Photograph by Cat Lane

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Tuesdays
9.30am–12pm

Term 1
14, 21, 28 September; 5, 12 and 19 October 2021

Term 2
2, 9, 16, 23, 30 November, 7 December 2021

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£160

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Spaces
We are booking up to 8 people on this course, on the understanding that from 21 June all social distancing measures will be relaxed. If this is not the case, we will ask the last 4 people who joined to transfer onto the next available course. 

Safety
We are committed to working with our artists and communities in continuing to provide opportunities for creativity during these challenging times. Together, we have been working throughout lockdown in reconfiguring our courses to ensure the safety of all concerned without compromising on quality. Find out more about our new safety measures.

Gift vouchers available

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Please read our Covid-19 Booking Terms and Conditions below carefully before booking.

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Who is this class suitable for?
Ages 16+
Suitable for any level of experience.

What will be covered in the class?
Over the six week course, artist tutor Beccy Gillatt will gently guide you through traditional jewellery making techniques and designing methods to enable you to develop your own creations and craft them in silver and gemstones.

Students will leave the course with at least 3 finished pieces of silver jewellery designed and crafted by hand.

Over the course, you will focus on the following skills and techniques:

Week 1

• Keum Boo – Adding gold to fine silver to create earrings or pendants.
  
• Create designs from visual research to develop ideas for your project
  
• Add gold foil to fine silver using heat and pressure
  
• Use a rolling mill and textures to create interesting surfaces on the gold and silver mixed metal
  
• Demonstrate safe use of saw piercing and blades to cut out shapes
  
• Use jewellery tools to finish work including wet and dry papers and polishing compounds
  
• Craft findings for items made
  

Week 2 to 4

• Faceted or cabochon prong set pendant or ring.
  
• Choose a suitable stone for your project
  
• Use simple design techniques to design a pendant or ring with prong setting
  
• Select appropriate materials for your project
  
• Construct a setting for your stone chosen using traditional soldering techniques
  
• Set your stone using a selection of setting tools to secure stone
  
• Finish piece using wet and dry papers as well as polishing compounds
  

Week 5 to 6

• The project will be decided within the group

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What will I need to bring? Tools and equipment are included in the course fee.

Materials will be available to purchase from the tutor during the course but if you would like to bring your own materials this information will be sent to you weekly and will depend on your design and choice of stones. Materials will range from £30 to £50 depending on your designs and stones of choice.

For the first session please feel free to bring the following (also available to purchase from the tutor on the day):

1. fine silver sheet 0.8mm thick (size approx 3cm x 3cm but depends on your design)
   
2. fine gold Keum-Boo foil (small pieces available to purchase from the tutor)
   
3. 0.8mm sterling silver round wire - 20cm (if you would like to make ear hooks)
   
4. 1mm sterling silver round wire - 5cm or more (to make jump rings)

Location
Jewellery Studio, The jewellery studio is situated at the top of a flight of stairs. Tools are all light and accessible. Work benches are not currently height adjustable.

Tutor 
Beccy Gillatt is a Buckinghamshire-based silversmith who has been teaching adults for over 15 years. With a MA from the Royal College of Art in goldsmithing, silversmithing, metalwork and jewellery, Beccy has gone on to show her work in galleries and fairs all over the world, including the Goldsmiths fair and Collect. She was also awarded the Goldsmiths Company Future of Design Award for Silversmithing (2001) and Goldsmiths Company Young Designer.