Teaching tips

Students at Different Levels Questions

Pisces — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:09:25 GMT

Hi there. I've been teaching at various LBSs for a year & a half now, & have started at my area art center now. Generally, the LBS classes are for specific projects, so we make that project during those 3 hours. It's held in the bead store where they have the supplies [usually].

Now teaching sampler courses at the art center is a whole different game. I have to give or email students lists of materials & supplies for each class & be very very specific. Then I have to keep my fingers crossed that they actually went out & got all the right stuff. ACK! I still drag loads of supplies in case they didn't, which is turning into a major hassle.

OK. The most difficult thing is trying to work w/ students who come in at widely disparate levels. I even have one 16 year old home schooler as well as a board member. I've told them & reminded them to bring note paper & pencil to actually take notes! Only half are bothering to do that. Those students seem responsible & able to follow directions, then write them down & refer to them.

But the other two are becoming difficult & demanding. Either they don't pay attention or they are not understanding what I'm saying, demonstrating, & drawing on the board. I even move their hands for them. And still... I'm starting to feel very frustrated. The 16 year old does not keep up w/ the others & constantly calls for my attention, even interrupting me while I'm talking w/ the others. It feels like she's 12. Now the board member wants printed directions for each project. All this for ~$15 per hour. I don't have the time & energy to meticulously write up directions for each class/project.

So, fellow teachers, what would you do? Thanks for any & all advice in advance.

My first tutorial on wire wrapping

SuzyQJewelry — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 07:32:13 GMT

So I´ve entered the world of tutorials. I knew it was hard and a lot of work. But this hard!!?

I´ve been teaching classes in Stockholm a couple of years but that is different. For the students there I can show with my hands. But only explaining in words...

I admire every artisan making tutorials even more now :)

Want to try to make a pendant with a netted base, visit my Etsy shop: http://www.suzyqjewelry.etsy.com/

Tutorials on working with Rainbow Titanium

gagedesigns — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:50:19 GMT

Hi! I have several Free tutorials on my website on how to work with rainbow titanium. Sculpture Rainbow Titanium is intriguing, because it’s bright, colorful, sculptural, and very different from anything you've seen in the past. If you pick it up, turn it about, and examine the brilliant colors on all sides. Hold it under the light tilting yourr hand, and suddenly you will notice the subtle color changes and sparkle at every angle. If you try any of the projects, it would be really cool if you shared the results! ~ Holly

Creating with Crystalline Titanium and Metal Clay: Making Prong Settings for Items that can not be Fired in Place http://www.hollygage.com/pages/titanium_prongsettings.html

Making A Titanium Pendant: Incorporating Fine Silver Components for Setting Items that are not Heat or Kiln Safe http://www.hollygage.com/pages/titaniumandpreciousmetalclay.html

Adding Color to Titanium with a Torch http://www.hollygage.com/pages/adding_color_to_titanium_with_a_torch.html

Titanium and Leather Wire Wrapping Spiral Wrap A Rainbow of Dancing Light and Color http://www.hollygage.com/pages/kit_titaniumandwirewrap.html

Innovative Metal Clay Classes by Holly Gage

gagedesigns — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:14:07 GMT

Following is a list of innovative Silver Metal Clay classes presented by Holly Gage. They highlight some of the signature techniques she has developed. ____________________________________________________________________________ Gage’s Negative Space Caning Negative Space Caning is a high energy workshop focusing on creating filigree, chambers for enamel or polymer inlay, and patterns easily duplicated for tessellating designs by combining Metal Clay and a combustible material that disappears after firing in a kiln. This exciting new technique developed by Holly Gage is a springboard idea for looking at and working with Metal Clay in a whole new way. The class will include a presentation and handouts on the basic cane making process, what combustible materials are suitable for the process, as well as simple and advance assembly techniques. You will also be introduced to how a complex cane is designed and created. Your finished piece will be of your own design ready for polishing and a patina at the workshop or inlaid on your own. For details and/or registration: http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html ••••• Dates & Places: ••••• April 26 • Miami The Best Bead Show, FL • http://www.bestbeadshow.com July 16 - 18 • MCWC, IL • http://www.metalclayworldconference.com/ September 12 - 1 • Tucson, AZ • http://www.ffstudio.com March 2010 • France Metal Clay Retreat • http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html ___________________________________________________________________________ Making Your Own Prongs for Free-formed Rainbow Titanium Free-formed rainbow Titanium can be very intriguing. It is bright, colorful, sculptural and very different from anything people have seen in the past. Jewelry artisans pick it up, turn it about and examine the brilliant colors on all sides. They hold it under the light, tilting their hand and suddenly they notice the subtle color changes and sparkle at every angle. Then a strange look comes over them. “I love it, but how do I incorporate it into a piece of jewelry.” The answer is a cold connection. One of the methods I use to set Titanium is with hand built prongs. So come with me on an exploratory trip into incorporating Titanium into a piece of fine artisan jewelry. In the process you’ll learn how to work with any uniquely shaped item whether it is titanium, a shell, coral, irregular shaped gem or cab and so much more. The class will include a presentation and handouts on making and incorporating handmade prongs into your work, proper placement and structural consideration for the prongs, basics do’s and don’ts of prong making, as well learning how to design with shrinkage in mind. Your finished piece will be of your own unique design inspired by your individual titanium or free-formed item of choice. For details and/or registration: http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html ••••• Dates & Places: ••••• April 24 • Best Bead Show, Miami, FL • http://www.bestbeadshow.com August 8 & 9 • PA Guild of Craftsmen, York, PA • http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html September 12 - 1 • Tucson, AZ * http://www.ffstudio.com March 2010 • France Metal Clay Retreat • http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html __________________________________________________________________________ Exquisite Designs Pendant: Silver Metal Clay Repoussé, Hand-wrought texture and carved details. I will share my secrets in transforming original photos or drawings into highly detailed, low relief images looking similar in style to traditional repoussé. Students will learn to wet-work a reverse polymer mold of their image; manipulate the clay and use tools to create different hand-wrought textural effects; and to carve details for the finishing touch. The results are unique and original, beautifully echoing the hand of the artist. For details and/or registration: http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html ••••• Dates & Places: ••••• April 25 • Best Bead Show, Miami, FL • http://www.bestbeadshow.com August 8 & 9 • PA Guild of Craftsmen, York, PA • http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html March 2010 • France Metal Clay Retreat • http://www.hollygage.com/pages/classes.html

