Learning to use a jeweler’s saw requires a little learning curve and a lot patience. We love this shortcut approach to making custom shapes out of existing blanks with metal shears! BIG shout out to Lisa Niven Kelly of Beaducation for her scalloped necklace tutorial that inspired this design! She’s got a sight full of fabulous metal stamping ideas and products, so check it out. In this case, we’ve quickly turned circles and washers into pretty scallops. This is also a great way to save blanks with mistakes on them by cutting away the problem area and salvaging the rest. Adding some texture and pattern with a hammer and some font stamps makes quick work of creating this boutique chic metal stamped necklace. Your family and friends will be amazed when you tell them that you did it yourself! Go you!
*Materials
3 Impress Art Alkeme Stamping Blanks, Circle, 1-1/4″
2 Alkeme Stamping Blank, Washers, 1 1/4
10 10-MM Jump Rings, Silver Plated
Beadalon Lobster Clasp
Beadalon Chain Elongated Silver Plated
2 Beadalon Dapped and Spring Ear Wire Silver Plate
Ranger Vintaj Patina Retro Highway Kit
ImpressArt Basic Newsprint Uppercase Letter Metal Stamp Set
ImpressArt 2-Hole Punch Kit
Ergo-Angle Metal Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt Chasing Hammer
ImpressArt 2 by 2-Inch Steel Block
ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape
Metal Cutting Shears
Sandpaper, Coarse and Sanding Block
ImpressArt Chain Nose Pliers
Pen
Paper Towel
Step one: Use a ruler and marker to mark center point of blank. Step two: Cut blanks in half with shears. Step three: Use the round end of the chasing hammer to add texture. Step four: Use a heavy grit sandpaper to sand the sharp edges of the blanks. Alkeme is soft and easy to sand, if you use base metal you may want to use a jeweler’s metal file instead.
Step five: Stamp random patterns on surface of blanks using letters. I used a different letter on each blank, you can also opt to just use all sorts of letters on every blank. Step six: Squeeze patina on blank, wipe clean with a paper towel leaving ink in stamped areas. Step seven: Use 2-hole punch to add holes on top left and right of each blank. Earring blank open scallops also need a hole in the top of the center for earring wires. Step eight: Use pliers to connect blanks, attach chain and clasp to end of chain. For earrings, attach full scallop on bottom and open scallop on top as in photo and slide earring wires into holes you punched on top of the open scallops.
You can take this idea and make it your own with a few small changes. Try making a full collar of open or closed scallops. Use smaller blanks or a variety of sizes and shapes to change the scale. Try cutting square, rectangular or oval shapes in half. We hope you love this metal stamped necklace as much as we do, happy stamping!
Cheers,
Margot and Avalon
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