On Saturday I got the opportunity to do something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time, which is learn advanced jewelry techniques. Though I have some books on metalworking, I’ve found that I really learn so much more from in-person instruction. So I took a ringmaking class at my favorite local jewelry/bead supply store, Dava Bead & Trade. It was all day, from 10:30 to 4:30, and in that time I learned to shape metal into a ring, solder it, and hammer and finish it. I made a whole stack of rings out of brass, silver, and copper, and I have a couple more partially finished.
Though they’re not perfect (I ran out of studio time to work on some of them), I’m really happy with my new ring stacks. I’ve already ordered my own metalworking tools and can’t wait til they arrive. Now that I know many of the basics, I’m really excited about the possibilities of what I can create.
Playing with my macro lens