Video - How to make a hemp bracelet with beads!

malgurl — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 07:09:45 GMT

Learn making hemp bracelets with video tutorial.

http://hemp-bracelets.blogspot.com/2008/10/video-how-to-make-hemp-bracelet-with.html

Have Fun!

Uniques of Titanium and Tungsten Carbide Jewelry,
http://titanium-body-jewelry.blogspot.com
http://tungsten-carbide-jewelry.blogspot.com

Wire Looping Beads for Making Beaded Jewelry (Video)

malgurl — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:45:19 GMT

Just to share in the forum the video tutorial for jewelry making using wire looping beads.

http://the-bead-jewelry.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-make-beaded-jewelry-wire-looping.html

Have fun!

Beading Tools For Beginners

malgurl — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:42:55 GMT

Bead Jewelry

When learning how to bead you'll discover very quickly that you require more than just some thread and basic beading needles. There are hundreds of organizers and beading tools available for beading, and these tools have a direct impact on the look and style of any beading project. There are just a few basic beading tools that you need to get you started:

More information at,

http://the-bead-jewelry.blogspot.com/2008/07/beading-beginners-beading-tools.html

Tool #1: Wire Cutter

Wire cutters are an essential in bead jewelry, because you will be using various kinds of wire. You will want to get a small pair of wire cutters that can cut through things like headpins. They should be small, because the work you will be doing is small. If the wire cutters are too big, you will not be able to cut the wire close to the project.

Tool #2: Glue

Many jewelry projects require that you use glue, but you want to make sure you purchase glue that is specially designed for bead jewelry. White or craft glues will not adhere correctly, but beading glue often gets into the delicate details of a project.

Tool #3: Tweezers

As you continue beading, you will find that you are using very small, delicate beads. A pair of tweezers will help you pick up small objects that you just cannot do with your hands.

Tool #4: Scissors

You will need scissors for many beading projects, but be sure you purchase the kind that is specially created for jewelry making.

Tool #5: Round Nose Pliers

While you can find round nose pliers at any hardware store, it is often better to buy them in a craft or beading store, because these are made especially for beading. Also, you should look for round nose pliers that have a spring in the handle, because they are more comfortable and convenient for beading. The round nose pliers are used for making round or circular pieces of wire.

Tool #6: Flat Nose Pliers

Again, you can find these tools in most hardware stores, as their uses range from beading to auto repair. Yet buying them in a craft or beading store will assure that they are made for jewelry. These pliers should be soft inside the nose, and they will be the primary pair of pliers with a flat nose used in jewelry making.

As you beading expertise progresses you will need other tools like Ez-Beaders and hand tube beaders. You will also find yourself in need of organizers for your beads. Often new beaders just head out to the craft store and pick out beading tools and beads they think are that they need or are great looking. While beaders can create projects out of many combinations of tools and beads, these purchases often get not ideal for great results.

I recall that when I first started beading many years ago, there were a few tips in beading that if I had would have been very useful. One such tip is beading tools buying tips. So here, instead of let you make the same mistakes that I made, I’ve given you the six steps to getting essential beading tools that you require to start beading successfully.

Thanks,

Magnetic Therapy Bracelets for Minor Pain Areas,
http://men-magnetic-bracelets.blogspot.com

Bracelets - Tips How To Make Them

malgurl — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:38:58 GMT

Creating bracelets is fun.

If this is your hobby, then its time to make it more interesting. The bracelet making and maintaining tips follows:

More tips of bead jewelry,

http://the-bead-jewelry.blogspot.com/

1. Decide how many links you want to use in making your bracelet. Although it is easy both to add and remove the links even after you make your bracelet its better if you plan in advance. Below are given the general guidelines in making bracelets.

