Category Archives: Metal Work

Bracelets, Creativity, Metal Work, Torch Work, weaving, Wire Work

Do You Vary?

March 14, 2014 Karen

I do!

Vary “. . . To make or cause changes in the characteristics or attributes of; modify or alter “ www.answers.com/topic/vary

A few months ago, I told you that I was fortunate to have one of my bracelet designs on the cover of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine.

This week, I’m guiding some of my friends as they make this bracelet at our Faux meetup. I always practice before I teach/lead and this time I decided to “VARY” the bracelet. This is one of my favorite things to do with designs as I employ various creative thinking techniques to change things without completely losing the character of the original designs. Below is my practice piece which is varied through magnification (enlarging) and combining (adding the beads to the metal strip in unique positions).

I torch enameled and then sealed a piece of 26g copper sheet before cutting the shape for the bracelet. Then I wove 26g wire over 14g wire and through holes in the metal on both sides. I added the turquoise rounds within the weaving to vary the technique.

This change has initiated more consideration of other possibilities and ways to vary this design.

Yes, I do vary - - - because the opposite would be to “conform” and that’s just not my style!

Creativity, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants, Philosophy, soldering, Teaching, Techniques, Torch Work

A Tale of Two Prongs

February 27, 2014 Karen 2 Comments

The last two jewelry making classes that I’ve taught involved working on various types of prong settings. Although I don’t have any more of these scheduled, I’m still intrigued by the unique possibilities that soldered prongs present for jewelry construction.

I think the blue agate piece below might be called “snakes” except that might not be a very appealing title for a customer. I wanted to add a tube setting to this piece and used a 6mm lab grown amethyst. It seems to help bring out the color in the agate.

There’s always considerable problem solving in jewelry construction even when you’ve made the best of plans. I share my mistakes as a pat on the back for those of you who don’t make them (anyone out there???) as well as encouragement for the rest of us. My mantra seems to be “where there’s a will, there’s a way”. After the entire pendant was complete – soldered, filed, sanded, formed, patinated, etc. – I carefully set the stone and positioned the prongs over it. So far so good. Then I placed the amethyst in the tube bezel and used my new bezel setter to secure it . . . beautiful. But then . . . plop. . . out came the stone. Not to be dismayed, I tried again and again and then . . . I realized that I had soldered the tube bezel onto the back plate upside down! I knew I should start again, remove the agate and go back to the torch station.; but I didn’t. I recently read that a renowned jewelry maker/teacher uses glue in certain situations. THIS was my situation. I got that little E-6000 tube out of the drawer, glued that little stone in the tube bezel and if I hadn’t fessed up, you might never have known.

The second prong setting is a green agate. I cut a piece of 22g copper sheet to create the partial bezel and then used a two-legged prong setting at the top. In essence, the bezel simply keep the stone from sliding out the bottom. The prong provides tension from the top and holds the piece against the back plate. I also used a little bit of that E-6000 on the back of the stone so I would feel better. The bezel is a bit of copper tubing soldered on the front and I embellished the pieces by wiring some small glass beads to the prong. By the way, twice I filed and sanded the back of the piece too closely where the prongs come through and had to re-solder them. Oh well, it gave me good practice!

Did I learn anything? I found that self deprecation when something doesn’t go right doesn’t help me in making jewelry. When a prong failed to solder properly, I just said “oh great, now I get to go back down the stairs to the torch room.” (More exercise and more practice can’t be all bad!) Now, if something doesn’t give me a problem, I’m suspicious. Could attitude be 9/10s of the work ethic?

For my soldering students, keep smiling and torch on.

Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants, torch enameling, Torch Work

More Fluttering

February 11, 2014 Karen

While the last entry about memories that flit by was quite figural, today I’m thinking of fluttering in a different way. There are things that flutter too.

I’m ready for the fluttering of Spring when the birds and butterflies show their colors and the weather is warmer. I want to see them out my studio window and feel this would help me get in a better humor for creating the Spring jewelry designs. Yet, one has to get started; so I did.

The first photo shows two doves that I torch enameled with multiple layers of blues and white. The bottoms of the doves rest on round beads giving them to illusion of being in flight. The copper wire armature joins with a handmade chain to go around the neck.

I also torch enameled this second piece. It is cloisonné and I used sterling silver wire to mimic the markings of the butterfly wings. Then I wet packed various colors of enamel. It takes many layers and firings to build the enamel up to the top of the sterling wire and the wet packed enamel must dry each time before firing. I had to learn to be patient on this one. Once complete, I smoothed the surface with an alumdun stone and then added a clear layer of enamel.

I’m just hoping that soon these flutterings aren’t just in my mind and on my work bench. I want to see Spring here at the ranch in the very near future.

