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 bread making, knitting, writing, photography, and somewhere along the way they came across some glass Japanese 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 my most classic youngest child trait is the freedom to be utterly random and to prioritize everything other than the traditional ducks in a row.

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

 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: A lady I source fresh water pearls from told me that all pearls should be stored in a plastic bag to maintain their luster.

    For Sterling Silver: I don’t love a plastic bag but I have found that they are not only useful in keeping pearls happy but keep silver from tarnishing. So if you take off your YC 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 beads off, but for the longest and happiest life I gotta recommend keeping them from getting wet. I know of one customer who wore beads for a year straight without taking them off and they are doing really well.

    For Silk String: Anything strung on silk string should not get wet, silk string will stretch if exposed to water.

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