Fabulous Fibulas

Fabulous Fibulas $70

Sharilyn Miller

This is a project workshop (all students will complete at least one brooch, and some will make more).

Students will learn how to measure, cut and shape wire safely, hammer it, polish it, and form it into a variety of different fibula pins; this includes learning how to make a sharp pointed pin, a spring hinge and a catch; in addition, they will learn how to wrap wire with coils and use beads and charms to design a unique brooch. Time permitting, students will have the option of artificially aging their jewelry in a liver-of-sulfur solution.

Supply List:

Measuring tape
Small steel bench block
Plastic or rawhide mallet
Notebook & pencil or pen
Chasing hammer with a convex head
Flush cutters suitable for cutting up to 16-gauge wire
Jewelry pliers: round-nose, extra-long round-nose, chain-nose, and flat-nose
Beads in various sizes and shapes with holes large enough to accommodate 16-gauge wire
Wire: Approximately one foot of 16-gauge sterling-silver ROUND wire to make one fibula brooch; I suggest that you also bring a few feet of extra wire in various gauges for additional wire-wrapping experiments. For instance, to make the double-coil wrap, bring six feet of 24-gauge, two feet of 22-gauge, and 9˝ of 18-gauge sterling-silver round wire. Also bring some extra wire in copper and brass in gauges lighter than 16 (18, 20, 22, etc.) for wire-wrapping purposes and to make small dangly charms. NOTE: Order dead-soft wire, as it’s the most malleable.

Optional supplies:

Sunshine polishing cloth
suede leather piece or fabric placemat to work on

Please email Sharilynn at sharilynmiller@cox.net with any questions. Website: www.sharilynmiller.com

Fabulous Fibulas $70 Sharilyn Miller

Fabulous Fibulas $70

Sharilyn Miller