Monday 2 August 2010

Welcome and an introduction to me!

Welcome to the first entry of my jewellery related blog.

This is a blog in which I will be commenting about my success or lack of success when making jewellery and other items.

I bit of back ground first before I get started.

About 8 years ago I was looking for my next Adult Education Course. Having already completed courses on Russian language (I never was very good at learning vocabulary so can't remember most of it), Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP, very interesting but not sure if I'll ever use it) and Woodworking for beginners (I love the cupboard I made, but I really must varnish it sometime). And having failed to complete a course on shorthand. I decided something hands on would be good as the most fun and satisfying course so far had been the woodworking one, but I was looking for something difference.

One of the courses on offer was Silversmithing for beginners. I thought that sounded different enough from my day job as a computer programmer, so signed up. The course lasted 10 week and was held in a local art centre which had fully kitted out jewellery studio. The course was interesting although some of the "begginners" were back for their 4th or 5th term it turned out. The tutor seemed to be more interested in helping the returning students with their more complex work than helping us newbies. But, even with that I made 3 items of jewellery using Silver sheet and I had fun learning to use various tools. I even got a single shot at soldering - now I really want to learn how to solder, but that's a future project.

I loved the silver smithing but knew that it was not a hobby I could continue in my tiny 2 bed semi, so I gave up on the idea of my own jewellery studio (at the time at least).

The next Adult Education course I took was Wire Wrapping. It was a one day course on a Saturday and I enjoyed it so much that I knew I'd found a new hobby - that was 5 or 6 years ago now.

Since then I've stocked up on various kinds of pliers, files and cutteres as well as various types and sizes of wire. Gold and silver plated wires were the first kinds I used and having learnt a bit about linking beads together on the wire wrapping course, I was soon making earrings and necklaces.

A number of these earrings and necklaces were given to friends - I'm not sure they all appreciated receiving my gifts, but they said nice things at the time so that was okay.

Last year I discovered a new love - chain maille working. The example below is a Byzantine weave bracelet.


Byzantine chain maille weave bracelet

I better stop now or you'll have my whole life's history to wade through. More on the chain maille I love next time.

Anne

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