I followed a link from my local art museum and discovered that they offer multi-week programs in metal smithing, weaving, pottery, and more. Check out the local makers’ spaces near you and find out if you enjoy the process. The Dress Doctors did not think every woman should sew, but they did think everyone should find out if they enjoyed it, and at least be able to mend their own things.

Metalsmithing at Studio JSD in Grand Haven, MI

You see here at top one of the products of a basic metalsmithing class I took one evening this month at Studio JSD which is both a gallery and shop (more on that next week) and a studio space. If this kind of making interests you, I recommend the class with enthusiasm. This was the Stack Ring Class with Sookyung who was our teacher, coach, and general hand-holder. These are small classes with 6 people and her guidance was crucial for our success.

We started out with small silver strips of metal, pre-made bezels, and little semi-precious gems to choose from. Then, we learned the process of shaping the ring and soldering the two ends together. If you look at the last photo, you can see on the right a soldered but still misshapen ring, and the left for one that had been hammered into a circle. Last, we learned how to solder on the bezel on, put in the stone, and then ream the bezel edges to keep the stone solidly in which is the stage of the 2nd photo. We each got to make 2 rings.

I signed myself and my husband up for this class as something fun to do on vacation, and my husband, not usually a maker of anything except dinner, asked if there was another class we could take in the future. !!! A sure sign that he had a good time.