How I make jewelry, Part III (cutting and wrapping)

Here I've cut out the backplates for 4 stones (2 necklaces).
I was quite amused when I began metalsmithing and
discovered how important Sharpies are to the process.

Once I've figured out what I'm making, the work begins.  This means busting out my sheet metal and wires so I can start creating the metal forms that make up my piece of jewelry.  The stabilizing piece of metal that holds everything together is called a backplate.  It's cut out of a piece of sheet metal.  I tend to use 26 gauge (lighter weight) sterling silver sheet metal if I'm making a big piece or earrings, and 22 gauge (heavier weight) for everything else.  I put the stone I'm using (or a stencil if I need a perfect shape) on the metal and trace out where I want to cut with a fine Sharpie.  Then I cut the shape out with metal shears.  If I wasn't a hack, I'd use a jewelry saw to cut out every shape (I tend to use the saw for detail work).  But I am a hack, and an impatient one, so I cut.  I usually need to hammer the metal flat on a bench block (a big slab of steel) afterward -- shears can make the metal curl up a little.

Trying to decide whether a 1/8" bezel or a 3/16" bezel
will work best with this variscite of varying heights.

Next is a bezel.  A bezel is the thin piece of metal that wraps around a stone and holds it onto the piece of jewelry.  The bezel needs to be very flexible so you can wrap it, plus push it slightly over the stone so it traps it place.  Therefore, bezel wire is made from fine silver, which is softer and more malleable than sterling.  We metalsmiths have many types of bezel wire.  I have it in several different widths, plus I have bezel wire with a jagged-tooth edge or a scalloped edge.  I tend to use the straight edge, however, because I like a simple look.  When creating a bezel, first I have to pick which height works best for my stone.  Cabochons (a stone with a flat bottom) are cut all different heights, depending on the characteristics of the stone.  A bezel has to cover the widest part of the stone, and then overlap that point slightly to hold it in place.  It can be tricky figuring out which bezel does this best -- especially if you have a stone of varying heights (not uncommon).  It can take a lot of eyeballing and measuring and bending and muttering.  But not swearing!  Noooo, we never swear at slathered.  Snicker.

Once I figure out what height bezel I need, I wrap it around the stone to determine how much of it I need.  Then I use my trusty Sharpie to mark where the bezel overlaps itself, and cut it.  Then I straighten the bezel (see how wavy it is in the picture?) with flat-nose pliers, fiddle with the wrap around corners until it's perfect, then file down and manipulate the ends until they touch perfectly -- no light showing through.  Then comes the best part:  BLOWTORCH.  Woo hoo!  I love melting stuff together.  So come back soon for Part IV.  You might get to see me accidentally burn my house down. 

How I make jewelry, Part II (sketching)

After I have the stones and metal I need for a project, my next step is sketching.  I don't try to force the stone into a preconceived notion.  I let the shape, color and size of the stone tell me what to do.  This usually means I have to sketch out ideas. 

Here's a sketch that's in my book right now.  I was trying to work out what to do with an ocean jasper that has a big, open druzy on the side.  I didn't like my first sketch and crossed it out, but the second sketch was a winner.  When I have to fight for a design like that, I then write down all my thoughts.  I don't necessarily make that particular piece right away, so I want to make sure I don't lose all the details.

I also like to sketch on graph paper, because it gives me a good idea of scale.  When I'm coming up with sketches out of the blue and to be used at a later time, it's good to make sure everything is accurately sized.  That way, I know I'm not inventing a little detail that's too small to actually do, or something that's impossible to do in relation to the characteristics of the stone.

