#handmade components

Metalsmithing 101 – Handmade Components – Wire Wrapping Bronze Diamonds

Hello and welcome back to my mini-series, Handmade Components.

Today, I am going to walk you through a simple organic way to add embellishment to the Bronze Diamond Components we made a few weeks ago, and offer a few different accent options along the way. 

Tools and Materials

I will be using the Bronze Diamond Components I made in the first half of the series. 

Of course you can use store…

Handmade Components – Wire Wrapped Copper Ovals

Hello and welcome back to my mini-series, Handmade Components.

Today, I am going to walk you through a simple yet elegant way to add embellishment to the Copper Ovals with Eye Loops, we made a few weeks ago.

In today’s tutorial, I will demo how to make both versions of the component shown here. 

Let’s start by taking a look at the materials used in this project.

Tools and Materials

I will be…

Metalsmithing 101 – Handmade Components – Wire Wrapping Brass Ovals

Hello and welcome back to my mini-series, Handmade Components.

Today, I am going to walk you through a simple yet elegant way to add adornments to the Brass Ovals with Eye Loop, we made a few weeks ago.

I am really pleased with the way my projects turned out and want to share the technique. 

I happen to have several strands of gemstone chips that I have received as gifts over the years. I have…

by Patty Lakinsmith I buy very few jewelry making books, and was delighted to receive Kate McKinnon's new book, The Jewelry Architect: techniques + projects for mixed-media jewelry, for Christmas. While I haven't yet viewed the DVD she included, I have been through all 143 pages and found it very inspiring. Possibly inspiring enough that I might actually attempt some of the sewn beadwork projects. I first met Kate about 5 years ago, when she lived and worked in nearby Pacific Grove. I had stumbled across her excellent blog and saw that she was having an open studio (a rare event, I gathered, given the stern warnings on her website about drop-in visits), so a friend and I made the hour long drive. From the moment I met her she was free with her knowledge, and even helped me to solve a crimping problem I was having that very visit. It was enough to encourage me to sign up for her PMC class, which taught me how to make my own handmade fine silver clasps and more. Her previous books on Structural Metal Clay are valued residents of my bookshelf.

Kate's Ouroboros bracelet features a handmade fine silver (PMC) clasp, lampwork glass beads (or felt, as you choose), and delightful sewn beadwork.