Jewelry Designs Inspired by Summer Colors JEWELRY for SUMMER: JEWELRY DESIGNS INSPIRED by SUMMER COLORS

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PRESENTS Jewelry for Summer: Jewelry Designs Inspired by Summer Colors JEWELRY FOR SUMMER: JEWELRY DESIGNS INSPIRED BY SUMMER COLORS

SAND DOLLAR PENDANT Metal clay with a cabochon accent BY HADAR JACOBSON

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MONET FLOWERS SUNSTONE WAVES PENDANT Wire woven earrings Carved and faceted gems in pierced silver with glass beads BY JESSICA DOW AND BY MELISSA MEMAN MARK ANDERSON

NOTHING SAYS SUMMER to me like a splash of water mold of a real sand dollar for a perfect impression in silver sparkling in the sun, whether it’s a wave roaring over the clay, and add a shimmering blue-white labradorite for the beach or a tiny drop caught in the center of a delicate perfect drop of water on top. Make the openwork silver bloom in my garden. These three summery jewelry making pendant sparkling with orange and peach sunstones and projects show you how to capture the magic of the sun, wear a piece of sunshine around your neck to celebrate the waves, and a riot of flowers using copper and silver; the arrival of summer – or keep a piece of it close to your wire, sheet, and metal clay; and glass beads, pearls, and heart all year long. carved, cabbed, and faceted gemstones.

You’ll learn an easy wire weaving technique to create flower-like earrings in pond and waterlily colors of delicate blue and luscious pinks against warm copper wire as shown, or use a warm palette altogether if you’d rather Merle White work in yellows and reds for your floral earrings with more Editorial Director, realistic green leaves. Find out how to create a silicone Interweave Jewelry Group

monet’s ﬂ owers Wire weave leaf beads into blossoms. By Melissa Meman

I absolutely love Czech glass beads—there are so many colors and fi nishes to choose from! I originally created these with Czech dagger beads which lend a modernistic feel to the fl owers, but once I experi- mented with the leaf beads as the petals, I knew this lush, romantic version would be my favorite. I fi rst learned this beautiful “woven” style several years ago from wire artist ex- traordinaire, Eni Oken.

tools & supplies • Czech glass leaf beads, 14 • Faceted Czech glass beads (approx 3mm), 6 • 26-gauge dead soft wire, approx 6’ • 20-gauge half hard wire, 4” • Ball-end head pins, 2 • Freshwater pearls, 2 • Flower petal bead caps, 2 • Flat bead caps, 2 • Lampworked beads, 2 • Round-nose pliers • Chain-nose pliers • Flush cutters • Liver of sulfur (optional)

050 SW0411monet.indd 50 2/15/11 11:58 AM 02152011115913 Cut 22” of 26g wire and string 7 leaf Hold the fl ower with your thumb and Continue this over/under pattern 1beads onto the wire. Leaving a 2” wire 2 index fi ngers to keep the bead petals 3 until you arrive back at the beginning. tail, form a circle with the beads, leaving straight. Wrap the longer end of the wire Then reverse the order, going under room between the beads to weave the over the top of the fi rst bead (working then over all the way around. The wire around in Step 2. [NOTE: Czech glass left to right). Repositioning your thumb fl ower should now have 1 strand of wire beads can be fragile around the holes; too to hold that wire onto the bead, continue wrapped around each petal. much tension can cause breakage.] Twist under the next bead. the wire together to secure.

Repeat the pattern until the petals Once you are satisfi ed with the Twist the 2 wires together. TIP: For 4are secure—3 complete patterns is 5weaving, bring the end of the back wire 6 a more consistent twisty pattern, usually a good number, depending on the over and through the center of the fl ower hold each end of the wire you are size of the beads. Make sure the wires and back up. Trim the 2 wires to 4½”. twisting in a “Y” shape as you slowly turn are as straight as possible, using a tool or the entire fl ower. thumbnail to straighten them out.

Form a wrapped loop with the To form the top connecting loop, cut Add the second wire in the same 7twisted wire. Cut the wire ends and 8two 3” pieces of the 26g wire. Fold 9 manner on the right side of the petal. use chain-nose pliers to tuck in the ends one in half and wrap around the left side Pull the 2 twisted wires together over the securely. of the top-most center petal. Twist the top of the petal and wrap one over the wires together. other a few times, then trim the wire you wrapped with.

