Weekend beginners silversmithing course

Looking to unleash your creative side and make some stunning jewellery pieces that you can wear with pride? Then you won't want to miss our exciting compact into one weekend 'six-week' silversmithing class! Our talented and experienced instructors will guide you through the process of making beautiful and unique silver jewellery pieces that will leave you feeling accomplished and proud.

In just 16 hours over two days , you'll learn all the basics of silversmithing, starting with piercing metal with a jewellery saw, and then moving on to texturing with hammers and the rolling mill, stamping, drilling, soldering, and much more. You'll get hands-on experience with all the techniques you need to make a sterling silver pendant, bangle, earrings, a silver ring, and even a simple round bezel set necklace.

On day 1, you will learn how to pierce metal with a jewellery saw, we will show you texturing with hammers and the rolling mill, as well as stamping while we make the start of our pendant and earrings. We will take a little lunch break and after lunch you will learn how to measure and cut your ring and bangle. Finishing up the class we will solder all of our pieces and end the day with shaping and texturing our rings and bangles.

On day 2, you will use your skills from the previous day combinig them to make a round bezel set pendant necklace and learning how to set a cabochon stone. We will finish the day with polishing techniques practicing firstly on a plain pendant and fially on our finished pieces.

Materials and refreshments provided!

Hosted in our new unit at The BIS on Whitby Street, Hartlepool. Our studio is a 2-minute walk from the train station, if you are driving, there is parking right next to the studio which is free after 6 pm.

This workshop has limited spaces meaning each person will have 1:1 time with the tutor and particular attention can be taken when using the blowtorch- this is great for those of you who might find heat work a little scary!

A bit about us:

Carley trained in Applied Art at CCAD in Hartlepool - Now the Northern School of Art. She specialised in Ceramics, Silversmithing and Textiles with a main focus in Ceramic art. After graduating in 2013 she went on to study a PGCE (14+) at the University of Bolton while living and working in Manchester. She gained most of her teaching experience working in secondary education and also through teaching classes in the field of ceramics at Muddy Fingers Pottery in Jarrow. In 2018 she began building her brand The Little Silver Kiln where her main intention was to make, sell and teach jewellery. The Little Silver Kiln opened its new studio in 2021 at The BIS on Whitby Street.

We've got some super important class info for you!

If you're joining us on an evening or weekend, please note that there won't be anyone in reception. Instead, you can find me in the foyer starting 10 minutes before the class start time, where I'll be there to greet you and get things started. And if for any reason you're running late, please send me an email at [email protected].

When it comes to getting here, please use the front entrance of the building. And for parking, you'll find spaces available at the Dover Street car park next to the building. Just make sure to check the signage for details on parking fees. And remember, there are permit zones on Whitby Street between 8am to 6pm, so be sure to read the street signs before you park.

Now, onto the fun stuff! Safety is super important to us, so please make sure to wear suitable clothing for the class. This means clothing that covers your legs and shoes that cover your feet (no sandals allowed!). And if you have long hair, don't forget to bring a hair tie. Scarves, ties, and loose clothing can be a fire hazard when working with the blow torch, so we want to make sure you're all set. Finally, please bring glasses if you need them for sight.

Please be aware that our studio is currently only accessible via stairs, there is a bathroom right next to the studio so you will only need to use the stairs at the beginning and the end of the class.

We'll be providing snacks, hot and cold drinks during the class, and we usually have vegan-friendly and gluten free snacks too. If you have any dietary requirements, just let us know beforehand and we'll do our best to accommodate you. And in case you're wondering, our studio is fully vegan-friendly, meaning we don't use any leather or rawhide tools.

Please bring lunch for the breaks! There are shops locally but most require a short drive.

Please know we need a minimum of 4 people on our sessions to run the class, please check your emails the day before incase of any cancellations!

If you have any questions please email me at [email protected] or send our Facebook page a message 😊

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