Malcolm Stielow
@mstlo.bsky.social
Designer. Consultant. Metalsmith. Maker.
Links, resources, and work available through:
www.malcolmstielow.com
Links, resources, and work available through:
www.malcolmstielow.com
Peppers are behind, but the balcony herb garden was otherwise a rousing success this year
October 4, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Peppers are behind, but the balcony herb garden was otherwise a rousing success this year
When you're in the middle of sorting your denim scraps, and your phone says there's a frost coming, but the peppers you've spent all summer growing on your balcony aren't quite ready yet.
It seemed reasonable until I actually got them in the apartment.
I have this same problem with ikea furniture.
It seemed reasonable until I actually got them in the apartment.
I have this same problem with ikea furniture.
October 4, 2025 at 12:48 AM
When you're in the middle of sorting your denim scraps, and your phone says there's a frost coming, but the peppers you've spent all summer growing on your balcony aren't quite ready yet.
It seemed reasonable until I actually got them in the apartment.
I have this same problem with ikea furniture.
It seemed reasonable until I actually got them in the apartment.
I have this same problem with ikea furniture.
A fold deepened along the interior spine early on, but cutting that section away makes the wallet too floppy. Overall, I'm happy with this design and mostly want to try it in more leathers to see how it changes the fold. It can be unfolded for care and cleaning, but it doesn't seem to need it yet.
June 25, 2025 at 9:25 PM
A fold deepened along the interior spine early on, but cutting that section away makes the wallet too floppy. Overall, I'm happy with this design and mostly want to try it in more leathers to see how it changes the fold. It can be unfolded for care and cleaning, but it doesn't seem to need it yet.
For a wallet with no stitches, everything seems to have stayed in place well. The center seems to lift more if a lot of bills are carried. There were 8 cards: one in each slot with 4 tucked away (see the green corner). The cards aren't showing unusual wear, hopefully meaning they have enough space.
June 25, 2025 at 9:25 PM
For a wallet with no stitches, everything seems to have stayed in place well. The center seems to lift more if a lot of bills are carried. There were 8 cards: one in each slot with 4 tucked away (see the green corner). The cards aren't showing unusual wear, hopefully meaning they have enough space.
The leather has begun to patinate beautifully. While I feel the embossed logo I used is a little small for this wallet, the imprint is still deep and clear. The edges are holding up well and still sit square. The corners are not splayed, and there's no signs of unfolding: important with no stitches
June 25, 2025 at 9:25 PM
The leather has begun to patinate beautifully. While I feel the embossed logo I used is a little small for this wallet, the imprint is still deep and clear. The edges are holding up well and still sit square. The corners are not splayed, and there's no signs of unfolding: important with no stitches
It's been about 6 months since I started carrying one of my Cadre wallets every day, and that's when I usually like to revisit my designs.
In an effort to be more active on social media, I'm going to write some of my thoughts from my design check-up on here as a thread.
#design #leatherwork
In an effort to be more active on social media, I'm going to write some of my thoughts from my design check-up on here as a thread.
#design #leatherwork
June 25, 2025 at 9:25 PM
It's been about 6 months since I started carrying one of my Cadre wallets every day, and that's when I usually like to revisit my designs.
In an effort to be more active on social media, I'm going to write some of my thoughts from my design check-up on here as a thread.
#design #leatherwork
In an effort to be more active on social media, I'm going to write some of my thoughts from my design check-up on here as a thread.
#design #leatherwork
For anyone that is having a hard day, here's a pretty flower for you from my mom's greenhouse.
June 24, 2025 at 12:43 AM
For anyone that is having a hard day, here's a pretty flower for you from my mom's greenhouse.
After receiving some online encouragement, I've shown Moto GO! to a few people over the last few weeks. So far, the response has been really positive, and people have further pushed me to #publish.
I've never published a full physical copy of a #boardgame, so the question has to be asked... how?
