About

You need only your fingers and a single small knitting needle to construct a Freehand Knit chain bracelet in delicate gauge fine (pure) silver wire.

You will also learn to make sterling silver earrings in two linked chain patterns: Turkish Maille chain and Ribbon chain.  Turkish Maille chain is striking, with a knotted and entwined finished look.  Ribbon chain is a sleek and flexible design. Pre-cut sterling rings are provided, and simple clasps and ear wires to finish the bracelet and earrings are covered, so students leave with jewelry to wear themselves or to grace a lucky gift recipient!

Because such a short list of simple hand tools is required to make a very diverse selection of patterns, chain making is an ideal, and relatively portable, activity to continue enjoying long beyond the close of the class. Students are encouraged to bring favorite beads to incorporate into their work. No torch work is required for this class.

Details:

• This is a beginning level class.  
• Moderate patience and hand-eye coordination required.
• $70 materials fee is included in tuition.
• Please bring a bag lunch. BARN has a refrigerator to store your lunch, located on the lower level.

Instructor: Julia Lowther Growing up in Monteverde, Costa Rica, my hands were always busy with embroidery, crochet, weaving, and other fiber arts. I moved to Seattle in 1996, discovered metal, and quickly gravitated to chains -- an appealing transformation of stiff, unruly wire into flexible structures of satisfying weight. The manual dexterity gained from decades of needlework translated neatly to working at a jewelry scale. I believe the craft arts have immense value. They are the best and finest expressions of the alliance between our big brains and our opposable thumbs. Fine craft is living art, coming down off the walls, taking to the streets, making every day artful and special, and inviting people to join the community and become makers themselves. 

Contact: Jewelry.Programming@BainbridgeBARN.org