Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Flower Pendants Start to Finish

I am in production mode, as you can see. I am getting ready for the Boston Handmade Marketplace show in Somerville.

I thought I would take some pictures of the process of piercing. Everyone likes start to finishes, right? These are freehand flowers as you can see from the first photo, I only drew an outline for where I want the stamens, the rest was left to chance.

First I make a divot where I am going to drill. I have also drilled out a hole for the bale. The first pendant does not have the petal holes drilled yet.

Then I use the smallest drill bit I have to drill the holes out.

I thread the saw blade through the hole and start piercing out the petal.

I keep removing the blade and re-inserting it into the next petal hole and pierce out the whole flower this way.

Then I get into the petals with needle files and smooth out all the edges and then sand them until all the tool marks are out and they are nice.

I coiled up some 14gauge 1/2 round wire on a 4.5mm mandrel and cut them just like jumprings with my jumpring cutter, and then soldered them closed in the holes I drilled out earlier.


Now I only have to string them onto a chain or cord.
I think I got pretty good at making them. I can see the progress if I really study the photos of them all together. I'll definitely be making more of these.

7 comments:

Jenn O'Neil said...

Nancy - these are beeyootiful!

Remind when the thing in Somerville is again??

nancyrosetta said...

Jenn, there is a link in this post to the website for the show. Please check it out, it is my etsy team.
The show is on June 28th!!

BurkoDesign said...

These are SO LOVELY Nancy! I can't wait to see them in person!

Janice said...

Nancy - these are SUPER pretty!! I love them - great piercing!

Jenn O'Neil said...

Thanks for the link Nancy! I went to the frame shop and bought two pair of the "9" earrings - are you bringing any of the drop kind to the shop maybe after the show? I wish I could make it into Cambridge that day but I'll be at a three day conference. Bummer! Love love love the Saturn earrings on ETSY

Anonymous said...

OOOOOO Nancy, these are over the top way cool!!! I love them! I can see the progression too, good job!!
HUGS, Nita

nancyrosetta said...

Thanks so much Jess, Janice, Jenn and Nita! I love these, too!!

I made a few more tonight, but experienced some problems as I broke about a zillion saw blades. I don't know why I can make 8 without breaking a single blade and then make one and break four saw blades. A mystery.

Jenn, you have to call in sick to your conference, you will have much more fun at the Boston Handmade Marketplace!