Earlier today on Facebook I posted this picture and asked if anyone could guess what they could be - either everyone was out enjoying the spring sunshine this afternoon or I had everyone stumped! Well, this is what the textured discs have turned into....
I am slightly obsessed with making hollow beads at the moment. One of the three projects that one of my evening classes are working on for their assessment pieces is a hollow bead pendant, and we've been exploring different ways of making hollow beads and decorating their surfaces. This is one of the most simple methods. I've used a punch to decorate the surface of discs of silver, used a doming punch to cup them, filed the rims smooth and flat and then soldered them together in pairs. One of my jobs tomorrow is to drill the holes in them.
The five smaller ones are going to be part of the bracelet I'm making with the wonderful cabochons that Mindy Macgregor sent me for our collaboration, and the larger one will be in a pendant with the largest cab - and here's a reminder of how beautiful the cabs are, just in case you'd forgotten!
Cooool!
ReplyDeleteWow, these are gorgeous. I've been making hollow beads as well, I cut a large hole in mine and filled the hollow form with felt, then stitched beads into the felt. I have to say they are a little bit addictive. I love the texture on these.
ReplyDeleteCool stuff, Jo - wish, someday I could be able to learn more about silversmithing. You whet my appetite for that.....
ReplyDeletexoxo, Michi
I was always told that you couldn't solder a hollow bead unless there was a hole to release the steam... If your drilling the holes in them after fabrication how did the steam escape?
ReplyDeleteLove Mindy's beads, can't wait to see the finished bracelet!
Thanks everyone! Michi - go for it! You'll love it!
ReplyDeleteLynne, you can solder hollow beads without holes to close them up as the hot air can still escape while the solder is flowing round the seal. However, you can’t solder again (solder a decoration on, for example) until you drill holes for the air to escape through.