Work Experience: Learning The Ropes At Kernowcraft
Nicola joined us for a weeks work experience from local secondary school Richard Lander, in Truro, Cornwall. Nicola spent the week working with our team learning about gemstones, where they come from, their properties, matching pairs of stones for customers, designing displays and picking, packing and despatching orders. We also taught her some wire working and jewellery making techniques so she could design and create her own pieces of jewellery. Here are the results of a creative afternoon getting to grips with pliers and wire work.
Starting the design process...
Learning some wire work techniques from The Encyclopedia of Wire Jewellery Techniques.
Nicola selected her favourite coloured agate beads and some silver plated wire to create her design with.
Nicola's geometric designs inspired by one of our 'Make The Look' projects.
The necklace design coming together as Nicola gains confidence with the wire work techniques.
The finished design
Nicola created a brilliant design using geometric shapes and vibrant ocean coloured agate beads. She used a selection of pliers to create the shape - round nose pliers to form the shapes and nylon jaw pliers to neaten up shapes and straighten the wire. We showed Nicola an easy way to attach a clasp for the necklace using 2mm sterling silver crimps and magical crimping pliers - which formed the crimps into neat round beads.
Products Used
These are the main products that Nicola used to create her design...
Silver plated wire (1mm and 0.3mm)
Today was my last day with the team at Kernowcraft which I was gutted to say as my time here has been brilliant. I had a chance to make some jewellery of my own which was amazing! I really enjoyed creating and actually making my own designs and i think they were quite successful. Overall my time at Kernowcraft was AMAZING and I am so glad i had a chance to work here.
If you are attending secondary school local to Perranporth and are interested in a work experience placement at Kernowcraft get in touch by emailing us at {~96|101|93|102|55|98|92|105|101|102|110|90|105|88|93|107|37|90|102|100~}