Metal Clay Rings

No metalsmithing required! Easy-to-use metal clay makes the creation of fine silver jewelry possible to a huge audience of crafters and beaders. Metal Clay Rings presents step-by-step instructions for making 18 beautifully designed, wearable rings. Irina Miech applies techniques from her popular, earlier books to ring making and shares all-new project ideas. You will be amazed by the wide repertoire of skills you can develop as the projects move from easy to challenging.

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Author: Irina Miech
Softcover; 8 1/4 x 9 1/4; 96 pages; 300 color photos; ISBN: 9780871162786

Irina Miech is an artist, teacher, and the author of a four popular Kalmbach how-to books on jewelry design for beaders. She also oversees a 6,000-square-foot retail bead supply business and classroom studio, where she teaches classes in beading, wirework, and metal clay. The metal clay certification program she designed is recognized by the PMC Guild. Her previous books are Metal Clay for Beaders, More Metal Clay for Beaders, Inventive Metal Clay, and Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders. Her jewelry designs also have been featured in Bead&Button, BeadStyle, and Art Jewelry magazines.

Introduction 5
Creating metal clay rings 6
Ring-making tools 8

Easy projects
River Stones 10
Embellish a fine-silver band

Wrapped Leaf 13
Create a ring from an imprinted leaf

Simplicity 17
Set a CZ in a simple band

Forest Jewel 21
Make a twig mold and set a CZ

Autumn Leaves 26
Embellish a band with tiny clay components

Burst of Beads 32
Add and embellish brass screen

Intermediate Projects
Bejeweled 36
Set a stone in a commercial prong setting

Moonrise 40
A burned-out pod becomes a pearl setting

Water Images 44
Learn to use wax resist

Organic Splendor 48
Set a glass cabochon in a syringe clay base

Waves 52
Creating a free-form ring using clay snakes

Shadow Box 56
Use dry construction, stamp imprinting, and enameling in this ring

Challenging projects
Elegant Solitaire 61
Create a simple setting for a lab-made gem

Whimsical Framed Gem 66
Use sheet clay to bezel-set a large CZ

Classic Bezel 70
Use fine-silver wire to bezel-set a stone cab

Suspended Gem 74
Channel-set a CZ

Spinner 79
Build a frame to support a spinning bead

Sanctuary 85
Carve dry clay and explore dry construction

Metal clay basics 91
About the author/acknowledgments 95

Metal Clay Rings presents simple instructions for making 18 beautifully designed, wearable rings. No metalsmithing required to create these designs. Metal clay has become one of the most popular mediums for creating one-of-a-kind jewelry, and this book will teach you the skills required to make rings from this versatile medium.
Author Irina Miech teaches a wide variety of ring-forming skills that allows readers to develop their skills as the projects move from easy to challenging. The book contains a helpful section on metal clay basics, specialty tools and techniques for making rings, thorough instructions, and clear photographs.
Beginners can try such projects as River Stones, Wrapped Leaf-Imprinting, and Burst of Beads. Intermediate beaders can create the Jeweled Project Setting, Moonrise, and Organic Splendor. Advanced crafters can make an Elegant Solitaire, a Whimsical Framed Gem-Bezel, and a Spinner Ring.
Metal Clay Rings encourages beaders to try metal clay and inspires metal clay artists to incorporate beads in wonderful new ways. Easy-to-use metal clay makes the creation of fine silver jewelry possible to a huge audience of crafters and beaders.
-Charlene Anderson
http://charleneanderson.typepad.com/unravelings/

Metal Clay Rings tells how to make your own metal clay rings with no metalsmithing skills needed. Metal clay begins moist and malleable and works like clay, so you can form and fire the clay to create silver rings. Beginners to users familiar with metal clay will appreciate 18 original designs and ideas for tools and supplies - and especially the clear, close-up color 'how-to' photos covering each step of the process.
-The Midwest Book Review