This workshop is open to anyone who has ever had an interest in making jewelry. We will explore making all kinds of jewelry- rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings- using the simplest and most basic tools available, such as pliers, a hammer, a nail file, and a pair of wire cutters.

Students will have the opportunity to learn some basic soldering skills which will allow them to combine wire components to create more complex pieces.

Students can expect to complete several projects of their own design.

It is time for you to try PMC as it celebrates its first decade!

This class will cover basic and advanced techniques in the use of PMC geared to the novice PMC user and metalsmith who wants to see what it is all about.

PMC is fine silver powder mixed in a non-toxic organic binder and water.

Firing in a kiln fuses the silver particles together to form a solid object which is then worked with traditional methods.

Metalsmiths and jewelers should learn how to use it as a rapid prototype material for mold making.

With nature as inspiration, we will create and enamel forms based on botanical elements such as pods, petals, leaves and flowers.

Techniques will include shell forming, die forming, fold forming and roller printing.

Enameling techniques will include basse taile, champeve and cloisonné.

You will be amazed how hammers are used to shape metal wire or bar into jewelry, flatware, utensils or sculpture.

By doing a series of forging exercises and samples, students will understand how aluminum, silver, copper, gold, bronze, niobium and other metals are formed.

We will also discuss the principals of design and finishing.

This knowledge can then be used to create a finished piece of jewelry, tool or small sculpture.

This class will cover basic and intermediate “traditional” wire skills using square and half round wire.

Personal instruction will focus on tools, technique, binding, design concepts and functionality.

Students will begin with a simple bracelet and progress to more complex projects.

This workshop will focus on the creation of hollow metal beads that are joined through cold connection processes.

That’s right, no soldering!

Through demonstrations and hands-on experience students will learn the basics of cold connections, including riveting, and then apply these techniques to make a variety of hollow beads.

Chasing is an ancient metalworking technique of moving metal that is growing in popularity today.

Considered to be too laborious and time consuming by some, others find it to be a direct and satisfying way to introduce form and texture into their designs.

This workshop will introduce a broad range of techniques from which the students may choose to work: laminations, inlays, surface embellishment, hinges, rivets, stone setting, roller embossing, hollow forming, chain making, etc.

Participants will be encouraged to create a number of technical samples rather than finished pieces.

It is important that all students are proficient in soldering.

This workshop is designed for those who would like to begin working in gold, but who may be overwhelmed by the prospect.

The first day will begin with a discussion of gold properties and several common alloys including 18k yellow, green & red, and palladium white.

Students will then have a chance to make their own alloy. Fabrication techniques will be covered in relation to how they differ from silver.

Special techniques will include welding 22k gold. Students will use techniques covered in class to fabricate a piece in gold by the end of the workshop.

Intense and informative, this is a must for anyone looking to make the transition from silver to gold.

This course will investigate and compare various ways of performing granulation.

We will cover simple torch firing

methods as well as the use of kilns and fusion furnaces.

The emphasis will be on learning the “How’s” and “Why’s” of this ancient technique and its applications for the contemporary metalsmith.

We will granulate in both silver and gold, focusing on the differences and similarities between the two metals.

Working in gold will be strictly optional.

This course will investigate the possibilities of ring construction, starting with basic construction techniques and advancing to the hollow constructed form.

We will also cover basic bezel and faceted stone setting.

Additionally, students will be encouraged to incorporate a wide variety of alternative and found materials.

Emphasis will be placed on creativity, design and presentation.

You can design and make a pin that more appropriately fits the style of your brooch than just sticking on a commercially available one.

We will talk about spring coil mechanisms (for fibulae), several hinge styles and a simple catch mechanism.

This is the often unseen, unromantic side of jewelry, but doing it right will improve your work one hundred percent.

Basic metalsmithing skills are required.

Do you lay awake at night pondering the great mysteries of our time, i.e. solder alloys, paste flux versus Prips flux (egad! even black flux!?), propane versus acetylene, pallions versus stick soldering?

Then this is the class for you. With fabrication as our focus and an emphasis on larger forms, we will use a variety of relatively simple processes and techniques to develop innovative forms and complex structures.

Along the way we will investigate surface manipulation, introduce a few experimental forming techniques, and refine our problem solving skills.

Be prepared to work hard and have fun. Basic sawing, filing and soldering skills are required, students are encouraged to work in a variety of metals.

This workshop will introduce you to all of the basic tools and techniques in contemporary jewelry.

Students will learn to saw, solder, polish and bezel set a cabochon stone.

Special emphasis will be placed on using die forms with texture hammers and roller printing for surface design.

Students should be able to make three to four pieces of jewelry during this intensive five-day class.

This workshop will give participants a basic understanding of model making and casting.

Cuttlefish bone, steam, vacuum and centrifugal casting methods will be used to make several pieces of jewelry.

Are you ready to move beyond stone setting basics?

Do you wish to enlarge your repertoire of stone setting skills?

This workshop will focus on settings for angular stones (e.g. square, rectangular, triangular, octagonal, pear, and marquise). Learn how to design and fabricate imaginative prong and modified bezel settings for both cabochon and faceted stones.

Topics covered will include: construction techniques; fabrication tips and tricks; appropriate tools and how to prepare and use them. Competent soldering and fabrication skills are required.

In this class we will be using Sterling and stone beads.

We will explore the versatility of beads and how to expand their use by introducing handmade pendants and clasps as well as altering the beads themselves using basic metalsmithing and lapidary techniques.

Purchase your workshops online!

Save time and help Peters Valley GO GREEN & Save!

Of course the printed catalogues will be in house in the beginning of January for those who do not have Internet Access, but your using the online system will help us save paper, time and money.