But I don't always have to work from scratch.  Sometimes I know exactly what I want to do with a stone once I've seen the picture of it the seller has posted.  I usually don't sketch the idea down until the stone arrives.  There's nothing more disappointing then getting a rock and realizing you were wrong about its size or coloration and it therefore won't work with the idea you had.  But that doesn't happen to me as much anymore.  I have lapidaries I trust and I can be sure what I'm getting.  In those cases, I just sketch my idea down quickly.  It's solidly in my head, being built up while I waited for the stone to arrive in the mail, but for some reason I usually still have to quickly sketch it down.  You never know when you're gonna wonk your head and get amnesia, right?  No, I don't watch too much Lifetime Television for Women.  Here's a quick sketch sheet I made to lay out a number of pieces I was starting all at the same time.  Those of you who are familiar with my Etsy shop will recognize these pieces -- the Undulate green kyanite earrings, the Banded agate ring, and the Cartoon Cindy ring.

And, very occasionally, I don't make a sketch at all.  Sometimes I'm so clear on what it is I want to do -- and it's a piece that doesn't need any troublesome areas worked out -- that I just start creating with no blueprint.  I have two necklaces I just started that are like that.  One is a found objects necklace, and one is a double necklace.  It's so clear to me how these two necklaces need to come together that I just got to work on them as soon as all the components arrived.  That leads us nicely into Part III -- true work begins!  Stay tuned.

How I make jewelry, Part I

A conversation with a friend recently made me realize that most people really have no idea what it is I do.  We live in the world of Claire's, where mass-produced jewelry is popped together by machines and sold for cheap.  Creating jewelry from scratch is hard to conceive of.  So, through a series of posts on here over the next couple of months, I'm going to show you how I do it.

First, I can't create jewelry from SCRATCH scratch.  I don't know how to cut my own stones (lapidary), and I don't make my own metal sheet.  To do that, I would have to have the capability to melt down scrap silver and gold.  Lots of metalsmiths do that, but I don't have the room or inclination right now.

So that means I need to buy stones and metal.  First I'll tell you about metal -- 'cuz let's face it, stones are the fun part.  I'm making you wait for it!  But metal can be interesting, especially with today's market.  The prices for silver and gold are insane.  When I first started beading back in college 20 years ago, you could get sterling silver for $7 an ounce.  As of 10:47 a.m. today, silver was selling at $30 an ounce.  At one point last year, I had to pay $42 an ounce.  So buying metal can be a game.  Sometimes I have to buy it based on necessity, but I try hard to buy based on price.

I don't buy bezel forms or metal already cut into shapes.  I just buy sheets of metal and rolls of wire.  There are a number of places you can shop for these things, but I prefer a jewelry-supply company called Rio Grande.  They're one of the biggies in the industry for tools and materials.  You can decide what thickness of metal you want at certain quantities.  I get sheet metal and regular wire in sterling silver, which is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals.  They also sell bezel wire, which is fine silver -- 99% silver, meaning it's easier to bend.  A bezel is the metal that's wrapped around a stone and slightly bent over the stone to keep it in place, so more malleable metal is a must.  Those are the metal components I use to make the settings for my pieces ... more on that in another post.

Now the fun part: shopping for stones.  You used to have to know a dealer in New York or go to a gem show to get good stones.  I still like to see stones in person at a stone show.  However, buying stones off the Internet is the easiest, quickest way to shop.  There are a ton of online lapidaries, but I like to buy a lot of my stones from fellow shop owners on Etsy.  Hand-cut stones are gorgeous -- you can tell the lapidary has put thought into how to cut the stone for maximum drama.  Here's a good example of that, from one of the Esty shops I like, Lapidarious:

That's an ocean jasper.  The crystal formations on the left side are called druzy.  Barney, the guy who runs Lapidarious, had to find that druzy in the rough jasper and then plot how to best cut it to leave the druzy intact and yet also play up the drama of it.  This stone blows my mind.  It's expensive, of course, so unfortunately it's not getting to come live with me.

You have to know your stones to buy online.  It's easy to be taken by dishonest sellers who dye stones or show you a picture of turquoise but then send you pressed chalk.  Luckily, I'm a lifelong rock hound, plus generally suspicious.  I've had good luck so far as a result.  You have to treat the online lapidaries like any online business -- do your research and make sure they're legit.