050 SW0411monet.indd 51 2/15/11 11:58 AM 02152011115914 Use chain-nose pliers to tuck Using round-nose pliers, curl the Wrap the wire in two layers 10 in the wrapped wire. Form a 11petals outward on the fl ower bead 12 (down to the bead, then back up) wrapped loop with the remaining wire and caps so they will fi t tight against the since artisan glass beads usually have adjust the frame snugly around the petal. pearls. Stack 1 freshwater pearl, 1 fl ower larger holes and wiggle a bit. petal cap, 1 lampworked bead, and 1 fl at bead cap onto a balled head pin. Begin a wrapped loop, but before wrapping, connect the dangle to the one loop on the fl ower earring.

To add even more embellishment Wrap the wire around the beads, Add handmade or ready-made 13to the ﬂ owers, attach a few tiny 14creating a wire “bezel.” Wrap the 15ear wires and embellish the ear (approx 3mm) faceted Czech glass wire around to the back of the ﬂ ower wires if desired. beads between the petals with 26g wire. component, trim the excess wire, and tuck in the end.

Melissa Meman lives in Frederick, MD with her husband and son. She has been de- signing and handcraft- ing jewelry for over ten years. Her one-of- a-kind jewelry and rosaries can be found at www.melissameman.com.

Optional: Finish by adding a patina with liver of sulfur, then buffi ng to 16 bring out the highlights. I like to tumble mine with stainless steel shot and a drop of dish soap for a lustrous smooth shine. This also removes any little burs on the wire you might have missed and strengthens them a bit.

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SAND DOLLAR PENDANT HADAR JACOBSON Project photo: JIM LAWSON Make a metal clay impression from a beachcomber’s find BY PROJECT

hen I first tried to make W a mold from the beautiful curved top surface of a sand dollar, the impression was very low. Then I found one with holes and wondered how it looked on the inside. I started breaking the surface with pliers and was stunned by the intricate texture underneath — and there was a spot a little off the center just asking for a stone to be set!

SKILLS YOU NEED

• metal clay use • moldmaking

MATERIALS AND TOOLS YOU NEED

{Photo 1} Break MATERIALS sand dollar test Sand dollar Fine silver bezel cup (commonly called a shell) little by lit- Two part silicone mold material Natural round cabochon tle, leaving some Standard PMC Liver of sulfur margin around it.

TOOLS 1 Pliers Alumina hydrate Rolling pin Protective gloves

Playing cards Kiln fork {Photo 2} Make Knife Rotary tool mold of sand dollar using two-part Drinking straw Wet/dry sand paper, 220 grit and silicone mold 400 grit Clay shaper material. Press Coarse mini-fiber wheel against sand dollar Sponge sanding pads with fingers, mak- Extra-fine mini-fiber wheel Kiln ing sure whole Bezel pusher area is covered. Kiln shelf 2

