-Shelf Practical Whipswhich is where I will post any finished and ready to ship practical whips as they are finished.  Right now,…

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If you read my blogs at all, I am sure you know about Willow.  A sentimental kind of whip, in which I had used a finished piece of diamond willow, made by my dad, as a handle.  It was the last piece he had made before he died, and I made a whip from it.

I had sent the whip off to Germany and it was featured in the Art Whip Review, by Robby Amper.  From there, it was sold to someone in New Zealand, who wanted it for it’s sentimental value and aesthetic appeal.  Oddly, it took more than a week to clear German Customs and when it did finally arrive in New Zealand, there were problems.  The transition had been hyperextended backwards to the point that the binding was frayed and stressed, the plaiting was loose and the whip was a mess.  The only right thing I could do was bring it home and rebuild it for my customer.

When it did come home, I immediately  began to take it apart.  When removing the transition knot, I could see that the peg that the thong was built on had been bent, and the handle itself was cracked, further proving to me that the whip had undergone some kind of incredible stress in between Munich and New Zealand.  What stress is something I cannot accurately describe with any amount of truth, though I speculate German Customs found the need to open it and look it over for whatever reason–violently.

My customer made it clear that he wanted Willow to be rebuilt as it was, in terms of looks, but since Willow V1 was the 5th whip I had ever built, I thought it might be a good idea to improve on the few things that experience had taught me the second time around.  So, after repairing the crack in the handle and reinserting a new foundation peg, I proceeded to build Willow again, only this time, I gave it a slightly longer thong and longer transition, keeping all colors and general aesthetics the same.

The end result was an even more beautiful whip with better functionality than before.

What Did I Learn?

The only advice I can give to anyone else that runs into this situation is, to make sure to take photographs before you send your whip.  Never try to hide things from your customers.  I like to, not only send photos of the finished whip to my customers, but also a mid-build picture to let them know it is being worked on and they can “see” what is going on inside their build.  This will also give you a record of what state the whip was in when it left you, dissuading any abuse issues that can come up.  This particular instance was no fault.  I knew my customer and did not feel he would have abused the whip on purpose.  I also know Robby Amper and trust him when he says that the whip was in good condition when it left him.  That only leaves Customs.  I had no choice but to do the right thing and rebuild the whip for my customer.  I did this for free and paid for the shipping from the US back to New Zealand.

Was the whip abused?  Yes.  However, it was abused in a way that is uncommon and not what I would expect from a customer beating on a whip.  This was some kind of inspection that resulted in real internal damage. I might even speculate that it had been stepped on or ran over  in some way.  Also, it was my 5th whip ever made.  The customer knew this, but the rebuild process was a way for me to correct my mistakes from my learning process and make it better.  I feel that this was a circumstance in my favor. In the end, I made no money from this whip, but I did gain experience and a life lesson, so I am not empty handed.

I do not, however, rebuild for obvious abuse on the part of the customer, which I am perfectly able to recognize and clearly describe on my Use, Care, and Dirty Truths page. My testimony does not promote being bullied into free stuff : Take lots of good, detailed, dated photos and know your product.  Care about it and your customer and take pride in what you do.  If you are proud of your product, it’s owner will be proud of it too.

If you do, however, need to fix something (we all make mistakes sometimes), do it the best you can.  Photograph your process and share with your customer.  They will appreciate the extra time, and will trust you enough to come back and bring their friends.

Take care of yourselves and be well.

~Jessie

                    Willow’s Tragic Story and Rebirth If you read my blogs at all, I am sure you know about Willow.  A sentimental kind of whip, in which I had used a finished piece of diamond willow, made by my dad, as a handle.  

[edwardsjessica]

Cracking Waxed Whips in Winter

The weather here has been extremely cold lately, dipping down to as much as 17 below F, which is not unusual for Wisconsin in winter; however, this winter in particular, I have discovered a few things I would like to share.

I love cracking in the snow, but usually when I am, it is a beautiful winter day well above the freezing point with a broke-in favorite.  This year especially, I have made a…

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The Whip Basics DVD Series

Having found my love for whipcracking and ultimately, whipmaking from the Whip Basics family, I owe a lot to the site and the people therein.  From there, I had the encouragement and the support I needed to learn and grow as a whip maker through knowing how my whip works.  That being said, I support the site and people there in kind.

Robert Amper has produced a DVD set introducing the art of…

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The Double Grapevine

I have taken a lot of photographs of this whip.  I have my reasons.  I explain all in an amusing blog post over at my Patreon account.

I had a wonderful day traveling to the Devil’s Punchbowl and experiencing a happy beautiful fall day with my best friend and my camera.  I hope you enjoy the video and the newest style of Practical Whips at Sui Generis Whips.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…

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A beautiful day taking pictures of whips in the wild