![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1VlhIZSBLFkpQoFSQqrYNfpjO395ZA509jliRKpJ5zU9qr5iCDU3GgbfqNu_yBxjcM_oQXH3-7aYz97VAnrok87FivPp0A4UAaT_G3r9R9DO38Z7_P6IwtB72MWxQA02AEBCGmSQzVY/s200/Metalsmith+cover.jpg) |
Photo credit: amazon.com |
When I started this blog, one of my goals was to "
make jewelry more than a hobby"...and in the past few weeks, I realized that is
exactly what is happening.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4ZnxJ3qS8noDbs_5P2X79pHeoMd5frCsOXSSA1zQFsyNx_fnzLaj9Dg3HX0YrNf-01yZ-a9hflXFzJDMg6Z6a0ZJWRffiMRYZO6KvJK3XsLpFYs6Oke7lUtu7CRp2zD2CLbkBjsBk7o/s200/Rio+bail.JPG) |
Photo credit: Rio Grande |
I've created an account at
Rio Grande jewelry supply, joined two Facebook groups devoted to metalsmithing and cabochons for jewelry, I bought a great book, and I've become
obsessed with bails.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCk4BJzinvp6BRw0ZXb-Pn8AN93zMVFiozeRtc7iCKgpLWtZA8f8aLitvzQGfLg8VbAFqGMvku2Vgbd1fPlTNyx5HjXZQFEjLY53vIW2rqLgkcLH0uzmwOhsypUCNcqo7nWONyRinpQvk/s200/20160224_104640-1.jpg)
When I
made my lost wax pendant over a year ago, I put a simple silver jump ring on it and wore it happily. Then I put it on a few weeks ago and thought it didn't look "finished" and it needed a bail. I went to the Rio Grande website, and found a lovely argentium bail that looked like a perfect match to my pendant. I ordered it and took the pendant and bail to open studio, where replaced the jump ring. I couldn't believe the impact of that small change, it looked like a completely different - and truly
finished - piece of jewelry. The jump ring was just a way to hang the pendant on a chain, the bail truly completes the piece.
In some ways, telling this part of the story first is putting the cart before the horse...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaE_5WWmsy_Z4lqq_2D4AzgcSOTaO-fo1LnetIrYAPttOlL-H8K9FbgD-3oCf3JUL72Sxk_Xze_0s3EFAmRSbqhAcKoTFqMkZpkSzIeZL8oeo9tSvyB8HIn4nH2L79FyW7EczAnA5vGP8/s200/fordite+finished+front.png)
I started thinking about bails in my Fabrication 101 class, when I began making pendants. The first one, for my Fordite pendant was incredibly simple; the wire one I made for my laboradite was a little more advanced - the bail followed the shape of the prongs.
As I started working in open studio I began to think more and more about think about the bail as an important component of each piece. So much so that I ordered a bail template and some specialized wire to customize each bail to the piece.
Having the template is great - I made paper versions of each bail
(something I'm doing a lot right now - mocking up pieces with paper - to
get a sense of how they will look) - which I can use to to see exactly
what size I want for the piece.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsNcggZwq4O1NSPEYsjLPRDrz-fw-rlTtoECCnqfifa-RdKwNLQQffGpNrH91LtoYTTjiSo2cPqp6cWLQJNp9etDjcvRYdpXYYYlwl1US19uYrgSYRhL8F0qEw3CeHnGTF5bCpEPCxR0/s200/20160210_103540.jpg)
This is how I know I am starting to think like a jeweler - I see the components separately, but think of them as something much greater than the sum of their parts.
Watch this space for more bails!
Until next time.
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