Jewellery – making a chain necklace with Laila Smith

Jewellery

Ref: SWE31641

Location: West Dean
£336
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About this course

Design and make your own unique silver chain necklace and explore a variety of links, attachments and shapes whilst learning about repeating elements and movement.

Course Description

A wonderful course to explore modern chain making ideas in depth and create a truly one-off necklace.

You will begin by looking at a number of handmade chain examples, which the merits of will be discussed, focusing on the movement, form and design of the individual links and the pieces as a whole. Tutor demonstrations will cover jump ring making, forging, riveting, wire work, piercing and soldering.

You will be encouraged to sample a number of ideas and explore repetitive links and forms before settling on a design to work on. The aim is to improve your ability to produce repetitions of elements, to try new techniques, all whilst producing a number of samples.

You will leave with a unique necklace, incorporating statement links if desired.

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Course Materials

Included

  • The College will supply some of the materials, including silver wires and copper or brass sheet.

What students need to bring

  • Any silver wire, silver, copper or brass sheet, saw blades and solder you may already have

Available to buy

  • Available from shop:
  • Silver can be purchased from the College Shop, which stocks a range of sheet, wire, rod, tube and findings. These will be available in set sizes and lengths, suitable for a wide range of projects.
  • Copper and brass sheet
  • Solder
  • Piercing saw blades

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes). Hair tie, if your hair is long.

Tutors

Laila Smith

Laila Smith is a studio jeweller and tutor. Her mathematically inspired geometric jewellery is sold across the UK. She trained at Manchester Metropolitan University and then undertook a 15 month Fellowship in The Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham. She has 17 years teaching experience, both in further, higher education and leisure classes.

Accommodation

Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.

Courses of interest

Interested in a career in metalwork?

Our Foundation Degree in Metalwork will enhance your employment prospects, give you the skills to set up as a self-employed craftsperson or allow you to continue to higher education. Encompassing both silversmithing and blacksmithing, you will learn practical skills, material properties, placing your work in a broader context and historic metalworking techniques. Find out more