Any handmade jewellers on here?

[jujuwellery]

I have always loved jewellery and would love to be able to call jewellery making my hobby.

I've been to one workshop and made a ring, and really enjoyed it.

I'm looking to attend another and wondered if anyone can make any recommendations? Been looking at Noctua in Liverpool.

Also, has anyone started out doing this just by buying their own kit and learning online?

I see Jessica Rose do an online course, but I don't have a spare £5k to get me going.

Just looking for inspiration, I guess!

I started out teaching myself from youtube and books and I was a complete new comer to even using a hammer!

Try the free UK tube videos from Kim Thompson for Kernowcraft.

She takes you through a 12 month course from basic to not so basic silver jewellery making techniques. Obviously you can move through them a lot quicker!

Andrew Berry " On the Bench" is also excellent - he has a lot of free content on Youtube and is very down to earth

My other favourite is Estona Metalsmithing. Again a lot of very doable projects and she is also now doing a free structured course.

If you have some spare cash then the Lucy Walker online academy is very well thought of. I haven't tried that one though as I'm too mean to pay for it!

Thank you @LadyPoison!

I watched an Estona video just the other day. She was stone setting a ring. She did make it look reasonably easy!

I will check out those others you have mentioned.

And I think I might ask for vouchers for an upcoming big birthday and buy a proper kit.

My issue is that i don't have a space to do this, other than brand new kitchen table Need to keep the soldering to a minimum!

That's how I started.

I put a wooden board on it that I could lift on and off to protect the surface.

Don't buy the beginners kits though. I rapidly upgraded almost every item from mine within weeks and the rest I have never used. Buy the equipment you need when you need it.

A lovely FB group is "Metalsmithing for Newbies aka Babysmiths". Dreadful name but there is a list of a basic kit in the files, lots of other new beginners and plenty of support and advice. It's much friendlier than a lot of the silversmithing groups which can be a bit AIBU for beginner's questions

It might not be what you’re after but look up PMC (Precious Metal Clay) as well. It’s a type of clay with silver in it that you can turn into solid silver with a blow torch. I thought it might be a good option if you’re short on space. Lots of YouTube tutorials on it.

I’d always wanted to learn some skills and did a week long course at Central St Martins in London (now University of the Arts London)

I loved it but realised i’m not quick enough with my hands for the different techniques/skills.

Why not do a short college class backed up with practicing with YouTube? A lot cheaper than a 5k course!

@LadyPoison even the kits from the reputable suppliers like Cooksongold? Good to know working from the kitchen isn't a huge barrier

@Sunnysideup24 Thanks. I've just watched a video of this. Something to experiment with, definitely!

@Muckymaisonette I work full time and the nearest college for me would be about an hour away after work, so any courses/workshops need to be weekend or a 4/5 day that I'm happy to use annual leave for. I'd love to do something more regularly as I retain the info better that way, but the time and travel is too much weekly.

[quote jujuwellery]@LadyPoison even the kits from the reputable suppliers like Cooksongold? Good to know working from the kitchen isn't a huge barrier

@Sunnysideup24 Thanks. I've just watched a video of this. Something to experiment with, definitely!

@Muckymaisonette I work full time and the nearest college for me would be about an hour away after work, so any courses/workshops need to be weekend or a 4/5 day that I'm happy to use annual leave for. I'd love to do something more regularly as I retain the info better that way, but the time and travel is too much weekly. [/quote]
Yes - even Cooksongold!

Cookies are great for silver - it's all 100% recycled now too but are very expensive for tools.

I saved £100 by buying my Sievert from a plumber's merchant but you'll find many of their tools are available from other suppliers much cheaper. I do still buy a lot from them as they are nice to deal with and ship very fast but cheap they are not!

PMC is fun - I use it myself but that's a very expensive way of buying silver. I use it to make unique embellishments and weird and wonderful charms but it's a lot cheaper to use sheet metal and wire wherever possible and you'll end up wanting a kiln too for some PMC work

@LadyPoison Thanks again!

Where are you at with jewellery making? Is it mostly a hobby, a side-line, or have you made it your career?

Can we nosy at your creations anywhere?

Me! I did a couple of part time courses and mostly youtube. You need a bit of space though, for a desk or bench and a soldering area, plus somewhere to put your crockpot and tumbler, which I'm sorely lacking. You don't need a lot of stuff, just some files, a saw and a hammer but it does pile up the more you do! I have to keep bringing out my tools from the cupboard and putting them away again which is a bit off putting and holds me back sometimes. A dedicated corner where you can just be messy and leave your work out would be ideal.

I wouldn't buy an entire 'kit' to start with either, some of the tools you get aren't that great quality and you end up researching your own better quality ones and replacing them. Better to start with the minimum you need and increase as you go.

I started in my kitchen buying most of my tools from cooksongold. Basic stone setting is easier than it looks and is a real confidence boost when you set your first piece. I do all my soldering on my oven hob as it is already heatproof and I don’t have to worry about damaging any of my furniture!

Jessica Rose has some good one off courses for particular skills. However, even if you have the £5k I wouldn’t recommend her diploma course. It is far too intense and despite being marketed at beginners, there have been several complaints in our group saying that it is far too advanced. It also moves at a very quick speed and the time required is much more than they claim. Instead of around 8 hours a week, many people including myself were putting in 20+ hours per week, several of those that didn’t have been unable to complete work. I managed to complete the first term and got great feedback. However second term was so much more advanced I have been unable to complete a single piece and haven’t handed any assignments in. The course content itself is great but the course is a huge undertaking and I actually feel it was badly misrepresented by claiming to be suitable for complete beginnners. I had very limited experience beforehand but some students had never even picked up a tool before.

Andrew Berry on YouTube is excellent and explains things in a way that is really clear and perfect for beginners as well as those with more experience.

[quote jujuwellery]@LadyPoison Thanks again!

Where are you at with jewellery making? Is it mostly a hobby, a side-line, or have you made it your career?

Can we nosy at your creations anywhere?[/quote]
I call it a profitable hobby! The idea was to cover the costs as it's an expensive hobby but there is a limit to how much jewellery one can wear so I do sell on quite a bit. I don't like making things multiple times so most of mine is a one off.

I can't give you a link to my website as I'll get my wrist slapped by Mumsnet and there isn't much on it anyway at the moment as I'm working on commissions.

This however is on my bench at the moment. It still needs more work on the bail and I think I'll add a small garnet into the silver of the ring to lift it a bit. I have a very organic style so even if I repeat a design it always comes out differently and with the technique I'm using here it is always very different!