By Lindsay Peyton

The first cuff bracelet Margaux Jones made was more like a talisman.

On a whim, she bought some fabric, brought out her old sewing machine and added the word “breathe” to the piece – making an affirmation she could wear around her wrist. The next one read “strong,” a reminder of her inner prowess.

Jones was in a rut, working a job that kept her from fully exploring her creative potential – but she was on the brink of making a break for it.

The single mom who resides in Ballard never dreamt that her cuffs might be the key to a major sea change. She simply thought making jewelry would be a fun hobby.

Jones started selling the bracelets on Facebook a few months ago and named her side business “NW 58th Street” in honor of the women who live on her street, a supportive circle of neighbors who inspire her.

It wasn’t long before the cuffs were picked up by a couple of stores – and then placed in the swag bag for the Teen Choice Awards.

In September, she got an offer she couldn’t refuse – to get her cuffs on the wrists of celebrities, as part of the official gift bags for the GRAMMY awards.

Jones only had a couple of months to assemble 170 cuffs. She transformed her dining table into a workshop and created 75 different designs.

She had to work at night, after spending a full day in the office, keeping her normal routine as a mom and finally tucking her 6-year old daughter River in bed. She made bracelets from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. and it took about two months to finish the order.

“I didn’t expect anything to come of it at all,” Jones said.

But she got a call from Evening Magazine and KIRO news radio – and it wasn’t long before the publicity led to orders pouring in.

“It was insane,” Jones said. “It was overwhelming.”

It was just enough incentive to quit her day job and turn her hobby into a full-time business.

“It wasn’t the kind of money where you can retire,” Jones said. “But it was the kind where you can take a chance.”

She turned in her two-week notice and spent her last day in the office on January 20.

Jones has been steadily churning out cuffs ever since, making each handmade bracelet one at a time. The pieces will soon be available at Made in Washington stores, as well as in the Space Needle gift shop and online at www.nw58thst.com.

Bill Gates, vice president of retail for Made in Washington Stores, said he was taken with Jones’ journey.
“Our mottos is locally inspired, locally made and loved everywhere,” he said. “Local inspiration is definitely the story Margaux has to tell. She followed her passion and shows that anything is possible.”

Nancy Gilmore carries the cuffs at her shop, MoZaic Boutique, in Bridgeville, Penn. She was looking for some fun, impulse buys to stock and discovered Jones’ work.

“We started corresponding, and she and I just really connected,” Gilmore said. “We’re kindred spirits in a lot of ways. I just love her and everything about the cuffs is cool.”

Once the cuffs arrived in the boutique, they sold out right away – especially once customers learned the same bracelets would be in the GRAMMY gift bags.

“They’re different and unique,” Jones said. “She hit the nail right on the head. I think there’s a lot more in store for Margaux.”

Jones uses high-quality faux leather, micro-suede, cotton and metal buttons to create the cuffs, which typically sell for less than $30 each. The pieces start with the artist’s original drawings or digital collages, which are then printed on fabric.

“I’m making something that isn’t like anything else out there – and that’s what’s important to me,” Jones said. “I know I have something cool, something different.”

She hopes that by taking a risk on pursuing her passion, she can be a positive role model for her daughter and a good example for others considering making a change in their lives.

“You can be whatever you want,” she said. “You’ve just got to do it. You have to put the work into it. You have to follow your gut.”

In only a few month, Jones has come a long way. “This is a dream,” she said. “This has the potential to be so much more. Why not be happy? I would rather make cuffs.”