Calling LD and Other Jewelry Makers

[Circe]

Thanks Starzin, Michelle! Though, I have to say, so far it's things like this that make me want to NOT do commissions. I've seen how ticked off people here get if things are half a mm off. A tri-wire that mysteriously turns into a knife-edge? Or, alternately, doing it over from scratch after the stone is set? Yeesh. Great when you're pleasing yourself, trickier with a customer. But I keep hoping that eventually practice will make perfect ....

 

[Circe]

Crosspost, and then crossed eyes of amazement - Bastet, that is SO COOL. I love lampwork, have always wanted to learn how, and this is just exacerbating things. That looks amazing. Like roses in an opaline fog ....

 

[Starzin]

Bastetcat - your lampwork is stunning, love the touch of gold 'glitter' in there. And you're not too shabby with the wirework skills either by the look of those earrings

Thanks Starzin, Michelle! Though, I have to say, so far it's things like this that make me want to NOT do commissions. I've seen how ticked off people here get if things are half a mm off. A tri-wire that mysteriously turns into a knife-edge? Or, alternately, doing it over from scratch after the stone is set? Yeesh. Great when you're pleasing yourself, trickier with a customer. But I keep hoping that eventually practice will make perfect ....

Ain't it the truth!

 

[bunnycat]

Thank y'all!

Lampworking is fun (and has all kinds of excitement involved in it with exploding glass rods) I really liked that bead too. I probably shouldn't have sold it, but I ave a drawer full here that I can't make myself sell and I need to eat!

The sparkley gold bits are called aventurine. It's tiny copper particles suspended in glass. I buy the chunks, coat them in clear glass and pull them out in to little stringers about 1-2mm thick to lay on the bead as decoration as I make something. It's molten as I work on it, so I can twist it with tweezers and other glass to make other shapes. And it has such a nice gold shade to it!

 

[bunnycat]

Thanks Starzin, Michelle! Though, I have to say, so far it's things like this that make me want to NOT do commissions. I've seen how ticked off people here get if things are half a mm off. A tri-wire that mysteriously turns into a knife-edge? Or, alternately, doing it over from scratch after the stone is set? Yeesh. Great when you're pleasing yourself, trickier with a customer. But I keep hoping that eventually practice will make perfect ....

Yep! It's that way all over!

 

[chrono]

No commissioning required; just make something and gift them to me. I'll be delighted to receive something a PSer made himself or herself.

 

[michellechan2211]

Thanks Starzin, Michelle! Though, I have to say, so far it's things like this that make me want to NOT do commissions. I've seen how ticked off people here get if things are half a mm off. A tri-wire that mysteriously turns into a knife-edge? Or, alternately, doing it over from scratch after the stone is set? Yeesh. Great when you're pleasing yourself, trickier with a customer. But I keep hoping that eventually practice will make perfect ....

Probably. XD; I'm one of the more non-carish people- so long as "things look nice" I don't particularly care but I can see how some of the other folks are more picky.

Also, tossing a tumbled turquoise bracelet I made some time back.



By comparison my beadwork seems really amateurish but that's fine, I'm an amateur XP I don't know how to do metalwork and that will be rectified someday. ;w;

 

[Starzin]

The sparkley gold bits are called aventurine. It's tiny copper particles suspended in glass.

Interesting because my aventurine beads are green!

LD... Did you ever get and use any of the Snap-tite settings in order to use your 'leftover' gems in wirework jewellery? Pics please

Michelle - that's all that really matters in the end... that you like it and wear it. Interesting twist you've got on the bracelet, such a pretty colour.

 

[bunnycat]

The sparkley gold bits are called aventurine. It's tiny copper particles suspended in glass.

Interesting because my aventurine beads are green!

LD... Did you ever get and use any of the Snap-tite settings in order to use your 'leftover' gems in wirework jewellery? Pics please

Michelle - that's all that really matters in the end... that you like it and wear it. Interesting twist you've got on the bracelet, such a pretty colour.

