Beginning Metalsmiths Rock!

This week saw some projects completed by beginner metalsmiths:

These amazing pieces were done by Barbara. She's a hearing-aid wearer, and wanted to create a "guard" to protect her devices from the wind. Not only are they beautiful, but functional, too!! She began by creating a template and cutting out the modified-teardrop shape from silver sheet. She filed, sanded and domed the 2 pieces, then set about creating a pair of coils from silver twist-wire. After MANY soldering operations, the decorative coils were attached, adding strength and beauty to her guards. And this was her FIRST project utilizing traditional metalsmithing techniques! Well-done!

A picture of Barbara modeling her elegant hearing aid guards.

Gwen created these earring beauties this week- out of silver wire- twist and plain. Forming wire was harder than it looks! And creating squares out of wire is the most challenging. Gwen soldered her squares and rectangles together, added accents and hanging loops, and the attached the hand-made dangles and earwires. After a turn in the tumbler, they're shiny and ready to wear!

Good job everyone!

More Metalsmithing!

Here're some awesome projects completed this week, some by beginners, some by continuing students:

Angie's earrings were her first completed metalsmithing project! She cut out 2 rounded triangle shapes from sterling sheet, and then texturized it. She then soldered on some lengths of twist wire as well as a sterling ball, soldred on and formed the earwires, tumbled them shiny, and wore them home!

This set by Molly is textured (hammered) silver atop smooth silver. Love the modern look!

Nicky's earrings were made by bezel-setting the pink agates, and hammering lengths of wire to hang down among them. She assembled all the parts and added beaded earwires.

Nicky's pendant all strung-out with matching turquoise beads!

Final Day of Metalsmithing II

Today was the last class in a series of 5 for Metalsmithing II at the Lorton Workhouse, taught by Dana Evans. Some beautiful projects!

Daphne's gorgeous pendant is large- she etched a piece of silver and then soldered on a frame to give it presence. She then chose a cool glass cabochon (called dragon's breath) which reiterated the swirly design theme and made a bezel for it. The bail is also hand-made, stamped with a similar design theme. After oxidizing and buffing, it's time for a chain!

Maureen's ring features a stunning Imperial Jasper cabochon. She stamped the design along the edge to give it detail and personality. Great job!

Kathy's etched pendant features a beautiful glowing moonstone. She added glass drops below for a stunning piece!

Tosha's pendant features a really cool heart etching. She cut, filed and soldered on jump rings, then bezel-set the leaf-shaped stone below. Now it's ready for a chain- beautiful!

Molly's mixed-metal pendant features an etched silver piece soldered onto a copper base. She trimmed/filed the edges, then created a bezel for the glass face stone, and tumbled it shiny. Awesome job!

These are also Molly's- spear earrings. She textured a top plate of silver and soldered it onto a base shape of silver. She then poked holes and created earwires- done!

Nice job everyone!

Today's Finished Projects

Today's finished projects include some beauties! The students are very fond of etching, as it does give one instant gratification. One more class left to finish things off- stay tuned to next week!

These to-die-for earrings by Daphne were done in 2 parts- the upper part with the coin pearl, and the drops with red faceted glass gems. After bezel-setting each and soldering each to a backplate, Daphne trimmed up and added the ball-trim around the top stones. She then soldered wire attachments along the back, set the stones, and formed the earwires and attachments. Great job!

Kathy loved this etched pattern- after etching on brass, she soldered each to a copper backing and buffed the tops (leaving a cool coppery "window" effect), then created earwires and wore them home!

Nicky's far-out etching inspired her to add a brass square backing to her stone- beautiful!! Kudos to Nicky for creating bezel after bezel to "get it right" even though it's frustrating for things not to come out right the first time!

See you all next week!

Metals II Projects Completed

These projects are some of the first done using stone-setting skills learned by students at the Workhouse's metalsmithing class- taught by Dana Evans.

Maureen not only wanted to stone-set this lovely piece of quartz, she wanted to use a stepped bezel- not easy! Then, to make things harder for herself, she hand-formed the twist wire split-shank and soldered it (carefully!) to the back of the open-backed stone setting. BRAVO!

This piece, also done by Maureen, was etched using a copyright-free design from a Dover book. She then oxidized the piece to bring out the low-relief etch, and hand-hammered the edge for a decorative textured look.

These lovely labradorite earrings are also by Maureen. She constructed the stone settings and soldered on a wire to the back that she then formed into integral earwires.

Kathy's big ring was a big success! This piece of labradorite (hand-cut by yours truly) was set in a scalloped bezel, soldered onto a base plate, and decorative rope trim added. A ring shank was then measured, formed, and soldered onto the back using a third hand. Last came finishing and setting and finally, wearing!