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{Photo 3} Cure mold. Roll layer of stan- Slip bezel cup into hole. Sand all smooth dard PMC 6 cards thick. Press against mold areas with sponge sanding pads. with fingers. Fire sand dollar in kiln 2 hours at 1650°. {Photo 4} Turn layer over and trim excess Dip fired sand dollar in liver of sulfur. clay with knife. Selectively remove patina with mini fiber wheel mounted on rotary tool. Sand all Lay sand dollar impression on concave area smooth areas with wet/dry sandpaper, (such as wooden dapping block) a little starting with 220 grit and finishing with smaller than sand dollar. Gently press cen- 400 grit. Matte smooth areas with extra 6 ter down. Curving impression will make it fine-mini fiber wheel mounted on rotary more interesting and stronger than leaving tool. Set stone using bezel pusher. flat. Dry. Turn sand dollar over. ID OU NOW {Photo 5} D Y K ? Cut short length of drinking HADAR JACOBSON creates her straw and place close to top. Roll a strip Sand dollars are echinoderms, a award-winning silver PMC jewelry class of marine animal. When they of PMC 2 cards thick. Place over straw to and teaches at her Textures studio in are living, they are covered with vel- form bail. Berkeley, California. For more infor- vety, moveable spines that cover mation, visit her Web site at {Photo 6} their entire shell. Sand dollars are Using clay shaper, blend ends www.artinsilver.com. For questions, closely related to sea urchins. On of strip into back of piece. Dry. information, or advice, please e-mail the ocean bottom, sand dollars are her at [email protected]. frequently found together in small colonies. The name sand dollar refers to their round, coinlike shape. The hardened shell found on the I Choose a premade fine silver TIPS beach is actually called a “test” and bezel cup the size of the center I A sand dollar test is very fragile. is left behind after the animal dies. hole of the sand dollar. Choose a Break the top little by little. Leave Usually, when the test washes up on cabochon of the same size. For some margin around it, or the the beach, it’s missing the velvety this project, I chose a natural bottom will break as well. covering of brown spines. A pure labradorite cabochon. I The sand dollar will probably white test has been bleached by break when removed from the Alternatively, you can set a lab- exposure to the sun. mold. grown cabochon the size of the hole. If you use a lab-grown stone, I Because of its higher shrinkage wait until it cools down. rate compared to PMC + or PMC3, standard PMC will yield a better I During firing, the clay will shrink texture. around the bezel and fuse with it. A fine silver bezel cup will not fuse with PMC +.

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SUNSTONE WAVES PENDANT JESSICA DOW & MARK ANDERSON Pair African and Oregon sunstone Project photo: JIM LAWSON in a pierced design BY PROJECT

or this pendant, I set an African sunstone gem — carved by my partner, Mark Anderson — in a pierced sterling silver backing with two faceted FOregon sunstone accents. I used the geometric pattern of Mark’s carving as the design guide and extended the ridges of the carving into the design of the pierced base to create a flowing wave pattern.

SKILLS YOU NEED • sawing • fabrication • stone setting

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MATERIALS AND TOOLS YOU NEED

MATERIALS Steel block and anvil Drawing pencils 29mm x 19mm carved African sunstone Rawhide mallet Graph paper Two 6mm round faceted Oregon sunstones Wire cutters Elmer’s glue or Gorilla glue 16-gauge sterling sheet Bezel pusher Center punch or hole punch Fine silver bezel Burnisher Acrylic latex clear coat spray Two 6mm round sterling crown settings Prong pusher Pickle pot Hard, medium, and easy wire solder Needle files Ammonia Paste flux Soldering block White diamond compound, tripoli, and rouge Soldering pick Gem setting pliers TOOLS #60 drill bit and drill or flex-shaft Flex-shaft or polishing arbor Sandpaper (400, 600, 900, and 1500) Jeweler’s saw frame and 4/0 or 3/0 blades Small point brush for flux Bench pin

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{Photo 5} Polish with white diamond compound or tripoli using an arbor, or buff with flex-shaft.

DESIGN OPTIONS

I An interesting way to add an initial or logo to your pieces can be used when setting a gem with a two-sided polish. Draw your logo design or initial with an ultra-fine 4 5 Sharpie marker. Use one drill bit to pierce a pilot hole at the thickest point of your drawing. String your {Photo 1} Make template design by draw- {Photo 3} Mark areas to be drilled at blade through with drawing facing ing outline around carved gem. Add 1mm points just inside outlined areas to be cut up and reattach the bottom of edge around outline to allow adequate out. Center punch pilot holes and place metal blade. Pierce out the design and room for bezel. on wood surface to drill with #60 drill bit. clean with needle files.

{Photo 2} When satisfied with sketch, cut {Photo 4} Holes should easily admit saw out paper template and adhere to clean, blade. Pierce center areas first and move flattened 16ga sterling sheet using conser- out from center of piece when sawing. vative amount of glue. Smooth paper care- fully and allow to dry. Once glue is dry, Soak completed piercing in warm water and apply one fine coat of clear acrylic spray to dish detergent to remove paper and glue protect pencil lines. Allow 30 additional min- from metal. Use needle files to clean up, utes of drying time. and sand both sides of pierced base using 400, 600, 900, and 1500 (optional) grits.

