Three Leaves Earrings

by Judy Larson

Category: Metalwork
Technique(s): Butane Torch Techniques
Skill Level: Intermediate

Do you ever find yourself on a kick making the same type of thing over and over. That seems to be me as I am gravitating all the time to leaf and flower designs right now-but mostly leaves. I even made an impression of a leaf my husband dragged in on the bottom of his shoe and I found on the kitchen floor. How one track mind do you get and with what?

Materials

24 Gauge Dead Soft Argentium Silver Sheet - 6 Inches

H19-24SM6

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1 Inch
Price: $42.72
Gold Club Price: $32.04

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rubber tree leaf skeletons

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

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Tools

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

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Basic Sawing Kit

G15-7

G15-7
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $34.95
Gold Club Price: $26.21

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Nylon Ring Bending Pliers

PLR-841.00

PLR-841.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $20.97
Gold Club Price: $15.73

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Whaley Wood Swage Block

DAP-158.00

DAP-158.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $21.95
Gold Club Price: $16.46

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Instructions

Step 1

Read through the tutorial before starting the project. Follow all safety precautions pertaining to the tools and supplies being used and the space you are working in.

Scale the template to size. Print on paper to glue to sheet metal or to use as a template to draw around on the metal.

Judy Larson's Three Leaves Earrings - , Metalwork, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, triple leaf earrings

Step 2

Adhere the printed template with six leaves to 22 or 24 gauge sheet metal. Cut leaf shapes out. Clean and refine the edges of each leaf with files and sanding pads. Hint: Using 24 gauge sheet metal will help keep the earrings lighter in weight.

Step 3

Choose Rubber Tree Leaf Skeletons that have no blemishes in the area of the leaf used for imprinting. The left leaf in the photo has a small area where some of the leaf membrane is still connected to the skeleton so that area is not usable.

Step 4

Center the tip of the leaf skeleton midrib on the metal leaf and pass through a rolling mill to impart the texture. If a rolling mill is not available, stamp the leaf midrib and veins in the metal shape using a chisel.

Step 5

If some of the impressions were not perfectly centered, don't worry. Use the most off center ones as the center leaves as they will be covered by the other two.

Step 6

Curve the top tip of each leaf towards the back using a deep bending pliers.

Step 7

Place a leaf right side up in a swage block impression that fits a half inch dowel. Make sure the curved tip of the leaf hangs over the edge of the swage block. Use a hammer on the dowel to press the leaf into a curved shape.

Step 8

Use soft jaw pliers to bend the outer edges of the upper half of each leaf towards the back of the leaf.

Step 9

Make two Closed Large Loop Earring Findings but do not make the hook curve yet. Place the Closed Large Loop Earring Findings on a Solderite board. If these have not been made or are not desired, close two 16, 18, or 20 gauge 8mm ID jump rings. Place them on the board. The jump ring seam should be positioned on the board so it will be concealed under the leaves. Put a dot of medium paste solder on the earring loop directly across from the wire wrapped section. Press the top curved portion of the leaf over the ring seam and into the paste solder. Heat until the solder flows. Allow to cool naturally.

Step 10

Place the soldered leaf/ring sections on a bench block. Using a plastic/rubber mallet, lightly flatten the leaves. This will make it easier to position the outer two leaves in place.

Step 11

Place a small amount of medium paste solder on the ring on either side of the center leaf. Position the leaves so the top tips are centered over the bottom leaf and the lower outer tips are 1-1/8" apart. Hint: Mark a toothpick with the width to make it easier to measure without thinking. Since the toothpick is short and the measurement mark is almost in the middle, color the end to be used for measuring.

Step 12

Ball two ½" pieces of 18 gauge wire. Clean solder board residue off the backs so they will more easily solder to the leaves.

Step 13

Place a dot of medium paste solder at the top of each leaf unit where the tips meet. Heat around the units until the solder flows. Allow to cool naturally. Hint: Instead of a ball, solder a flower charm on each earring for a different look.

Step 14

Pickle, rinse, and dry the earrings.

Step 15

Clean and refine needed areas using files and sanding pads.

Step 16

Slightly curve the lower tip of each leaf toward the back using a ring bending pliers.

Step 17

Tumble for several hours to bring up a shine.

Step 18

Patina the leaf components if desired. Use 0000 steel wool to remove patina from the raised areas to highlight the design. If the soft satin finish imparted by the steel wool is not desired, tumble again for 20 minutes or so to bring the shine back.

Step 19

Curve the hook portion of the Closed Large Loop Earring Findings.

Step 20

Lightly hammer the front of the earring finding curve and you are done!

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!