silverjewellerygirl
Junior Member
Enthusiastic and keen-to-learn jeweller and crafter, sharing my learning journey.
Posts: 88
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Post by silverjewellerygirl on Jun 16, 2021 6:29:28 GMT -6
Thanks, Cat! I'm the kind of person who feels that the only place to learn is in school, a course or following a book. I suspect it's all to do with my own self-confidence and the need for reassurance. I guess you need to be self-aware! I quite like following books and projects as I feel like I can see progress. Although, I recognise that you can see progress from your own creative efforts, too! So a place for everything in the world. Anyway, I completed my 1st project from the book and wrote a little bit about it - it's not really a full blown review of the book, since I've only done the 1st project. In any case, you're all welcome to look. The post went live today. Here is the link, if you're interested: silverjewellerygirl.com/making-crocheted-chain-lets-make-professional-jewelry-journal/
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Post by caeterle on Jun 16, 2021 8:19:37 GMT -6
I'm simply not patient enough to follow something like that, Sami. I'm impulsive and want to play - trial and error. I mostly don't even have the patience for a 5 minute video. That's also why I own three crafts books of which I have browsed two very quickly (one was a gift) and only used part of one. It's funny that you talk about self-confidence because I think I wouldn't be brave enough to be in such a group as yours! Like you said, though, a place for everything ... and everyone! I always dreamed of attending a real class. Then I attended a weekend silversmithing one - I liked most of the group - and I even registered for the same one some months later hoping it would go even quicker as I already knew some things now. I got sick, though, and had to call it off. Then came Corona. I also took another class in bead knitting and felt completely like an outsider in that group, so I gave it up after the second time. I would probably need a one on one class with someone I know and trust.
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Post by caeterle on Jun 16, 2021 8:22:24 GMT -6
Oh, and by the way, the chain is beautiful, great work! I'm just a little surprised because it doesn't look like a crocheted chain, but more like a kind of Viking knit. I'll check out your post later.
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Post by DawninCal on Jun 16, 2021 12:16:14 GMT -6
I think that's a great topic for the blog theme, Sami. Your chain turned out wonderfully. I'm about to hit the road (well, I'm not really going to hit it) to officially move in to our new house today - yay! After I arrive and get settled, I'll read your entire post. And, more catching up on comments for you, as well Cat. I didn't get to that the other day. As far as classes vs playing, I fall somewhere in the middle. I love to experiment, but I also feel that it's important to master certain techniques (in order to make those experiments have more chance at success), so I'm a big fan of youtube tutorials. Not as much with books, but I have a few books and I do refer to them now and then. I've never taken a live class, although I would very much like to do that some day. I signed up for one once at the local bead store, but the teacher decided to cancel at the last minute and neglected to tell anyone. We were sitting around waiting and waiting and waiting and she never did show up. I also never got my $30 registration fee back either. The entire experience kind of put me off classes for a long time, but the town we are moving to has a very active arts community and I'm hoping to find something over there that will be a good fit. Cat, this experimenting vs classes/books might be a good blog topic some day. Dawn
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silverjewellerygirl
Junior Member
Enthusiastic and keen-to-learn jeweller and crafter, sharing my learning journey.
Posts: 88
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Post by silverjewellerygirl on Jun 17, 2021 2:51:21 GMT -6
I know what you mean about patience re: watching videos. I find it ironic that I am now making YT videos of my work, because I hate watching videos! I don't have the patience and on the whole, I find I need to mute the sound and put on subtitles to make it more bearable to watch. Perhaps personal taste? Lol!
I think when I started to learn silversmithing 10 years ago, I was impatient. Maybe because I was in my 20s then! But after I'd taken a class, I just wanted to get on and try and create everything that was in my head. But when I looked at the output, I was never happy - blobs of solder everywhere, not polished well enough, scratches, badly made bezels... I should have been kinder to myself, since I'd just started out! Coming back to silversmithing, I still want to create whatever's in my head, but I feel like I've slowed down a bit and try to take time to make things a bit better. It doesn't always work! That's partly why I'm following along with the FB group - I figured it will make me learn each of the skills properly, instead of rushing through to the next thing. It also gets me to learn things, which I may not have been interested in, otherwise. For example, the chain I just made - definitely not my taste! I would not have sought out to learn how to make it, but I'm glad I did, because I can see how it can be incorporated into my designs for the "right piece".
I've taken 3 jewellery classes in my lifetime. The first one was in London at jewellery school, which sadly no longer exists in physical form (they've moved online). It was a great little class, with only 6 people if I recall. I enjoyed it and went back for another intermediate class a year or two later. I think it was the class size and the knowledgable tutor that got me back in. But I'm not one of those who makes lifelong friends from classes; even the intermediate class, which lasted 6 weeks, I don't know the names of anyone else in the class, nor did I ever speak to them. I think I was too shy to strike up a conversation, and I guess people didn't talk to me because I was too quiet! (I have a different persona online!)
Classes can be a bit hit and miss. The two that I took at the jewellery school were brilliant - professional run, to time, with good tutor support and not too big. I'm not sure if Groupon is popular in the US? It used to be popular here, but the classes you could take via Groupon were a bit hit and miss. I can't remember why, but after my first silversmithing class, I decided to take a jewellery class I saw through Groupon. It turned out to be a group of about 20 women, most on hen parties, and I couldn't hear or see a thing that the instructor was doing. Because of the sheer number of people, they wanted to do things that were easy for the masses, so I didn't think I learned anything much. I got a couple of nice bracelets to take away though!
Incidentally, I also think the crocheted chain looks more like knitting. I think an alternative name might be Viking chain, so we could be talking about the same thing!
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Post by caeterle on Jun 17, 2021 5:45:32 GMT -6
Sami, I don't know about Groupon in the US and I only know that there is Groupon here in Germany, but the site doesn't look appealing to me at all. No idea if it's popular among people here. One of my problems is that I'm not very mobile. I don't have a car, and usually classes that are interesting to me are too difficult to reach. For example, the silversmith who has taught the classes at our "House of the Family" (they developed from what used to be a school for new mothers and homemakers in the 50s, I think, and now they collaborate with our adult education center in town) keeps sending emails about classes. I think he may be a bit desperate due to Corona, they had just opened a new learning workshop when the pandemic hit. Without Corona and if he were located here in town, I'd ask for a one on one class, but unfortunately we have Corona and it would take at least 3 hours by train to get to his town and back, so that's a no.
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Post by michelle on Jun 17, 2021 10:09:09 GMT -6
Oh good on tabling the blog carnival for now. I am thinking of letting my blog go entirely. I started to promote my Etsy shop - that I don’t have at the moment. (It may be making a comeback at some point). And I only ever had one sale as a direct result of blogging. My presence on Instagram resulted in nothing. While I’ve met some lovely people blogging and will continue to read their blogs, I just don’t need to write. Besides, blogging done often and well, takes a lot of time away from my creativity.
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Post by michelle on Jun 17, 2021 10:19:30 GMT -6
Ha! I’m the same way with watching videos - impatient! And yet, I have managed to learn bits and pieces from YT videos like using square stitch to make a beaded bail. Sometimes there is just no other way to learn. I have a couple of good bead books, but sometimes I just need to see it done. I’ll come back and read your post later, Sami. I’m off to a purse making class. I dragged my mom into going to too. Not a fan of going alone either.
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