I've never published a full physical copy of a #boardgame, so the question has to be asked... how?
June 22, 2025 at 10:06 PM
After receiving some online encouragement, I've shown Moto GO! to a few people over the last few weeks. So far, the response has been really positive, and people have further pushed me to #publish.
I've never published a full physical copy of a #boardgame, so the question has to be asked... how?
I've never published a full physical copy of a #boardgame, so the question has to be asked... how?
A close-up of the game pieces I carved for Moto GO!. I'm really happy with this design, that I figured how to have them wheelie and lean so I could include that in the game.
A little rough, and in need of some colour, but there wasn't time for everything.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign
#gamedesign
A little rough, and in need of some colour, but there wasn't time for everything.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign
#gamedesign
May 26, 2025 at 3:36 PM
A close-up of the game pieces I carved for Moto GO!. I'm really happy with this design, that I figured how to have them wheelie and lean so I could include that in the game.
A little rough, and in need of some colour, but there wasn't time for everything.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign
#gamedesign
A little rough, and in need of some colour, but there wasn't time for everything.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign
#gamedesign
Are you normal, or did you not have a gift for your niece's birthday, so you conceived, designed, prototyped, and packaged a board game from scratch in a week?
So anyway, let me introduce Moto GO! A #motorcycle #racing #game for 2-6 people.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #boardgamesky #gamedesign
So anyway, let me introduce Moto GO! A #motorcycle #racing #game for 2-6 people.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #boardgamesky #gamedesign
May 25, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Are you normal, or did you not have a gift for your niece's birthday, so you conceived, designed, prototyped, and packaged a board game from scratch in a week?
So anyway, let me introduce Moto GO! A #motorcycle #racing #game for 2-6 people.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #boardgamesky #gamedesign
So anyway, let me introduce Moto GO! A #motorcycle #racing #game for 2-6 people.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #boardgamesky #gamedesign
I need a better way to prototype game pieces than carving them by hand.
At the very least, I should have taken the extra time to find a piece of wood that wasn't oak.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #gamedesign #boardgamesky #woodwork #woodcarving
At the very least, I should have taken the extra time to find a piece of wood that wasn't oak.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #gamedesign #boardgamesky #woodwork #woodcarving
May 23, 2025 at 8:49 PM
I need a better way to prototype game pieces than carving them by hand.
At the very least, I should have taken the extra time to find a piece of wood that wasn't oak.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #gamedesign #boardgamesky #woodwork #woodcarving
At the very least, I should have taken the extra time to find a piece of wood that wasn't oak.
#boardgames #boardgamedesign #gamedesign #boardgamesky #woodwork #woodcarving
Day 39 of avoiding a design project I'm really stuck on:
I made myself a new hat.
It's mostly hand sewn and fully lined, so that should give you some reference on how bad my creative block is right now.
Newsboy cap, cotton denim and thread, with poly thread in the linen liner.
I made myself a new hat.
It's mostly hand sewn and fully lined, so that should give you some reference on how bad my creative block is right now.
Newsboy cap, cotton denim and thread, with poly thread in the linen liner.
March 28, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Day 39 of avoiding a design project I'm really stuck on:
I made myself a new hat.
It's mostly hand sewn and fully lined, so that should give you some reference on how bad my creative block is right now.
Newsboy cap, cotton denim and thread, with poly thread in the linen liner.
I made myself a new hat.
It's mostly hand sewn and fully lined, so that should give you some reference on how bad my creative block is right now.
Newsboy cap, cotton denim and thread, with poly thread in the linen liner.
Day 36 of avoiding a design project that I'm stuck on:
I dusted off my grandma's old bread maker and made bread.
I dusted off my grandma's old bread maker and made bread.
March 25, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Day 36 of avoiding a design project that I'm stuck on:
I dusted off my grandma's old bread maker and made bread.
I dusted off my grandma's old bread maker and made bread.
