I now have a total of six rings under my belt, so I thought I’d take a look back at my handmade rings. I probably need at least another 20 more to iron out all the kinks! That said, it’s been an invaluable experience and I thought I’d share what I learnt each time… 1. …
Making a Filigree Ring – Alone! After my first class and having all purchased my tools, I started my first solo ring project. I spent some time on the internet (there are a lot of really cool step-by-step projects out there!), and managed to find a set of PDF instructions about how to make a …
Today, I’m experimenting with how to make a pendant. I’ve never done this before, so I’m doing a practice run with a piece of copper, rather than straight into silver. Copper is significantly less expensive and harder than silver. For these reasons, many books and websites suggest mastering copper before moving onto silver. First Attempt …
Just thought I’d share a few little tips that I’ve picked up over the last few weeks, while I’ve been experimenting and practising my silversmithing: Use the right amount of solder – too little and the join is still visible; too much and there’s a lot of work to clean off the excess! When soldering, …
I’m so excited today! I have just received my copy of The Complete Metalsmith by Tim McCreight in the post, courtesy of Amazon.co.uk! I’ve been waiting nearly 3 weeks since ordering and can’t wait to start reading it! I’m really looking forward to putting some new techniques into practice! The book was highly recommended by …
If you’ve ever wondered how to measure and make a simple ring, then you’re in luck! After my recent class at London Jewellery School, I thought I’d jot down the key steps to measure a ring. It works fairly well – you just have to be careful when filing the ends flat to join with …
Today, I am trying a new jewellery technique and making my 1st attempt at sterling silver etching – I have some black stop-out polish and some ferric nitrate and plan to etch 2 rings today. Wish me luck! For the rings, I am using 4mm x 0.84mm sterling silver rectangular wire. I filed the ends …