This ring by Tosha came about when she wanted to use both stones- turquoise and a Peruvian opal bead. She formed, soldered and filed 2 bezels to fit the stones perfectly, then created a ring shank to fit her size. She then sawed off the top of the shank, turned everything upside down, and soldered the pieces together. After shining it up and setting the stones, it's a little treasure!

Another view of Tosha's ring.

Good job everyone!

Winter Advanced Class- Stone-setting

This Winter's advanced stone-setting class started this past Saturday at the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center, taught by Dana Evans. We already have some completed projects!

This lovely lapis pendant was Tosha's first stone ever set! She completed the entire project in one class, too! She first measured the bezel wire around the stone and soldered it closed, then soldered that onto the sterling silver back plate. She then shined it up, added a hole and bail and set the stone.

Nicky also completed her first stone-set project. This pretty jasper was set in the same way as Tosha's. How's that for instant gratification!

This is Daphne's 3-stone ring that was completed over the break between classes. A real beauty!

Completion of Fall Metalsmithing II

This collection of students included those just starting an advanced class of bezel-setting, as well as more advanced students who have been addicted to metalsmithing since the beginning of 2010. ALL the projects turned out fantastic due to this group's hard work:

This is Monique's gorgeous pendant. She designed this pendant using a design from a Dover Copyright free Design Book, and felt the square turquoise cab would work best with it. After ironing on the design on PNP paper onto the sterling silver sheet, she submerged the silver into an acid bath to create the etched design. She then soldered on a frame, and a bezel for the turquoise (cutting out the corners for ease of setting). She then oxidized the piece, drilled a hole for the bail, buffed it, and added a gorgeous matching commercial chain. A strong piece!

This is also Monique's piece. She started with 2 thin gauge sheets of brass, and soldered them flat together to create a thick piece of sheet stock. She sawed out an edge design, textured the brass, then soldered, shined, and sealed the ring in Renaissance Wax to avoid tarnishing.

Daphne's cuff (1" x 6" 22-gauge silver) also received an acid bath to create this lovely design. She then filed the edges round and shaped it on a mandrel to fit. Simple and gorgeous!

This pendant of Daphne's is also acid-etched but was the first time she bezel-set a faceted stone- not an easy task. After etching, she formed the bezel wire around the stone while upside down. After some fitting and more fitting, she soldered in a wire seat for the stone inside the bezel. Next the bezel was soldered to the base, a hole was sawn out for the back of the stone from the sheet, and the pieced was oxidized, buffed and the stone was set- carefully!

This simple domed pendant was acid-etched by Daphne. Acid-etching requires the ironing-on of an image that's been printed onto a special paper, called PNP paper (sold by ThompsonEnamel.com). Then the edges, back and any other areas not to be etched need to be covered by duct tape or nail polish. 5 minutes in an acid-bath and it's complete. Then comes removal of the resists, sanding, refining and buffing. It's a process to get it to come out exactly as planned, but Daphne's now a pro!

This was Maureen's first bezel-set stone. She used her fingers to form the soft bezel wire around the stone, then marked and snipped the excess. She soldered the bezel closed, re-formed it to fit the stone, and then soldered it onto her base sheet, which she'd sawn out of sterling silver sheet. After soldering on a hidden bail (tubing) on the back, she set the stone, and strung it on a strand of beads that matched it perfectly!

This is also Maureen's work. This was a tough job for 2 reasons. First, she used bezel wire with a built-in seat, which is stiffer and harder to form and measure. It also required her to raise the stone up with a wire seat. Second, she hand-formed the twisted wire shank and had it terminate in 2 pairs of 2 arms, which had to be very carefully soldered onto the bezel, using a third hand. After a few carefully-planned soldering operations, success!

This is Molly's ring using a stone of Imperial Jasper. She measured the bezel, soldered it closed, and cut out a base sheet to solder it onto. She then stacked 2 rows of beaded wire around it for a great effect that the pictures don't do justice. She then soldered on the ring shank using a 3rd hand, polished it and set the stone. A lot of soldering operations to achieve a stunning ring.

Last but not least, Molly's pendant is a stunner! She etched a design into silver, and then created and soldered on a bezel. She then soldered the whole piece onto brass for a fabulous framing effect, cut out the excess, oxidized and tumbled the piece, and set the stone. After adding a hole for the bail, she's ready to find a unique chain to match the style and quality of her piece.






Hats off to all my students- you really worked hard and learned a lot! Hope to see some of you next time!