I've been buying stones long enough now that I have working relationships with a few lapidaries I really like.  Sometimes I go shopping for a specific stone I need or want, but usually I just troll my favorite shops to see if they have any stones that catch my eye.  After I get the stone, I then design the piece of jewelry, letting the stone dictate my ideas and sketches.  When I come up with a sketch I like, then I bust out my metal and tools and get to work making it a reality.

Here are some purchases I made yesterday.  I think the round green amazonite pair, top right, is stunning.  The stones are small -- 12 mm across -- so they'll be perfect for some lightweight earrings.  At middle right, the inclusions at the top of the saber tooth-shaped variscite has given me an idea for a design, but I need to see it in person to see if it'll work.  And that skull carved out of picture jasper -- woo!  I already know what I'm going to do with it, because I've bought some of these skulls from Saxdsign in the past.  You'll see them up in my store in the fall.

So that's the very beginning of what I do.  I'm finishing up a couple of pieces of jewelry right now.  But I should be starting on a new necklace soon.  When I do, I'll take pictures as I work, so you can see the process.  At the very least, it's kinda interesting.  But I'm hoping it'll show the intricacies of what we metalsmiths do, giving you an appreciation for what goes into handmade jewelry.  Some people do make jewelry out of pre-formed metal and bezel cups and perfectly shaped stones, and there's nothing wrong with that.  I own $10 earrings from Target.  But I also own a lot of handmade jewelry made by some very talented men and women, and those pieces are the ones that are loved and will get handed down to my daughter.  I hope my jewelry will be thought of that way, too.

Stats the way I like it

Opening an Etsy store and starting a blog has introduced me to the world of stats.  Stats on your sites can be a wonderful tool.  They can show you what your most popular products are, what you need to improve, and provide insight to who your audience is.  But sometimes stats are just a confusing pile of crap.

Actually, stats are more like having a scale when you're dieting.  Using a scale can lead you to weigh yourself every day, and therefore into insanity. Day One = X pounds.  Day Two = X pounds.  Day Three = X - 2 pounds.  Day Four = X - 1 pound.  It's frustrating.  Looking at my Etsy stats can feel the same way.

But I like looking at the stats every day because my store is new.  I'm trying to grow my business, and I need to see what works.  Plus I'm just curious.  I seem to average about 8-10 store and/or listing views a day.  If I look at a certain day's stats and that's what pops up, I'm content.  But if the total is zero, I start obsessing a tad over why.

I'm currently confused by a bump the other way.  Yesterday, I had 30 shop views and 41 listing views.  Ooh!  But WHY?  This is the trouble with being a former journalist: I have to know the who, what, when, where, why and how.  Stats can fill a lot of that in, but not the why.  Since I'm hard on myself, I figured someone just got locked into my page somehow and was tripping the page views.  I know it happens.  My 6-year-old is responsible for unnecessarily hiking the page views of one of my friends.  She's a big fan of my friend's shop and loves to look at all her jewelry -- sometimes several times.  I try to prevent this, but my daughter's figuring out how to use Google and can sometimes get to my friend's shop on her own.  So I know not every page view is a valuable page view.  I figured that's what happened to me yesterday.

But then I read my e-mail and discovered a lot of people did discover my store yesterday.  I had several e-mails telling me people had "liked" one of my pieces or my store, or had added me to their Etsy circle.  As to why, I still haven't figured that out.  I didn't list a new piece yesterday, or join a group, or link to the store from Facebook or here.  So what happened?  The universe just ain't gonna help me on that.  Now what I need to do is just sit back and be happy about it.  And not start obsessively checking today's stats.  They're trending a little high again, by the way.  Wait!  No!  I mean I haven't checked my stats today!  Not once!

No, not once.  More like three times.  Sigh.

A company of one

Working for myself is as incredible as I imagined.  There are no meetings.  I can do what I want when I want -- and how I want, and where I want.  I can solder in my jammies.  I can let my daughter play hair salon on me while I sketch.  I can blast the Yeah Yeah Yeahs while I sand (although dancing along = lumpiness) and I can watch "The Young Victoria" while I polish.  It's bliss.

