Tooled up

I have 2 projects on the go at the moment, both very different to anything I’ve done before. My ‘Atlantis’ bead embroidery is coming to completion as I am working the chain section. Bead embroidery over an armature means that I can achieve a much more 3 dimensional look. Traditional bead embroidery means that the edging is done last, when a leather or ultrasuede backing is added. My ‘armature technique’ is different, as the boundaries between front, sides and back are much less defined. I love the back of my pieces to be neat and tidy and this one looks well finished on the reverse. I will do a hand stitched clasp to blend in with the beadwork.

 

 

Part of the enjoyment of going to silversmithing classes is chatting to the other students and swapping hints and tips about various tools and gadgets.  It’s amazing how many new tools I’m learning how to use and I especially enjoy sawing and filing. I have set up my area at home so that I can use a bench pin for sawing and filing. This is just as well as there is plenty of that to do in my copper necklace. I’ve cut all the bits and now I have to shape and hammer a texture into them. The green beads will be given a coil of wire and hang from the 3 ‘paddles’ with jump rings. I will make a curved bail on the pendant and it will have a Viking weave chain and hand forged clasp.

 

 

 

Yet more exciting additions to my working area! A Proxxon drill, complete with stand, footpedal and… joy of joys a flexshaft. YAY! Also some dapping tools and a disc cutter so that I can make my own hammered metal bead caps.