Ann M. Conefrey
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‘I ♥ Love Braille’ wristbands

The aim of these simple but unique wristbands is to raise awareness of the importance of braille for children and adults with a visual disability. So far I have designed several wristbands, all incorporating braille; for sport-related projects and for events promoting braille education for children.

Het Braille Symposium

‘I ♥ Love Braille’ wristbands handed out during the Braille Symposium.
Princess Laurentien wearing an ‘I ♥ Love Braille’ wristband.
A visitor reading braille during the Braille Symposium.

I ♥ love braille

I designed this wristband for the ‘Vereniging Onbeperkt Lezen’, a foundation in the Netherlands that provides information about literacy for people with a visual or reading disability. The wristband was given to visitors attending a symposium about braille, Utrecht, 28-11-2014. One very special visitor, Princess Laurentien wore the ‘I love ♥ braille’ wristband during her speech about the importance of braille; I found this a very sympathetic gesture. Princess Laurentien also presented a 77 year old partially sighted woman with the first example of the book ‘Op weg naar braille’, an introduction to braille for adults with a visual disability

‘I love reading’ wristbands were handed out to children during a reading festival.

I ♥ love reading

I was asked to design these wristbands for children with a visual disability attending a special reading festival. Translated from Dutch they read in large print, ‘I love reading’ and ‘reading is fun’. On both wristbands the word ‘read’ is embossed in braille along with bright pictogrammes. The aim is to appeal to children learning to read.

The reading festival was organized by ‘Vereniging Onbeperkt Lezen’ (formally NLBB), in the MuZIEum Nijmegen, 17-10-2015.

Children’s Reading Festival

Writer Marlies Verhelst reading her book, ‘Feast for the King’, to children.
‘I love reading’ wristbands in two versions with a message in large print, braille and tactile pictogrammes such as a smiley, heart and star.

Running Blind Utrecht

In March 2013 I formed a running group for people with a visual disability living in and near Utrecht as part of the ‘Stichting Running Blind’ (a Dutch organisation that promotes running for the blind and partially sighted). I had organized a kick-off and wanted to give all the visitors something as a reminder. With limited means I decided to design a simple wristband (like the yellow ‘Livestrong’ bracelet) but then with a personal twist and specific to our group: braille. This was my first braille wristband.

Wristbands for Running Blind Utrecht and Stichting Running Blind.

Technically I wasn’t sure about the quality of the braille: would the dots be sufficiently raised to read with the fingertips? To what extent would I have to compensate for the production technique? My daughter had no trouble reading the braille – the prototype was a success.

Following the first braille wristband the ‘Stichting Running Blind’ asked me to design a wristband which could be used for general promotion. For the design I used a white band incorporating braille, with their name embossed and printed in red.

Customized design braille wristbands

This is a relatively low-cost and appealing way of displaying your name or communicating an idea or message and at the same time promoting braille awareness. Take a look at my other braille wristbands.

For all inquiries or for requesting a quotation for a customized design for your organization or for a special event please contact me at ann@brailledots.nl.