For children bracelets generally 10 links are sufficient · For adult bracelets you may require 14-18 links.

2. Select your charms

3. We recommend you use high quality stainless steel, as the day-to-day use does not rust it out.

4. By changing the rings you can change the style of your bracelet very easily.

5. In making a beaded bracelet, choose beads first. Beads can be of varying sizes, as it looks attractive.

6. Choose findings for your bracelet. You will need a clasp and two bead tips. The bead tips are used to secure the ends of your bracelet so that the clasp can be attached.

7. Layout the beads on a piece of clothe and then knot them.

8. Measure your wrist or ankle size so that you can customize your bracelet.

9. Always make sure you remove your bracelet while washing clothes, bathing and swimming.

Although making bracelets is very easy, the bracelets made by professionals look great and in case you want to make them yourselves beware it requires lot of raw materials and heck lot of time on your part. Making friendship bracelets can be done at home by using the tips provided here.

But in case you want to wear bracelets for show then very beautiful and charming bracelets are available. Italian charm bracelets have become very famous and for good reason. They not only look beautiful but also are very elegant.

Magnetic Therapy Bracelets for Minor Pain Areas,
http://men-magnetic-bracelets.blogspot.com

Quartz jewelry making

amethyst7 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:03:42 GMT

Hi to all,

I guess I need some direction. Let me stress- I am not yet a jewelry maker but I am very interested in it. I have a lot of small to medium and a couple of much larger pieces of milky quartz that I got recently at a tiny hole in the wall closed down mine in Maine. The mine itself is closed but the ground leading to it and the hill outside is covered with the quartz as well as smoky quartz, pink jasper and beautiful pieces of mica. I absolutely love this quartz and am looking for someone, hopefully close to me, to make a milky quartz bracelet from the pieces that I have. Any suggestions? Please be gentle, I know I am new here. Thank you very much, "tig"

Teacher Blackmail

Pisces — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:21:21 GMT

Sorry, I've just got to vent!

I start teaching a beginner Lampwork class on Monday & it is now Friday, the last business day before class. I have already ordered LW kits, glass, & metal surface protectors/gas can holders. Then the art center office manager calls me to inform me that one student is having her wisdom teeth pulled on MON & how can she make up this time? B/c if I can't do right by her, her mother is pulling her out of both classes [levels 1 & 2]!!!

The mother [student is 18] signed her up over a month ago. A wisdom teeth extraction is elective surgery, right? She could maybe have it done on, say, Tuesday, right? But NOOooooo... She's choosing to have the surgery on the first day of class that involves fire & lots of safety introduction & introductory technique, etc. A class you can't miss. CRISIS.

I offered to teach her the class at my home studio 45 minutes away on whatever day was convenient. I still haven't heard back. But I am angry. This has already happened w/ 3 other students in a newbie LW class at a LBS. One was for the first day of class & I made the same offer. But it cost me ~5 hours of my time w/ an adult ADD student who can't keep her mouth shut no matter what. She made it sound like she was actually out of town, but she wasn't in fact.

The other two students went on vacations during class #3, & the LBS owner forced me to make up that class w/ them at my studio. There was clearly a misunderstanding about students & missed classes policy. If you sign up for a 4-week course, it's up to you to get your butt there. It is not my problem if you decide to take a vacation! Nobody is paying me for the extra hours to teach you b/c you didn't show up for the actual class time. I'm making next to nothing for teaching, & then you want me to teach for FREE??? That's crazy.

So here we go again. Please tell me that my perspective is not so far out of line. How would you handle this? Now I can't stop grinding my teeth...

sher

How do you do it?

cristiamador — Sun, 25 May 2008 18:44:53 GMT

I have been offered to teach some classes in about a month to a small group, 12 people. I'm going to do two right angle weave projects. All the materials they need are beads and needle. I wanted to ask how do you do it? Specifically, do you yourself make one project when you show how to do it, or do you just show them how to do it with their materials? Or do you have other kind of visual aid?

Thanks in advance... if you have any other tips, I'd love to hear them too :)

Good Relations with Your LBS

Pisces — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:56:18 GMT

One thing I'm figuring out is that you can only run classes when you have good vibes w/ the LBS owner. That's also the main way you can get your classes to fill up. So if you don't live near the store, it's a good idea to keep in touch w/ the owner & manager by phone. But beyond that, they really need to see your smiling face & observe you buying items from them. Owners are very aware of customers/friends who drop in but DON'T BUY. Some are secretly keeping a mental tally. You defintely want that tally to be in the positive column.

Because the owner, manager, & store emplyees are there every single day & you are not, you've got to make sure that they like & understand the samples you have on display for your next classes. They're the ones chatting up the customers & making recommendations. So it's vital that you keep in touch & smooth out any wrinkles.

Anyone else have owner-teacher ideas to share?

sher

Your teaching aids please!

beadaft — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 18:35:05 GMT

To show folk how to use a crimp bead I use a piece of rope, a cookie cutter and an empty toilet roll!

My next project is to design a super large demo of a wrapped loop Does anyone else use giant bits and bobs for classes?

Hilary