Except for when it's not.  When things aren't going right, you are on your own.  There's no IT department or Human Resources to iron out your problems for you.  Which is too bad, because you're going to have problems.  Sometimes several at once.  For example, I've been having trouble with my Dremel's collet nut staying tight.  This is where you fit attachments into the Dremel.  I use my Dremel while metalsmithing a lot -- cut, drill holes, sand, start the polish cycle -- and I can't really afford to have it break.  Plus a loose drill bit flying across the room is not conducive to keeping body parts intact.

But it was Christmas break (slow period) and the company's handyman (me) could fix the collet nut if I unscrewed it and then rescrewed it about two or three times in a row.  Problem solved.  Until the PC got a Trojan virus on the eve of Christmas Eve -- and right before I was about to post two pieces of jewelry on Etsy.  Gah!  I can do a number of work-related things on my iPad, but uploading photos to Etsy is not one of them.  I consulted with my IT department, which consisted of me and my husband and my mother-in-law staring at the computer and saying things like, "Do you think there's a keystroke logger now?" and "Should I click on this?" and "I dunno."  My IT department sucks.

The virus is now gone, thanks to professional help.  Time to get back to work and make up the financial loss -- yet another downside to working for yourself.  But the good news is that I'm at the polishing stage and "The Company Men" is on the DVR.  That still beats a meeting any day. 

Island of Misfit Tools

Metalsmiths need lots of tools.  Many of the tools are obvious -- blowtorch, files -- but the longer you're a metalsmith, the more you start misappropriating tools.  You find tools that really are for other purposes but fit what you need exactly.  For example, a goldsmith acquaintance of mine is a dentist.  She recently spent an hour showing some fellow metalsmiths tools that she's ordered from her dental catalogs for metalsmithing purposes.  There are some fantastic things in those dental catalogs, and I'm not just talking about that gizmo that wrenches your mouth open.  I'm not thinking about getting that thing to use on my daughter.  Not at all.

Sanding pads, aka thin sanding sponges.

Here's my favorite misappropriated tool: the sanding pad.  It's actually for woodworkers.  It's to help them easily sand rounded items like table legs and artisan billy clubs.  But it also works beautifully on jewelry.  The thin sponge attached to the back of the sanding pad is so flexible and easy to hold, unlike sandpaper.  It's pretty good at getting into corners and smallish spaces.  Also unlike sandpaper, it's very durable.  You can even wash it clean of metal dust and use it again.

I decided to look up what made sanding pads so awesome, and it's the aluminum oxide abrasive blah blah snore.  I have to admit -- I don't really care what makes them so hardy and flexible.  It's kind of like Magic Eraser: I'm sure there's something in that thing that's going to give me brain cancer, but it gets unwashable marker off of walls!  Woot!  As long as it's working for me, I'm happy.

Here are some other members of my Island of Misfit Tools: 

My blowtorch: Just add a torch head and you're
in business.  It ain't graceful, but it
gets the job done.

1) My blowtorch.  Professional metalsmiths have these fancy torches with tanks that mix acetylene and oxygen, or little hand butane torches for detail work.  Me, I have a 14 oz. Worthington propane cylinder that you can waltz into any ol' hardware store and get.  Add an off-the-rack nozzle/torch head and you're in business for $19 instead of $600.

2) A wooden kitchen spoon.  If you want to make your own metal links and jump rings (those little metal circles that hold everything together), you can get jump ring makers to enable you to make uniform rings.  And I have several jump ring makers.  But the jump ring maker that creates my favorite size and shape is the handle of a wooden spoon I found.

3) A pushpin.  Just your average little pushpin (mine has a red plastic top, so I can see it easily if it falls on the floor).  I drill holes in metal a lot.  But it's hard to drill a hole without the drill skittering all over the metal.  When you're driving nails, that's what a nail punch is for -- to help position the nail before you start hammering.  But nail punches leave too big a mark for many tiny pieces of jewelry.  So I just use a pushpin, hammering lightly on its flat top to leave a tiny indentation in the metal.