Oh! I've always wanted try try some snap-tites in some wire worked jewelry!

Yes- there are natural stone aventurine. In the beadmaking world the copper glass is called aventurine and also called goldstone. I've seen goldstone used more when it's in bead form (blue or brown). But it's the same material. Big vats of copper particles infused with molten glass and then shaped to beads.

 

[michellechan2211]

The sparkley gold bits are called aventurine. It's tiny copper particles suspended in glass.

Interesting because my aventurine beads are green!

LD... Did you ever get and use any of the Snap-tite settings in order to use your 'leftover' gems in wirework jewellery? Pics please

Michelle - that's all that really matters in the end... that you like it and wear it. Interesting twist you've got on the bracelet, such a pretty colour.

It was pretty- but its gone to someone who will hopefully wear it. I don't wear jewelery most of the time with the exception of a bracelet.

 

[Starzin]

Bastetcat - Oh now it makes sense, yes I knew goldstone was glass.

Circe - forgot to say thank you for the compliment... thank you.

Michelle - ah, then I'm sure they will enjoy it

 

[LD]

Bastecat - love love love lampwork. It's such a wonderful art and so dynamic. I'm guessing that getting a matching pair can be a test of skill?

Circe - the close ups are to die for. If it's any consolation I completely agree with you about finicky customers. That's the reason I would never sell anything. Actually I'm such a critic of my own work that I see all the flaws and couldn't sell anything unless it was flawless (which is unlikely to happen)! Having said that, if you were to price your rings competitively and made people understand that this is a handmade, loved piece and will have quirks, I'm sure people would buy them. TBH I'd love for you to craft me one.

Michelle - Glad it's gone to a good home. We all have to start somewhere and unfortunately it's only practice and watching designers that makes us improve!

Starzin - you are such a sweetie! Don't know if you can get it in Oz but there's a wirework book by Abby Hook who is a UK based wireworker that is fabulous for projects. You need to know the basics (even though there's a beginners section) but it's really great for guidance and ideas. I didn't get any of the snaptite settings yet. I want to make a copper ring and try bezelling a stone into it first - that's my next project!!!!

 

[Circe]

Circe - the close ups are to die for. If it's any consolation I completely agree with you about finicky customers. That's the reason I would never sell anything. Actually I'm such a critic of my own work that I see all the flaws and couldn't sell anything unless it was flawless (which is unlikely to happen)! Having said that, if you were to price your rings competitively and made people understand that this is a handmade, loved piece and will have quirks, I'm sure people would buy them. TBH I'd love for you to craft me one.

Thanks! It is something I turn over in my head - I'm leaning towards selling finished pieces (well photographed, with the "handmade with loving imperfection" disclaimer), if inly because i'm running out of space for my experiments! I'm iffier about working on commission. Not sure how forum rules influence that, though - I know it's silly, but I rather like the freedom to post pics of my things, purchased or produced, and "Trade" doesn't have that privilege, as far as I'm aware. Wonder if we could get around it if we limited such discussion strictly to a craft section ....

 

[LD]

Interesting Circe. I'd suggest you ask the Mods if they'd be willing to have a craft section and perhaps if people like what you've made they could contact you (or post) and then you could sell via Etsy or Ebay or something?

Actually personally I would have a problem with commissions because I love doing my own thing and would be very stressed trying to recreate somebody else's dream - I think that's where the issues can arise. However, if you had a portfolio of pieces you make (and can make again and again) then perhaps that's the easier way to starting out?

 

[yanaazul]

I thought you all might be interested in process pics of my wire-wrap hoops (first page of thread). Here we have the start of the wrap -- this is a 34mm endless hoop, and six feet of 28 gauge dead soft wire:

 

[yanaazul]

Starting the loops. I didn't like pre-made hoop findings -- the loops are huge, and the spacing is set regardless of what size your beads are. So I worked this out.

 

[yanaazul]

Halfway there. There will be 27 loops, for 3mm rondelles. This is the same spacing as the sapphire rondelle pair on the first page.

