On Sunday I attended a jewelry class I had been looking forward to for a while. It was on free-form stone setting, and it was the first time they had offered the subject at my favorite bead shop, Dava Bead (they have tons of classes, but they fill up quickly). It wasn’t addressed in any of my jewelry-making books, and even if it was, I’m often hesitant to try out a totally new skill without someone to show me the ropes the first time. So I was really excited for this class, and it didn’t disappoint.

The class was only one afternoon, so I didn’t have time to file, sand, and polish up my pieces, but I got to set several stones. I did the green beach glass first, but it probably would’ve been easier (and smarter) to start with something larger. Oh well, that’s how you learn, right? After I had gotten the hang of it a bit I moved on to my stones.

I didn’t know this before the class, but the stone-setting technique we learned is done basically the same way that stained glass is made. Come to think of it, this agate slice would look pretty hung in a window like stained glass, wouldn’t it?

These druzy earrings are my favorite item I made in class. Even though they’re not properly polished and finished, I wore them home.

It always amazes me how easy something can seem when you have a good teacher to make it less intimidating. Actually mastering the skill is a whole ‘nother story, but learning the basics can be really rewarding. And now I get to experiment with this technique on my own (well, after I get a soldering iron and a few other supplies).