I'll show more tools I use on here in the future.  Feel free to misappropriate anything I mention for your own needs!  For example: Wooden spoons are also great for beating children, decorative crafts, poking at dead things in your yard, and to help you fish things out from under the couch.  I understand some people also use them for cooking, but I have never actually seen this happen.    

Where I create

My neighbor asked me recently if I made my jewelry in the garage.  It makes sense for metalsmithing, but the garage is not weather-perfect.  We live in Virginia -- it's too cold out there in the winter and too muggy in the summer.  So where do I work?  There is a very nice built-in desk in our office.  It has some shelves, several drawers, overhead lighting, an outlet and a small closet next to it.  It would be an ideal studio space.  Except it's not.

The built-in desk in all of its horror.  Metalsmithing books
on the left, packaging and craft show items on the floor,
boxes and bags of non-jewelry supplies on the desk.

 

The desk wasn't supported in the middle and therefore is a bit bowed.  Things roll to the middle when set on top of the desk.  I need that to be fixed.  And I'd like the drawers to be arranged more conveniently for heavy outlet use.

So we're going to rebuild the desk a little and create the perfect studio space for me.  Someday.  First I have to clean all the crap off the desk.  I set things there when we moved in three years ago and they've never found a home.  (The curse of the crafter:  Too many supplies.)  I'm not quite ready to be brutally honest about cleaning this area.  In the meantime, the stuff appears to be reproducing, which is only making matters worse.  And I am left with no studio space. 

My trusty work tray in the family room. Papers to
the left are sketches, and to the right of the bowl is my
must-have pile of sanding sponges. Also: I love my red
microfiber couch, but hate that it leaves butt marks.

So for now I work in the kitchen.  It's actually not bad.  The only downside is that I have to clean up every evening so we can make dinner (and so resident 5-year-olds won't get hurt).  Otherwise, there's a nice big window, plenty of lighting, lots of outlets, and I'm right next to the sink (more on the importance of being close to a water source in a future post).  However, that means my tools are all over the kitchen.  I have some stashed in what cupboard space there is, but I'm not motivated to pack too much away.  When you're using these tools several times a week, you want to be able to grab them quickly.   

I occasionally work in the family room, too.  It's where we hang out or watch TV, so I tend to do repetitive work in there -- filing, polishing.  I work on a little antique tray I have.  A family room might not seem like the best place to have work set up, but I have my daughter trained:  Don't touch Mommy's tray or anything on it.  She's so well trained that she recently ratted out my mother.  "Mommy, Grammy's touching your jewelry!  Mommy!  She just touched it AGAIN!"

The tool bucket in the kitchen (and, yes,
the boxes to the right are filled with
supplies).  The bucket is filled with all
my tools that won't maim small kids.

My family is extremely nice about the bucket and boxes next to the kitchen table and tray of tools in the family room.  No one breathes a word about the blowtorch sitting on the counter (disassembled, of course -- I'm not trying to kill anyone making sandwiches in my "studio").  It's possible that my family is enabling me, but I love them for letting me work my own way.  My husband occasionally nags me about using the stovetop as part of my work space, but he knows I'm careful.  And he's sweet enough that, the one time I was distracted and not careful and therefore melted part of my Dremel case, he didn't even tell me, "I told you so."  He just told me to call the Dremel hotline and order another one. 

Someday I will have a beautiful little studio in the office.  I will not have to clean up silver dust just to be able to slice an apple.  I'll be able to leave my tools right on the tabletop and not yell, "Leave the metal where it is!  Make yourself some cheese crackers on the other side of the sink!"  But I won't be able to look out the window at the birds and trees while I work.  I won't have as much space to move around.  So I'll admit I'm not rushing things.  It might freak people out to know I made their ring in my kitchen, but the kitchen's environment helped me make that ring beautiful.  And despite what my neighbor thinks, if you saw our garage, you'd be grateful I settled in the kitchen.