I'm just going to hype my mom for a minute:
She grew a #pineapple in the middle of a north-central Alberta winter.
I don't think there's anything I else I need to say about that.
#greenhouse #gardening
She grew a #pineapple in the middle of a north-central Alberta winter.
I don't think there's anything I else I need to say about that.
#greenhouse #gardening
March 25, 2025 at 12:07 AM
I'm just going to hype my mom for a minute:
She grew a #pineapple in the middle of a north-central Alberta winter.
I don't think there's anything I else I need to say about that.
#greenhouse #gardening
She grew a #pineapple in the middle of a north-central Alberta winter.
I don't think there's anything I else I need to say about that.
#greenhouse #gardening
I recently had to find a new printer to handle larger #prints of my Hy Art #paintings, so now I have mediocre test prints hanging around that aren't good enough to sell. This "Pipe Dream" one can liven up the work table for now.
Wish I had room for a large format printer in our little apartment.
Wish I had room for a large format printer in our little apartment.
March 2, 2025 at 11:41 PM
I recently had to find a new printer to handle larger #prints of my Hy Art #paintings, so now I have mediocre test prints hanging around that aren't good enough to sell. This "Pipe Dream" one can liven up the work table for now.
Wish I had room for a large format printer in our little apartment.
Wish I had room for a large format printer in our little apartment.
Nope. This my face when I woke up and it's -28°C.
Kirby protect us.
Kirby protect us.
February 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Nope. This my face when I woke up and it's -28°C.
Kirby protect us.
Kirby protect us.
My partner and I made a cake for my grandmother's 90th birthday.
I had to share because I genuinely think this was the best #cake I've ever had. This thing had over 1.2 kg of #darkchocolate in the #chocolate sponge, salted chocolate swiss meringue #buttercream, and dark chocolate #ganache.
I had to share because I genuinely think this was the best #cake I've ever had. This thing had over 1.2 kg of #darkchocolate in the #chocolate sponge, salted chocolate swiss meringue #buttercream, and dark chocolate #ganache.
February 10, 2025 at 6:56 PM
My partner and I made a cake for my grandmother's 90th birthday.
I had to share because I genuinely think this was the best #cake I've ever had. This thing had over 1.2 kg of #darkchocolate in the #chocolate sponge, salted chocolate swiss meringue #buttercream, and dark chocolate #ganache.
I had to share because I genuinely think this was the best #cake I've ever had. This thing had over 1.2 kg of #darkchocolate in the #chocolate sponge, salted chocolate swiss meringue #buttercream, and dark chocolate #ganache.
My Glyph Morse Code pendants. Originally part of a request to #design #jewellery for someone who was visually impaired, Glyph is now my most popular collection.
The 7 pendants one is a #haiku, there's a closeup of the titanium bail, last one shows off the #anodizing colours for the #titanium.
The 7 pendants one is a #haiku, there's a closeup of the titanium bail, last one shows off the #anodizing colours for the #titanium.
February 8, 2025 at 5:58 PM
My Glyph Morse Code pendants. Originally part of a request to #design #jewellery for someone who was visually impaired, Glyph is now my most popular collection.
The 7 pendants one is a #haiku, there's a closeup of the titanium bail, last one shows off the #anodizing colours for the #titanium.
The 7 pendants one is a #haiku, there's a closeup of the titanium bail, last one shows off the #anodizing colours for the #titanium.
I have a mug that may interest you.
February 8, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I have a mug that may interest you.
*old work, nfs*
More old #jewellery. This was my second attempt with "pin setting", called "Sidereus No.2: Cor". I tried to push the shape of the stone that I could set this way. #Titanium, #18Kgold, and a #heartshaped #rhodolite stone.
Good #valentinesday post, I guess.
More old #jewellery. This was my second attempt with "pin setting", called "Sidereus No.2: Cor". I tried to push the shape of the stone that I could set this way. #Titanium, #18Kgold, and a #heartshaped #rhodolite stone.
