Making Filigree - Step Seven

The next step in making filigree is the soldering work! It takes forever, since you have to be very meticulous about soldering every single tiny joint, including the insides of the swirl designs. Here is a photo in the middle of the process, and one right after they come out of the pickle! Yes, I have a lot of firescale, but that will not be for long :)

Making Filigree - Step Six

Now that you've got smooth, flat frame pieces, you get to do the arranging of the final design! Like I mentioned before, I'm doing a random design, so I just piece the little pretties into the frame like a puzzle. You want them to fit snugly against eachother so that you can solder each and every piece. I make them so snug that sometimes one jumps up out of the frame!

I do all of the arranging right on my soldering surface, and then brush flux over the entire design. Let it dry so it won't bubble up when heated and ruin your design!

Making Filigree - Step Five

Step Five is to polish the pendant frames and make sure there is a clean inside especially for soldering the pretty filigree swirls to.

I had to take a self-portrait for an interview, so I took one of me working on these pendants!

Making Filigree - Step Four

Your filigree will need a frame to support all the pretties. I am making heart-shaped pendants. Step four is to fit and solder your pendant frames!

Making Filigree, Part Three

If you're like me, your pretty little swirlies are all a bit bent out of shape. You'll want to flatten them, and also make sure that all the middles of the twirls are closed loops, so your finished filigree design won't snag on hair or clothing. I use a rawhide mallet and a bench block to gently hammer my designs flat. And now from this picture I realize how badly I need to clean my bench!

Pictorial: How To Make a Custom Mother's Pendant - Part 1

To keep my mind off a toothache, I present to you: How to Make A Custom Mother's Pendant - Part 1 - Making the Bezel Settings.

Step One: Choose your pretties.

This custom pendant will use 8mm round moonstone, citrine, and simulated sapphire cabochons.

Step Two: Snip, snip, snip your bezel wire to the correct height.

My strip was way too wide for these stones, so I trimmed it.

Step Three: Mark the length of bezel strip you need for each stone.

Step Four: Cut to length.

Flush cutters save on cleanup time.

Step Five: File the edges to make a perfect seam to solder.

Step Six: Seeee?? (No gap)

Step Seven: Flux and solder.

(click photo for solder tips)

Step Eight: Pickle.

Step Nine: Round and enlarge bezel if neccesary.

Should just fit over stone, but not too tightly.

Step Ten: Cleanup.

I like to do a little bezel cleanup at this stage.

Step Eleven: Sand bezel to correct height.

Figure-8 motion helps keep the height uniform.

Step Twelve: Repeat previous steps for additional bezels.

(Picture taken PRE-sanding)

Stay tuned for part two, to be completed after I get a dentist's appointment :)