Metal Work, Techniques, Torch Work

Prongs

January 29, 2014 Karen 2 Comments

I’m preparing to teach my newly designed Hot Metal Mania class in a couple of weeks. I’m very excited to be able to include prong settings in the curriculum using both sterling silver and copper settings.

I originally set out to just do the type of prong setting that has a back plate, like those below. (The first piece really does hang straight, I just rushed with the photo.)

These require carefully fitting wire prongs snuggly into holes in the back plate and soldering them in place. I made quite a mess of the first few I tried, but persevered and finally figured it out. This has all manner of possibilities for embellishment.

Since I want my students to work some with sterling silver, I figured out a reasonably simple and fairly inexpensive way to make prong settings that have open backs such as those below.

You can see the open back in the photo below.

I went ahead and wrote a tutorial with photos on this one for my students and also put it in my etsy store. This type prong setting really emphasizes the beauty of the stone.

My current challenge is to QUIT making prong settings and move to the next design. I’m just enjoying these so much that I hate to stop. But then . . . surely I need a bit more practice; don’t you think?

Bracelets, Metal Work, Necklaces, Philosophy, Teaching, Torch Work, weaving, Wire Work

Just Do the Next Thing . . .

January 12, 2014 Karen

As I likely have mentioned before, my great grandmother, Dee Dee Lewis, supported not only herself (post husband) but also my grandmother (post husband) and her two children. Yes, we are a family of lingering women. When someone would get in a muddle and become anxious about what they should do, Dee Dee always said “just do the next thing.” It didn’t really think that was very helpful and often couldn’t even figure out what the next thing was. However, lately, that little phrase has been sounding in my brain and I’ve follow the tenet behind it. I’m no busier than the next person, but sometimes I need a little help from my elders.

I enjoyed the past holidays and actually took some time away from designing to sit quietly and do some crocheting and sewing. It was a welcome respite and gave these hands time to recover from the hurried wire and metal work pre-Christmas.

Then it was suddenly January and there was a list of things that needed ASAP attention. First, I needed products for a silent auction donation to the San Marcos River Foundation. I wanted them to have a choice and they selected the blue tree below and some copper earrings from the three things I offered.

The next thing . . . I needed product examples for the three January-February classes I was teaching. Luckily, I had most of the wrapped rocks and cabachons below already done; yet I did need to practice.

Then . . . the next thing . . . I needed to create new products for the Hot Metal Mania class coming in February. These took a while as I tried to differentiate the level of skill needed for the products.

When I completed enough of the Hot products to at least get information out to students, I decided to take a day off, but then the phone rang. Someone that I convinced to be the program chair for one of my groups needed a project/leader for February. She wanted something in metal. I got her into this . . . so I said yes and arose fromf my chair and back to the bench.

Feeling pleased to have the former completed and tired of following Dee Dee’s advise, I took a some time to try a new scroll design. I thought I was making a bird, but I do believe it turned out to be a hen. She is soldered and the wing flower is torch enameled

Today, I realize that “the next thing” is preparing the products for the Torch Enameling class which is in two weeks. I guess you know what I’ll be working on today. OK, great grandmother, I think you were right! At least I’m having fun.

Metal Work, Tutorials, weaving, Wire Work

Cover Girl

November 18, 2013 Karen 2 Comments

I was pleased to see my original bracelets on the cover of this month’s Step By Step Wire Jewelry Publication. I’ve had a number of other pieces in the magazine, but not previously on the cover.

The editor named them “Taos” which I think is fitting for the design. There are many different variations for this style. For example, the weaving can be varied depending on the number of outside wires used and the specific weaving technique. I’ve also varied it from weaving into a single row of holes down the center to holes on each side of the middle sheet. You can also see that sometimes I use my own torch enameled discs as embellishments while other times I use gemstones. I thought the two hole turquoise discs, which I have only seen at one bead show and never again, turned out nice. At the time I purchased them I couldn’t think what in the world I would do with them. Once I figured it out, of course I couldn’t find them again. That’s why I ended up making the two hole torch enameled discs which I offer on etsy. There’s a link to it on my website blog page www.dreamcatcherranch.net/designs.

If you have interest in these and pick up the publication, you’ll find a full tutorial complete with my photos of the process. I hope you enjoy it.

Creativity, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants, Philosophy, weaving, Wire Work

Tree Fall

September 26, 2013 Karen

Tree of Life pendants have been popular ever since I started making jewelry (and probably long before). I’ve made many and people always seem to want them. The other day, I decided to try a different type of tree. This one looks like it fell over and thus the name blog entry name, Tree Fall.

The above tree or branch, depending on how you see it, consists of eight pieces of wire that I wove in the round with lighter gauge copper wire. While working on it, I kept looking out the studio window to see how the dimension of most trees changes on the way up. My observations indicated that the diameter of the tree branch should reduce on the way up. I attempted to represent this by splitting the bundle of wire to create smaller and smaller twigs or branches.

