Tag: silversmithing

Silver with leather makes a classic combination, expressing our love for the earthy and the inner cowboy! In this class, make a leather wrap bracelet featuring your handcrafted silver clay button. Inner cowboy or not, express your own impulses in this piece with imagery created from the fabric of your life (inner and/or outer…), using your molds, textures, and your own fingers!

Intermediate to Advanced Level: The silver loop with stones is an optional project for this class, intended for those with soldering skills. The loop can be made using one or more bezel cups. Other options are listed in the description.

The button shown is large at 1″ diameter, bracelet strap width is 1.5″ — 2.0″. The long leather strap overlaps and has a leather beaded loop to hold the bracelet closed. Optional additions include extra beaded loops (like the one here or strung on round leather cord), or for those skilled in silversmithing, a sterling silver loop, plain or embellished with a stone setting.**

Use molded clay pieces or Ready molds to create decorative embellishments or cut out or model your own shapes. Consider using syringe clay. Texture the background, if desired.

**Intermediate to advanced level in silversmithing. A plain silver band-loop can look great as an understated complement matching button textures or displaying a small clay embellishment. Consider soldering on a bezel cup as a simply way to add a stone(s).

Please Read: The class fee shown above does not include the metal clay. You will be charged for the metal clay the day of the class. All materials and tools for classes must be purchased at Beadoholique Bead Shop. This allows us to continue providing you with quality classes.

Metal Clay Tools and Supplies: –Art Clay 950 –Syringe clay (optional) –Molds and/or molded elements, release agent –Texturing tools and materials (plates, fabrics, drawing picks, stamps, modeling tools) –Circle template with at least 1/2″ to 1-1/4″ circles –Bead reamer or sharp pick –Drill bits actual thickness from thinner up to 2mm –All modeling tools including work surfaces, brush and water, warmer with screen, etc. –All cleanup tools for silver clay: blades, scrapers, sanding tools Leather Supplies: –Leather strip: 1.5″-2.00″ x 17″ (measure wrist for how much overlap is preferred) (available for purchase day of class). This length is approximately what is needed for the entire strap plus the loop closure, with extra left over for 1-2 more optional loops. –12″ (1.5mm) round leather cord in a preferred color, for attaching the button. –6″ extra of the same cord above per one beaded loop (thinner cord is okay but note that beads align better if cord gauge is closer to bead hole size). –Beadwork: Beads in photo are size 4mm. –Bead stringing cord to stitch beads to the leather. –Needle Leather Working Tools: –Smooth flat cardboard, mat board, or a self-repairing mat to protect table top –Hole punch (small punch, 2mm or to match small gauge leather cord) –Long metal ruler (if you have one, at least 12″ long), preferably with cork bottom. One will be available for use. –New, sharp Xacto blade in knife. –Sharp scissors for trimming leather and cord –Pencil –Plain sheet of typing or note paper to make a pattern, if needed. –Leather glue, if needed, will be provided by instructor. **Optional Silver Band: Some ideas and measurements, and tools needed, for intermediate to advanced silversmiths. For a plain band: –2-2.5″ (10-gauge) sterling square wire to roll in mill for band. Milled to a 1mm thickness, this piece increases to 6.5″, leaving some to spare. A thicker band can be made using a larger gauge wire or cutting a strip from silver sheet. –Pliers, mini mandrel, etc., for bending into a fitted band. –Soldering materials and tools not provided by the shop: solder, soldering tools, torch, fuel. –Polishing tools and supplies For an attached bezel to the band: –Bezel cup, or materials for making a bezel (bezel wire, silver sheet, solder) –Bezel-making tools: miter jig and files, rawhide mallet, piece of steel wool for cleaning 3 & 4 listed above.

Techniques Used: Silver clay, syringe (optional) Skill Level:  Intermediate to Advanced Prerequisite: Previous silver clay classes, use of syringe (optional), soldering (for advanced techniques) Instructor: Shauna Three ways to sign up: Click here Send me an email Give me a call at 832-674-9005

Please Read: 

1. Classes will begin on time! All students must arrive early for class. Even if you have already purchased supplies for the class, it takes time for everyone to set up and settle in. Students arriving late will need to re-schedule. Please be respectful of others by arriving early for class.

2. All beads, materials, and tools are available for purchase at the bead shop. We appreciate you purchasing materials and tools at the bead shop so that we may continue offering you the best classes around.