Good #valentinesday post, I guess.
February 7, 2025 at 8:46 PM
*old work, nfs*
More old #jewellery. This was my second attempt with "pin setting", called "Sidereus No.2: Cor". I tried to push the shape of the stone that I could set this way. #Titanium, #18Kgold, and a #heartshaped #rhodolite stone.
Good #valentinesday post, I guess.
More old #jewellery. This was my second attempt with "pin setting", called "Sidereus No.2: Cor". I tried to push the shape of the stone that I could set this way. #Titanium, #18Kgold, and a #heartshaped #rhodolite stone.
Good #valentinesday post, I guess.
*old work, nfs*
I wanted to share some of my older #jewellery work on here. This is "Sidereus No.1: Novus". #Titanium and #emerald. It was my first attempt at a process I called "pin setting", where long pins are used to hold a gem in a protective metal cage. I had access to a #laserwelder then.
I wanted to share some of my older #jewellery work on here. This is "Sidereus No.1: Novus". #Titanium and #emerald. It was my first attempt at a process I called "pin setting", where long pins are used to hold a gem in a protective metal cage. I had access to a #laserwelder then.
February 7, 2025 at 8:32 PM
*old work, nfs*
I wanted to share some of my older #jewellery work on here. This is "Sidereus No.1: Novus". #Titanium and #emerald. It was my first attempt at a process I called "pin setting", where long pins are used to hold a gem in a protective metal cage. I had access to a #laserwelder then.
I wanted to share some of my older #jewellery work on here. This is "Sidereus No.1: Novus". #Titanium and #emerald. It was my first attempt at a process I called "pin setting", where long pins are used to hold a gem in a protective metal cage. I had access to a #laserwelder then.
This is "Hone"
A companion piece to "Crucible", Hone is about the paradox refining a skill: the order of #repetition with the #chaos of being on the leading edge. The soothing blues with the hot oranges.
While made together, I feel they display best with some space between them.
#art #alttextart
A companion piece to "Crucible", Hone is about the paradox refining a skill: the order of #repetition with the #chaos of being on the leading edge. The soothing blues with the hot oranges.
While made together, I feel they display best with some space between them.
#art #alttextart
February 7, 2025 at 8:08 PM
This is "Hone"
A companion piece to "Crucible", Hone is about the paradox refining a skill: the order of #repetition with the #chaos of being on the leading edge. The soothing blues with the hot oranges.
While made together, I feel they display best with some space between them.
#art #alttextart
A companion piece to "Crucible", Hone is about the paradox refining a skill: the order of #repetition with the #chaos of being on the leading edge. The soothing blues with the hot oranges.
While made together, I feel they display best with some space between them.
#art #alttextart
My priority mug.
Every morning, I pick four #priority tasks that have to get done today:
First - the most urgent
Focus - sustained energy
Fast - a 15-minute win
For me - self care
I designed a #mug that I can write on, wash off, and start fresh tomorrow.
No more #stickynote pile for me!
#design
Every morning, I pick four #priority tasks that have to get done today:
First - the most urgent
Focus - sustained energy
Fast - a 15-minute win
For me - self care
I designed a #mug that I can write on, wash off, and start fresh tomorrow.
No more #stickynote pile for me!
#design
January 31, 2025 at 5:24 PM
My priority mug.
Every morning, I pick four #priority tasks that have to get done today:
First - the most urgent
Focus - sustained energy
Fast - a 15-minute win
For me - self care
I designed a #mug that I can write on, wash off, and start fresh tomorrow.
No more #stickynote pile for me!
#design
Every morning, I pick four #priority tasks that have to get done today:
First - the most urgent
Focus - sustained energy
Fast - a 15-minute win
For me - self care
I designed a #mug that I can write on, wash off, and start fresh tomorrow.
No more #stickynote pile for me!
#design
January 29, 2025 at 6:48 PM