I enjoyed making the above piece and decided to combine it with some of the copper sheet leaves shown in a previous blog. I also thought this would give participants in my leaf classes this weekend another choice for creation.

I soldered wire stems to the copper leaves, torched painted them and then put them in cooking oil to achieve the red color. Finally, I sealed them with an automotive spray. I worked the stems of the leaves into the weaving. I think this piece will hang vertically as opposed to the horizontal position of the first necklace. I’m still cogitating about that.

I created a slightly different look between the pieces with the wire weaving. I went over each larger gauge wire on the first one and under each on the second one. I found it much more difficult to go under, but like the look; so I guess I’ll just need more practice.

The weaving continues to intrigue me leading to hours of play with the wire. This is confirmed by the callouses I’m building on my fingers. The difficult part is resisting closure and allowed myself to experiment with the weaves without a preconceived notion of what I can make. I have a book about Free Play sitting on my desk and it reminds me of the importance of play, like my experimental weaving, in the creative process. Author Stephen Nachmanovitch states “There is a time to do just anything, to experiment without fear of consequences. to have a play space safe from criticism . . . “ I’ve just got to remember that self criticism is also detrimental to creativity and and try to think more positively about my play.

Color, Metal Work, Necklaces, Teaching, Torch Work, Wire Work

More Fall

September 4, 2013 Karen 2 Comments

That’s what I’m wishing for – More Fall. Actually, I would take any Fall at all since we are having 100 degree plus days here in central Texas. I’m sure Fall is coming, but I’m a bit premature with my daily wish.

Nevertheless, it is Fall in the studio. Some of you have previously seen the leaves I’ve posted elsewhere. These are for a class that I’m preparing.

These copper leaves were torch painted with a little butane torch. Their friend, the dragonfly, is from a wire tutorial I just finished for my etsy shop. It was requested by the people who wanted the leaf workshop.

Here’s a little different type leaf. I turned these red by annealing them with the torch and then throwing them in Crisco cooking oil. I also tried some in sesame oil and the red is about the same.

Here’s a comparison of the cooking oil vs. the sesame oil. The sesame dipped leaf is on the left. The difference in color is slight.

Finally, this set of leaves was also torch painted and I made a brass chain. I like the difference in color. Torch painting always provides surprises.

The only time consuming part of this project is cutting out each leaf. It makes my hands unhappy!

Let’s just hope my leaves are a harbinger of Fall (the real one with the cooler temperatures). I’m ready for clothes with leaves and shoes with toes!

Bezels, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants

Here a Duzy, There a Druzy, Everywhere a . . .

August 5, 2013 Karen 7 Comments

I like to use a druzy now and then in a piece of jewelry; yet when showing it to a customer, I usually end up explaining the term. Wilkipedia says that “In geological usage druse or druzy is a coating of fine crystals on a rock fracture surface, vein . . . or geode.”I think that’s a pretty neat occurrence. . . it’s something beautiful and sparkly where there may have been little of interest previously.

In the past, I’ve mainly worked with gemstones that contain small pieces of druzy yet the color of the stone remains predominant. Lately, however, I’ve found a few druzies where the crystalline formation is large enough to stand on its own. They are somewhat delicate with which to work and I’ve done my best to capture them in bezels that will protect the structure.

I’ve been told that dying the coablt druzy, shown above, is rather difficulty, but I’m certainly pleased with the the perseverance of the lapidary artist who cut this one.

Is there a druzy in your future?

Color, Earrings, Metal Work, Necklaces, Pendants, Techniques, Torch Work

Experimentation

July 24, 2013 Karen

This part of the summer when the boutiques I serve are closing out summer merchandise prior to bringing in Fall clothing, I have time to experiment with new ideas for upcoming jewelry designs.

I have to get into a different mindset for experimenting and remind myself that there’s no pressure for anything to “turn out”. I don’t have to produce anything; I just need to play.

Play this year has come mainly in the form of torch enameling. It started when I taught the Torch Enamel II workshop a few weeks ago. I had a super set of participants and we had such fun. Teaching always propels me forward as I challenge myself to make difficult processes easy for students. I worked on champleve and sgraffito and have carried some of that into the experiments I’m doing now. Below are a couple of things that seem to be working well.

I’ve also explored “holiness” in several forms and found it to be fun when incorporated with the torch enameling. I just kept singing “Holy, Holy, Holy . . . “ and things kept hatching. Hmmm . . . I wonder what would happened if I sang a different song . . . ? Any suggestions???

Today, I’m experimenting with different shapes and sawing. I’m conscious of the fact that it’s not production – it’s inquiry and learning. We’ll see what turns out. Wish me luck!

Dreamcatcher Designs