Eight Maids a Milking earrings

by Judy Larson

Category: Holiday Designs
Technique(s): Texturing, Butane Torch Techniques
Skill Level: Beginner

When this song was written, milk maids would use a wooden bucket when milking and to carry the milk . The wood slats of the bucket would be tightly held together with metal strapping to prevent leaking, like wooden barrels we see today. Hmmmm-metal strapping. Yup, earrings! And soooo easy, too!

Materials

24 Gauge Dead Soft Argentium Silver Sheet - 6 Inches

H19-24SM6

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1 Inch
Price: $51.80
Gold Club Price: $38.85

Add to Bag

sterling posts

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 2.00 each

Add All Items to Cart

Tools

Center Punch, 4 1/2 inches

PUN-450.00

PUN-450.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $2.95
Gold Club Price: $2.21

Add to Bag

Basic Soldering Kit

G15-4

G15-4
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $58.95
Gold Club Price: $44.21

Add to Bag

Silver Solder Paste Soft SS65- 1/4 T.O.

SOL-822.10

SOL-822.10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.95
Gold Club Price: $12.71

Add to Bag

14mm Barrel Wrap N Tap Looping Pliers for Pattern Wire, Etc.

G2-79

G2-79
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.97
Gold Club Price: $18.73

Add to Bag

Classic Wubbers Wide Flat Nose Pliers

G2-1238

G2-1238
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $27.95
Gold Club Price: $20.96

Add to Bag

Fire Brick

SOL-485.00

SOL-485.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $15.95
Gold Club Price: $11.96

Add to Bag

NATURE'S TOUCH CITRIC PICKLE, 2LB PLASTIC JAR

CLN-163.00

CLN-163.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $17.95
Gold Club Price: $13.46

Out of Stock

Pickle Pot, 16 Ounces

CLN-584.00

CLN-584.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $31.95
Gold Club Price: $23.96

Add to Bag

Add All Items to Cart

Instructions

Step 1

Template Designs

The first template, 2½" x 6", contains the designs that are to be cut out and assembled. The second template, also 2½" x 6", contains size and shape approximations for those designs requiring a backing, except for number 4, which is a charm disc that could be cut out and number 3, an alternate French Hens design. The numbers on the designs in both templates refer to the day in the song and in the tutorials.

Because any texturing will distort the metal design, it is best to texture the 24 gauge Argentium sheet metal before cutting out the design. Anneal and flatten the textured sheet before gluing the template shapes it.

Judy Larson's Eight Maids a Milking earrings - , Holiday Designs, Texturing, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, eight maids a milking earrings

Step 2

Cut the shapes out. Remove the paper from the metal. Refine the edges with files and sanding pads, avoiding the top area where the pin pad post will be attached. This will be cleaned up after soldering the pin pad post in place.

Step 3

Mark a dot at the top center of each earring on the back side using an ultra fine point retractable Sharpie. Since a 4mm diameter pin-pad is being used, the mark should only be a hair further inside the end than half the diameter of the pin pad.

Step 4

Use a center punch to make a divot impression on each mark.

Step 5

Measure the thickness of the pin pad post. Choose a bit that is the same size. A smaller bit can be used and the hole enlarged with a reamer to tightly fit the post. Centering the bit in the divot impression, drill a hole through the earring pieces.

Step 6

Place easy paste solder over and around the hole on the BACK side of the earring. Push the pin pad post through the hole, going from front to back. Remove any paste solder on the post.

Step 7

Push pin pad post into a magnesia soldering block-the right side will be facing down. Heat with a butane torch until the solder flows. Pushing the solder post into the soldering block protects the post wire from becoming too hot and losing the hard temper. It also helps that easy paste solder, which flows at a lower temperature than medium, is being used and the area to be soldered is small, requiring less heating time.

Step 8

Use files and sanding pads to file away excess pin pad and/or textured earring material on each earring. This area will be on the ear lobe so needs to have smooth, rounded edges.

Step 9

Pickle, rinse, and dry the pieces.
Use the middle step on a Large Wrap N Tap pliers to shape the earrings.

Step 10

For each earring, use a flat nose or chain nose pliers to bend the pin pad section toward the inside of the earring.

Step 11

Tumble the assemblies for several hours. Patina the pieces if desired. The earrings shown do not have patina added.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!