- I am a complete
beginner - will the course be suitable for me?
- YES! - all
of our courses are suitable for total beginners as well as the more experienced!!!.
As we only take such a small number of people on each course we can give
you all maximum attention which means that we can cater for a lovely mix
of abilities on each course - allowing for a great buzz of ideas and inspiration!
- I have never
done anything creative before - how will I know what to do?
- We are here
to guide you from the initial design to the finished piece and we have lots
of inspirational books and magazines to give you fabulous ideas!
- What do you
cover in the courses?
- The courses
are designed to be flexible - we do not tell you what you have to make!
(but we can if you like....!) As we only take a maximum of seven people
(and there is normally two of us teaching.) on each course it means we can
give everyone maximum attention - which in turn means that we can gear the
course around what you would like to learn! Everyone can work on their own
projects at their own pace. Normally for beginners we suggest starting with
a simple silver band ring or bracelet which will familiarise you with the
metal, tools and through which you will learn all the basic jewellery making
skills. Once you have gained confidence you will be buzzing and bursting
with inspiration to try different techniques!!. If you have jewellery making
experience already you can concentrate on particular techniques or tackle
a more advanced piece - we are here to help you learn what you need to know.
You can experiment with techniques such as fusing, reticulation, casting,
patination, texturing, stone setting..................
- Are materials
included in the cost of the course?
- Materials are
not included in the cost of the course and are charged by weight. So you
only pay for the materials you use. As a rough guide a simple silver band
ring would cost approx £3 or £4.
- Will I learn
enough on a 2 or 3 day course to be able to practice at home?
- Yes, after
a 2 or 3 day course you should definitely be confident enough to be able
to practice the basic jewellery making skills at home.
- Do you have
semi precious stones available for sale on the courses?
- Yes, we have
a selection of semi precious cabochons, faceted stones and beads for sale
but if there is anything you particularly like just let us know in advance!!
- What materials
can I work in during the course?
- We keep a large
quantity of silver and a small amount of 9ct gold in stock. If you have
a design in mind and know you would like to work in gold (any carat or colour)
just let us know in advance and we will make sure we have it in for you!
You can also work in copper or brass or titanium.
- I have never
worked with metal before - can I work in gold on my course?
- Well yes you
can - but if you are a total beginner we do advise you make something in
silver first in order to familiarsie yourself with the metal, tools and
techniques. It is totally up to you but we think you'll have a much less
stressful weekend if you practice in silver or copper first!!!!!
- Can you advise
me on which tools I would need to make jewellery at home?
- Yes we can
advise you on which are the best tools to get you started.
- Can you tell
me where I can buy jewellery tools?
- Yes you can
buy tools from Flux'n'Flame
- Will I complete
a piece of jewellery on the course to take home?
- Oh YES!!!!
- Do you do enameling?
- Unfortunately,
at the moment we cannot offer enamelling..... but watch this space!!
- Do you have
accommodation locally?
- Yes, just ask
and we'll send you a list of local B&B's and hotels.
- Can I pay for
my course or my materials by debit or credit card?
- We can only
accept cash or cheque at the moment.