 

[yanaazul]

Ready for beads!

 

[yanaazul]

Now the really time-consuming part: wire-wrapping all the dangles. I make my own headpins.

Thanks for looking!

 

[LD]

Yanazul I've tried weaving with wire but when the frame is sloped, the wire keeps slipping so I can't maintain the neatness. I can see how it's easier to do on a circle but how do you stop it moving on a straight line going downhill? Even if I pull tight it still slips

I've been immersed in making jewellery out of metal but decided to try a wire wrapped ring and this is my first attempt! My hands were killing me after because this is sturdy sturdy sturdy! I'm going to do another in bronze wire with a pearl in the centre next! I also made a bracelet but it ended up so large that it'd only fit a giant!

Here's a copper heart pendant and a silver squiggle ring that I also played around making.

None of these are great I know but I'm learning!!!

 

[chrono]

Now the really time-consuming part: wire-wrapping all the dangles. I make my own headpins. Thanks for looking!

Damn! The wire wrapping is so even, flush and tight fit. My head is still reeling at your quality work. How long did this take?

 

[chrono]

LD,
Did you just bend it by hand or did you use tools? Slap me silly virtually if I am a pain in the behind but to round off the ends better, have you tried the very tiny bottle-nose pliers? They can help achieve a rounder starting point which might help the rest of the coils stay round more easily.

 

[pregcurious]

Now the really time-consuming part: wire-wrapping all the dangles. I make my own headpins.

Thanks for looking!

Very cool, yanaazul! I love hoop earrings with beads.

 

[pregcurious]

Here's a copper heart pendant

LD, I love the copper heart pendant. I think you could sell these with family initials to moms.

 

[LD]

LD,
Did you just bend it by hand or did you use tools? Slap me silly virtually if I am a pain in the behind but to round off the ends better, have you tried the very tiny bottle-nose pliers? They can help achieve a rounder starting point which might help the rest of the coils stay round more easily.

LOL I'll tell you what Chrono, you come to my house, I'll sit you down with 1mm wire and round nose pliers and then you have a go!!!!! Yes, I did use round nose pliers BUT the gauge of wire is so tough that getting that first loop to be round is a challenge and clearly I haven't mastered it yet!!!!

 

[minousbijoux]

LD,
Did you just bend it by hand or did you use tools? Slap me silly virtually if I am a pain in the behind but to round off the ends better, have you tried the very tiny bottle-nose pliers? They can help achieve a rounder starting point which might help the rest of the coils stay round more easily.

LOL I'll tell you what Chrono, you come to my house, I'll sit you down with 1mm wire and round nose pliers and then you have a go!!!!! Yes, I did use round nose pliers BUT the gauge of wire is so tough that getting that first loop to be round is a challenge and clearly I haven't mastered it yet!!!!

Yes, its pretty clear from your pics that the gauge and hardness of the wire necessary for the ring would prevent you from easily starting the loops, no matter what pliers you start with, lol! One other thought - have you invested in a torch yet, LD? As you know, if you anneal it by heating the wire with a torch and then letting it cool, it becomes much more malleable. As you work with it, especially hammering it (but in this case, bending would probably do it as well), it becomes harder again - maybe more brittle is a better term.

Yanazul, I cannot believe you made that wire wrap! What commitment, diligence and detail! That is some of the nicest wrapping I've seen. It is so fine, symmetrical and even. But I would go around with just one earring because I don't think I could bring myself to making the other!

 

[LD]

Good idea Minou - didn't think of using a torch. Mind you, TBH this was only for fun, won't be worn (none of my "makes" are) and I just enjoy playing so using a torch is a bit of a pain!

 

[chrono]

For me, using a torch will be fun.

 

[minousbijoux]

For me, using a torch will be fun.

Do we have a pyro on our hands?!

 

[LD]

For me, using a torch will be fun.

Do we have a pyro on our hands?!

Well I nearly set my kitchen worktop on fire the other day, does that count?