| Repeating Our Labor Day Hours and Other Miscellany |
· Knits & Pearls will be closed both SUNDAY, September 5th, and MONDAY, September 6th for Labor Day. Our normal (non-holiday) hours are M-Th 10-7, F & Sat 10- 5, and Sun 12-4.
· We now carry a selection of Delica seed beads. These are cylindrical seed beads used in off-loom beadwork designs, and are a great option for bead embroidery on felted projects.
· If you're planning your fall and winter knitting projects, we have the Fall and Winter yarns out and are getting more every week.
· We will be having a glass beadmaking/lampworking demonstration at 1:00 on Saturday, September 18th. If you've seen the beautiful lampwork glass focal beads
we have on display in the front of the store or the colorful glass Trollbeads, Julie will show you how they're made with glass rods and a torch.
· Beginning September 19, we will be offering regular Beading Clinics Sundays from 1-3pm for $5. If you have broken jewelry that you need help fixing or aren't sure about the next step on a project, come by and Julie will be happy to help you. If help isn't enough, for an additional fee, Julie can finish the project for you. Julie has worked as a professional jewelry artist in a wide range of media and techniques for over five years and has over 20 years of jewelry-making and repair experience. One of her designs was recently published in the WORD feature of the June/July 2010 issue of Beadwork magazine.
· Finally, whenever we aren't holding a class or event, you can come and work at our work table and use our jewelry-making pliers. Just call ahead to make sure the space is available. This is a great option if you're relatively new to beading and want to work on projects but haven't yet invested in your own tools, or are working on a project and want to make sure all the supplies you might need are right there.
| Jewelry Class Schedule |
Jewelry Class Schedule
Since the Holidays are just around the corner, look for the Great Gifts Alert (!). Our criteria for adding this label is that:
- The project is easy enough for a beginner
- Is inexpensive to make
- Can be easily personalized for any recipient, and even if you give the same thing to several people they won’t feel like they’re all getting the same thing.
September/October Calendar
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| Sept 12 | Sept 13 | Sept 14 | Sept 15 | Sept 16 | Sept 17 | Sept 18 Jewelry Making Basics Lampworking Demo Earrings (!) |
| Sept 19 | Sept 20 | Sept 21 | Sept 22 Slide Knot Necklaces (!) |
Sept 23 | Sept 24 | Sept 25 |
| Sept 26 | Sept 27 | Sept 28 Wire Rings |
Sept 29 | Sept 30 Wire and Ribbon Necklaces |
Oct 1 | Oct 2 Micro Torch Soldering |
| Oct 3 | Oct 4 | Oct 5 | Oct 6 Byzantine Weave Bracelet |
Oct 7 | Oct 8 | Oct 9 |
| Oct 10 | Oct 11 | Oct 12 | Oct 13 | Oct 14 Jewelry Making Basics |
Oct 15 | Oct 16 Lampworking |
| Oct 17 | Oct 18 | Oct 19 | Oct 20 Viking Knit |
Oct 21 | Oct 22 | Oct 23 |
| Oct 24 | Oct 25 | Oct 26 Embellished Peyote Rings (!) |
Oct 27 | Oct 28 Multimedia Accessories (!) |
Oct 29 | Oct 30 Beaded Christmas Ornament (!) |
Please call ahead to register for classes. In most cases payment needs to be received in advance of the class to reserve your seat. We will cancel classes that have less than two people registered on the day of the class; if you are in a class where this is the case, we will call the number you provide when you register to let you know.
Jewelry and beading classes are taught by a talented local artist, Julie Schmidt Bowen. She is primarily known as a Lampwork glass bead artist and metalsmith, but regularly works with and has taught a wide variety of jewelry-making techniques and media.
To help you select classes, we’ve added information about the level of the class. The progression of difficulty ratings, from easiest to hardest, is: Beginner, Intermediate Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, & Advanced.
- Beginner classes, open to everyone, will be mindful of those with zero experience and will take the time to explain the basics of tools & materials along with the techniques.
- Intermediate Beginner teaches you new ways to use basic tools and techniques. It will assume you understand the functions of the basic tools such as round-nose pliers, chain-nose pliers, flat nose pliers, wire cutters, crimping pliers and can carry out basic techniques without assistance - like opening and closing jump rings, crimping a crimp tube, applying a crimp cover, making an eye-pin, and loop-and-wrap.
- Intermediate classes builds further upon your basic knowledge and skills.
- Advanced Intermediate classes will often use techniques learned in Intermediate classes and build upon them.
- Similarly, the Advanced classes will either use multiple Intermediate techniques or build upon Advanced Intermediate techniques.
