About This Event

Make your own sterling silver earrings in this beginner silversmithing workshop. Learn to saw, texture, solder, file and polish your designs Make Your Own Sterling Silver Earrings Spend a few creative hours at The Little Silver Kiln in Hartlepool learning the traditional techniques of silversmithing while making your own pair of sterling silver earrings. This friendly, hands-on jewellery making workshop is designed for beginners, so you don't need any previous experience. We'll guide you through each stage, from preparing and shaping your metal to soldering and finishing, while you create a pair of earrings that you can take home and wear. You'll have the choice of making either a pair of sterling silver studs or drop earrings, giving you the opportunity to create something that suits your own style. What You'll Learn During the workshop, you'll be introduced to some of the fundamental techniques used in silver jewellery making, including: Measuring and marking silver Cutting silver with a jeweller's saw Creating texture Shaping and forming metal Preparing and cleaning metal for soldering Soldering with a jeweller's blowtorch Filing and refining your jewellery Polishing and finishing sterling silver We'll start by practising some of the techniques using copper before moving on to sterling silver. This gives you the chance to get comfortable with the tools and processes before working on your finished earrings. And don't worry if the blowtorch looks a little intimidating! We'll show you how to use it safely and give you plenty of individual guidance throughout the workshop. Create Earrings You'll Actually Want to Wear Rather than following a complicated project that has to look exactly like everyone else's, you'll have the opportunity to make your earrings your own. Choose between: Sterling silver studs – a simple, wearable design that's perfect for everyday jewellery. Sterling silver drop earrings – create a little more movement and make a pair that's perfect for dressing up. You'll leave with your finished pair of earrings and the satisfaction of knowing that you made them yourself. Small Classes & Plenty of Support We keep our jewellery making workshops small so that everyone gets plenty of time with the tutor. You'll have opportunities for one-to-one guidance throughout the class, particularly when learning new techniques or using the blowtorch. There's no need to worry about being inexperienced — we'll work at a pace that allows you to enjoy the process and ask as many questions as you need. Our workshops are deliberately relaxed and friendly. You can come on your own, bring a friend or book as a group. Everything You Need Is Included Your workshop includes: Sterling silver for your earrings Copper for practising techniques Use of all jewellery-making tools and equipment Tuition and individual guidance Tea, coffee and soft drinks A snack during the workshop You don't need to own any jewellery-making equipment or have tried silversmithing before. About The Little Silver Kiln The Little Silver Kiln is an independent jewellery studio based at The BIS on Whitby Street in Hartlepool. Our workshops are about more than simply following instructions and making a piece of jewellery. We want you to understand how things are made, learn techniques you can use again and leave feeling confident enough to try something new. Your tutor, Carley, studied Applied Art at Cleveland College of Art & Design (now the Northern School of Art), specialising in ceramics, silversmithing and textiles. She later completed a PGCE at the University of Bolton and has many years of teaching experience. The Little Silver Kiln began in 2018 with a focus on making, selling and teaching jewellery, and our studio at The BIS has been welcoming students since 2021. Find Us in Hartlepool Our studio is located inside The BIS on Whitby Street, Hartlepool, just a two-minute walk from Hartlepool train station. If you're travelling by car, the Dover Street car park is next to the building. Please check the signs for current parking restrictions and charges. There are also permit restrictions on Whitby Street between 8am and 6pm, so please check the signage before parking. The building has large white signs on the front, so you shouldn't have any trouble spotting us. Who Can Take Part? This workshop is suitable for complete beginners and no previous jewellery-making or metalworking experience is needed. Age: 18+ Ages 14–17: Welcome when accompanied by a paying and participating adult. If you normally use glasses for close-up work, please remember to bring them with you. What Should I Wear? Because we'll be working with a jeweller's blowtorch, please wear suitable clothing: Closed-toe shoes — no sandals Clothing that covers your legs Long hair tied back Avoid scarves, ties and loose clothing Loose clothing and accessories can be a fire hazard when working with heat, so please dress with this in mind. Refreshments We'll provide tea, coffee, soft dri

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