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{Photo 6} Form fine silver bezel snugly {Photo 8} Add paste flux to bottom edge around stone, adding 2mm to length for of bezel and position it on base. Place small wiggle room during setting. Square off pellets of medium silver solder around bezel ends until perfectly flush. inner edge of bezel.

{Photo 7} Solder bezel joint with hard sil- Sand or file bottom of 6mm crown settings ver solder. Sand joint until smooth and until they lie flush and smooth on pierced clean. Sand top and bottom of bezel until base. bottom is flush to base and top — at correct height for carved gem. {Photo 9} Flip crown settings upside 9 down, add paste flux, and place small pel- Place bezel onto design and check for gaps, lets of medium solder onto surface. Heat sanding in figure-8 pattern until base of with torch until solder flows. Once cool, bezel is perfectly flat. reposition crown settings onto base with bezel setting.

FABRICATION TIPS

I Use a centerpunch to create dimples in the metal before by plucking it with your finger. A blade inserted with proper drilling pilot holes to insert the sawblade for piercing. Set tension will produce a high-pitched “ping” — a loose blade the metal on a hard surface — such as an anvil or steel will create a dull sound. bench block — to prevent deforming. The resulting dimple I One of the most important factors in achieving a clean, prevents the drill bit from dancing over the surface of the well-executed piercing is using sharp, high quality blades. I sheet and allows you to drill a straight, precise hole. recommend using the best blades you can find, such as Pike I To insert a sawblade properly through a pilot hole, attach Platinum or Hercules. A dull or low quality blade will result the top of the blade into the frame first, with the teeth in a messy piercing and will also increase your tendency to pointing down. Thread the blade through the hole in the break blades. High quality blades stay sharp longer and metal, with the template facing the top of the frame. Move break less, saving not just time and frustration, but also the metal down toward the handle, and allow it to rest there money. to avoid breaking the blade. Place the top of the saw frame I You can use a 3M Radial Bristle Brush for the final polish as against your workbench, press the handle against your an alternative to rouge. I find the green wheels best for a body to compress the frame, then attach the bottom of the final polish. blade. Tighten the thumbscrew with the frame under pres- sure, then release it slowly — or the blade may break from the sudden tension. You can test the tightness of the blade

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{Photo 10} Heat entire piece to sweat solder {Photo 13} Set carved sunstone in bezel. settings to base until solder flows completely. Press burnisher in a rolling motion from bezel base toward carving until entire bezel {Photo 11} Form jump ring with round is smooth and firmly pressed against sides nose pliers from 14ga sterling wire. String of gem. through pierced hole and solder closed with easy solder. {Photo 14} Place faceted sunstone gems in settings. Using gem setting pliers, push Pickle, rinse, dry. each point of crown over stone.

{Photo 12} Polish pendant with white dia- JESSICA DOW and MARK ANDERSON 13 mond compound using polishing arbor or are self taught jewelers and lapidary artists. See buff on flex-shaft. Wash with ammonia solu- more of Jessica’s work at www.jdjewelry.com, and tion. Polish with red rouge and wash again. more of Mark’s work at www.msajewelrydesigns.com.

TIPS

I I use a .3-.5mm adjustable lead pencil and graph paper to I I recommend using assist in achieving a clear, well-balanced template sketch. Gorilla glue for a strong bond when glu- I In my design, the three branches extending from either ing the template to the side of the carving increase in size, progressing from the sheet. To work proper- smallest 6mm branch, to a 9mm branch, and ending with ly, it requires 3 hours the largest 12mm branch, which also acts as the base for of drying time and spe- the 6mm faceted sunstone gem crown settings. cial instructions must I When drawing the template, make sure the carved ridges be followed precisely. I are properly aligned with each corresponding branch on have found it to be the the pierced base. The three branches on the right extend most reliable method upward with the bail positioned in the center of the upper- of bonding a template most branch — directly above the crown setting for the top to metal. Clear acrylic faceted sunstone. The two 6mm faceted sunstone settings spray is not necessary should be positioned in the center of the design, allowing when using this glue. for the pendant to hang properly from the bail.

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