| Jewelry Making Basics | |||
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If you've ever wondered how to put together a simple necklace and bracelet, are confused about what beads to use for a project, or don't know the difference between flat-nose and chain-nose pliers, this class is for you. A great class for beginners, you'll learn how to use basic findings and tools along with general design guidelines. You'll also wow everyone with the beautiful jewelry you make! | ||
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Difficulty: Beginner (stringing) |
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| Lampworking Demo | |||
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Come see how Julie makes the glass focal beads and Trollbeads-compatible beads that we carry in the store. | ||
| FREE! Saturday, September 18th, 2010 1:00pm |
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| Earrings | |||
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Great Gifts Alert! Even if you don’t usually wear earrings, this is a must-take class to learn and practice the very important loop-and-wrap/wrapped loop technique. Four of the five kinds of earrings we’ll make use this technique, and the fifth shows you how to bend a short length of wire to make your own stone stud earrings. This class works as a prerequisite for Intermediate Beginner wireworking classes. |
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| Difficulty: Beginner (wireworking) PRICE: $10 Date and Time: Saturday, September 18th, 2010 2:30 - 4:30pm |
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| Slide Knot Necklaces | |||
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Great Gifts Alert! We've been selling tons of these necklaces in the store and wanted to show you this simple but very functional technique for making a resizable necklace out of your favorite pendant. You'll also learn or review the loop-and-wrap technique for the complementary charms at the bottom of the pendant. |
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| Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Wednesday, September 22th, 2010 6-8pm |
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| Wire Rings | |||
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Out of all the classes Julie has taught this one has been the most popular. You’ll learn how to create four wire rings (three sized and one adjustable)
with basic wireworking techniques. You’ll practice wrapping and learn how to make spirals. NOTE: We’ll be using 18 gauge wire to make the rings durable, but since it is a thicker wire than headpins you’ll want to be comfortable using thinner wire before jumping in. |
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| Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 6-8pm |
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| Wire and Ribbon Necklaces | |||
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You'll get a lot of value for your dollar in this class because we're not making one necklace, but two. You'll learn two unique uses for ribbon, using
simple wire techniques to add texture and interest. NOTE: We’ll be using 16 gauge wire in this class. Since it is a thick wire you’ll want to be comfortable using thinner wire before jumping in. |
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Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Thursday, September 30th, 2010 6-8pm |
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| Beginning Micro-Torch Soldering | |||
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In this class you'll learn about the safety and science behind soldering, the difference between torch and iron soldering, and then use a micro torch to solder 1/2" rings. After we solder our individual rings, you'll learn how to shape and connect them to create a beautiful loop-in-loop bracelet. You will want some previous experience shaping wire and closing jump rings before taking this class. The kit for this class will cost around $100, but it will contain all of the tools you will need to solder sterling silver, copper, brass, or fine silver at home. Take a look at our gallery page and search for “soldering” to get an idea of the kinds of projects soldering allows you to do. If you have questions about kit cost or contents, please e-mail Julie. | ||
| Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $20 Date and Time: Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 1-4pm |
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| Byzantine Weave Bracelet | |||
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If you're interested in chain maille I think this weave is a great place to start. It looks complex and intricate, but because it's repetitive you can
master it by the time you leave class. What is also cool about this project is that it is a unisex design that jewelry-wearing men love! We'll be making this bracelet with pre-made jump rings – a lot of them – so make sure you are comfortable opening and closing jump rings before taking this class. |
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| Difficulty: Intermediate Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 6-8pm |
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| Lampworking | |||
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In the morning you'll learn about lampworking safety, basic properties of glass, how to pull stringers, and how to make a simple round bead with a Hot
Head torch. In the afternoon you'll learn how to use stringers to decorate beads, how to make two-color twisty stringers, and how to make different shapes of beads. Please note that lampworking kits will cost around $120, but will contain everything you will need to make lampwork glass beads at home. If you have questions about kit cost or contents, please e-mail julie@autochthonous-evolved.com. |
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Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $30 Date and Time: Saturday, October 16th, 2010 10:30am - 12:30pm and 1:30 - 4:30pm |
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| Viking Knit | |||
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Viking knit is an easy, inexpensive, and portable technique that produces very beautiful woven metal chains. Join us for this class and learn how to make your own bracelet. Need more motivation? We'll show you how make a chain the right diameter to display Trollbeads or other large-hole beads. | ||
| Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Wednesday, October 20th, 2010 6-8pm |
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| Embellished Peyote Rings | |||
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Great Gifts Alert! Beadwork is a great pastime because of its portability and low cost, and the Peyote stitch is arguably beadwork's most famous technique. These rings are a perfect introductory beading project. They don't take long to make, and you'll also learn how to embellish them, making your ring(s) unique and personal! NOTE: you will need to be able to thread a fine needle and work with small beads, so if you have or need readers or a magnifier, please bring them along. |
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| Difficulty: Beginner PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 6-8pm |
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| Multimedia Accessories | |||
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Great Gifts Alert! We all use multimedia: books, phones, and we want to be able to take them all on the go. In this class you’ll learn how to use basic tools to do the basic techniques for creating fun and useful gifts like beaded bookmarks, phone charms, and purse charms/ keychains. |
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| Difficulty: Beginner (wireworking) PRICE: $10 Date and Time: Thursday, October 28th, 2010 6-8pm |
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| Beaded Christmas Ornament | |||
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Great Gifts Alert! Creating a beautiful Christmas tree on a budget can be challenging, even when you only add a couple special ornaments each year. We wanted to give you an idea for a special handmade ornament for your tree. In this class you’ll learn how to create beaded netting to decorate simple, inexpensive round ornaments. With several different netting types and limitless ways to embellish the netting, you’ll learn the tools to create cherished heirlooms. |
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| Difficulty: Beginner (beading) PRICE: $15 Date and Time: Sunday, October 30th, 2010 1-3pm |
| Free Fringed Focal Tutorial |
As a thank you for your patronage, we wanted to offer you a free design tutorial on this simple but lovely necklace. We think that even the newest beginner will find success with this project and that experienced beaders will learn some new tips.
Tutorial and images © 2010 Julie Schmidt Bowen
Click on the image to download the tutorial.
To read this tutorial you need Adobe Reader, which you can download for free.
