Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

May 26 (mark that date on your calendar!) I’m teaching a silver metal clay class at Bead-It in Prescott AZ.   I placed a limit of 5 people on the class so if you are interested call Bead-It (928-445-9234).   Yes, this is free advertising!! We are going to make a pendant from 10 grams of silver clay with a fold-over bail with tiny clay shapes and a CZ gemstone.   Because I want the class to be somewhat cost effective, I ordered 10 grams of silver clay for each student.   I’m used to having packets of 50 grams of clay to work with and I really need to know how big a piece the students can make from the 10 gram packet.   10 grams of silver metal clay next to a penny My task was to make a pendant as an example and to show at the bead store enticing students to sign up.   Yesterday I designed and made the piece.   And yes, I used every bit of the clay.   Today I torch fired the pendant and finished it.   It was my first time t...

 Bead-It in Prescott AZ Viking Knit is one of the oldest wire chaining techniques and we first see it being used in the 9 th century.   That must be about the time wire was being made in long enough pieces with a small enough diameter to be flexible for chaining.   It is again popular with jewelry makers and once a person learns the technique it can lead to a Zen like experience.   Basically it is using 26-30 gauge wire and making loops in a circular pattern around a dowel (or similar object) using continuous wire.   When it is finished, the tube is drawn through a series of holes, each smaller than the next, until the chain is the size you want.   The Project I’ve wanted to teach this technique and our local bead store, Bead-It, agreed.  We set a date and had lots of interest.   My first Viking Knit Class was a learning experience for my 7 students and for me.   Aren’t we always learning?   The goal was to make a b...

 Bead-It (Prescott AZ) and I are offering a class to make a viking knit bracelet in March.   I took the class example in to the bead store and in the process came home with two new (to me) tools to experiment with - a Knitting Spool and a Wyr Knittr. I wanted to know how the chain looked using these techniques compared to the Viking knit and how the processes differed.  Viking Knit Example  Check my post on viking knit to see that technique. http://lindabrittdesign.blogspot.com/2011/10/learning-as-we-go.html  I started with the Knitting Spool – a wooden spool about 3” tall and 1 ½” wide with a hole through the middle.   There are 5 cotter pins on the top and the wire is wound around the pins in one of 2 patterns.   A pick helps put the lower wire over the upper wire at each cotter pin for each row.   The knitted tube is funneled through the center hole and comes out the bottom.       Knitter Spool Example  I...

Sometimes when you finish a project or in my case a piece of jewelry, you just want to show it to someone.   So I took my just finished necklace, bracelet and earrings to show my friend, Kim, at Bead-It here in Prescott.     This group of jewelry was my experiment into using sheet metals with eyelets and rivets.     She had asked earlier if I wanted to teach a class in cold connections and I agreed.   Cold connections are ways to connect individual parts and make a piece of jewelry without soldering or using a kiln.   I’ve learned many techniques at the classes I’ve taken in cold connections from some of the best teachers – Susan Lenart Kazmer and Deryn Mentock .   So I thought why not? Well, Kim was as excited about my new pieces as I was and so I will be teaching how to make this necklace.   In order to teach a class of 4 to 6 people, I need to be organized!   So I’ve started a syllabus with a list of materials needed and how much the...

I have several pieces and parts of old jewelry and I’m always on the lookout for more.   The thrift shops, second hand stores and interesting boutiques are places I tend to seek out.   I also am very fortunate to have had a mother who loved jewelry and old things.   I’ve had a wonderful time going through her jewelry and remembering the best of times with her.   Going through the jewelry box, I found this beautifully painted porcelain cabochon of two lovers set in a brass triangle.   It had been a brooch at one time and the clasp was broken.   Of course, I used it in a necklace.   Vintage brass and pearl chain combine with pearls and crystals to make quite a charming necklace! Another day, I attended a trunk show at Bead-It in Prescott and purchased a vintage belt buckle with rhinestones.   I used half the buckle; wire wrapped a vintage rhinestone button on the bar and made a sparkling pendant with matching earrings for the holidays!   I...