Weekend Workshops
January 2025
-- Sign up 1 week in advance to avoid cancellation --
Basic 101 - Jewelry Foundations
Sat-Sun 1/4-5 10:00 - 4:00
(Raychel Wengenroth)
Start here if you want a clear, concise and in-depth knowledge of basic jewelry making techniques. Learn how to use hand tools to cut, texture and file and machines to drill, sand and polish. There will be a number of demonstrations with hands-on bench-time to cement the knowledge. The wide range of topics covered will give you a solid foundation to set you out on your educational path with confidence. Learn how to recognize quality craftsmanship in the pieces you currently own or want to buy. The skills acquired in jewelry making come in handy on many levels, even fixing and altering things!
The project will introduce beginners to multiple techniques including sawing, drilling, texturing, filing, sanding, finishing and possibly riveting. A simple sterling ring kicks off the session with a bang!
Skill Level: Absolutely No Experience Necessary
Tuition: $250
Lab Fee: $15
Materials: $20
Intro to Lampwork Glass Bead Making
Sat 1/11 10:00 - 4:00
(Stephanie Maddalena)
Create unique, individualized glass beads to incorporate into your jewelry pieces. Lampwork glass beads are made with melted glass and shaped to fabricate beautiful one of a kind beads. In this workshop students will learn the basics of lampworking, making beads decorated with flower designs, silver foil, copper leaf and layers of glass designs.
Skill Level: No Experience Necessary
Tuition: 140.
Lab Fee: 35.
Materials: Included
Beginning Loop-in-Loop Chain Making
Sat 1/18 10:00 - 4:00
(Raychel Wengenroth)
Byzantine style Etruscan chains date back to antiquity and are still made by hand to this day. Students will learn the basics of taking fine silver wire and wrapping it around a dowel to make a coil, cutting it into individual links that are fused closed using a torch, shaping and then assembling a variety of different chains. We will focus on learning the various “stitches” allowing students to continue their studies at home. This technique requires very minimal equipment and the results are professional quality chains that impress everyone and are truly a labor of love. Caution: Extremely addictive!
Skill level: No experience necessary, Good eyesight is!
Tuition: $125
Lab Fee: $10
Materials: Students may purchase their own 20’ Fine Silver Wire - 20 gauge, (approximately $50 depending on the market price) *Also available to purchase in class in class*
Wax Carving Basics - Commitment Rings
Sat 1/25 10:00 - 4:00
(Raychel Wengenroth)
Wedding Bands signify a never ending circle of love, making casting one of the best methods to execute these rings, plus the technique is accessible to nearly everyone. Learn how to carve, file, melt and manipulate wax to create your own design that will be cast into the metal of your choice (gold of any karat, silver, platinum etc.). The methods of centrifugal and vacuum casting will be discussed, however we will not be doing the actual pouring in class. A list of casters will be provided allowing students to send waxes out at their leisure. This workshop will give you the technical knowledge and resources to be intimately involved in the creation of your never ending symbol of love.
Skill Level: No experience necessary.
Tuition: $125
Lab Fee: $10
Materials: $15
