Bead Table Wednesday - A completed chain.

Hello friends,

As you know I have been working on an S- link chain for the last couple of weeks. I am pretty slow at this jewellery making business... good thing I do not rely on it for a living!

However I finally finished it this week and I do have to say..I am totally thrilled with it.

I learnt a lot during the process. The repetition of making the same links was indeed a good teacher....
Usually I battle against this kind of repetition.... thinking it a little too "production line" for my taste... however the familiarity with each new link allowed me to refine and understand it just that little more.... to reduce the amount of solder.... to make sure the torch was not too close to the silver... to be aware of that little flash of solder and pull the torch away quickly, etc!

My daughter loves the chain...it looked lovely on her when she wore it to work yesterday...it is busy in design but because of all the spaces..it looks  gentle and delicate.

The clasp (far right) is the same as the links.. but just not soldered on one side.

Completed chain on my model, "Collette" ( I finally named her!)

I am linking up to Bead Table Wednesday, a Flickr group hosted by Heather from Humblebeads.

So tell me...what is on YOUR bead table today?

Have a great day,

Bead Table Wednesday - Chains!

Hello dear friends,

As some of you may know, I have been making chains lately. I started off making an oval copper chain for practice and financial consideration... copper is a mere fraction of the cost of sterling silver as I am sure you know.

However, I decided to "bite the bullet"and make something from sterling silver wire.

The first silver chain I made is a simple Trace Chain made with 16gauge (1.2mm) round wire. I am not entirely happy with it as I found some of the shaping a little difficult... some of the links are not as parallel as I would like... but it is a first for me and I guess I should not be so hard on myself!

It is soldered, filed and sanded and now awaits polishing. ( "honey, where is that tumbler!!")

I have now started on a second chain and decided to go with a Figure-Eight loop chain. This is a simple shape found in most wire books. The difference in making this particular figure eight loop, is that the wire end is first filed into the shape below, so that when you make the first small end loop, the wire sits neatly in the groove you have filed away and when you consequently solder that end loop, it makes for a neater finish.

This is how the filed wire ends look after filing that tiny groove. That did take a little practice to get right.

Here are my first soldered figure eight loops...( also made with 16 gauge (1.25mm round wire) Three passes of soldering was done on each link... the end loops and two in the centre. These figure eight loops will eventually have a small circular ring soldered to each end as well...  only10 more Figure eight links to make, 27 small rings plus 12 connector rings and clasp... well I have made a start!

This is the look of the finished chain. ( This picture is taken from the book below)

This is the book I have been learning from... "Making Silver Chains" by  Glen F. Waszek.

I must say I am enjoying the process of chain making so far which is quite a surprise to me. It is repetitious... it is a little "production line"... but I find I get in my little green shed, turn on the music and time just disappears. It has taken me my whole life... but I think I have finally developed patience!

Today I am linking up to Bead Table Wednesday... a  Flickr group started by our host Heather from Humblebeads. Head on over for a look.. it is always inspirational!

Until next time,

Cheers,