Kinetic Jewelry: Hinges Made Easy
Metalwerx is honored and excited to have the opportunity to partner up with Halstead again to bring you another unique virtual workshop! This virtual class will be taught by Halstead's own Sylvie Alusitz, who is not only an amazing teacher but has exhibited her own work nationally and internationally in Texas, Massachusetts, Romania, and more. Check out all Halstead has to offer by clicking HERE and find quality jewelry supplies for all your metal-working needs!
This 2-session virtual class will explore kinetic jewelry that utilizes hinges! Sylvie’s easy hinge making method takes the worry out of adding movement to your jewelry by using pre-fab components. Join Sylvie, as you create a pendant with movement and visual interest. This hinge making technique can be utilized for a number of jewelry making endeavors, including applying it to earrings and more - students will have be able to explore related ways for creating movement in their jewelry on session two of this course!
Meet the instructor
![photo of](https://metalwerx.com/civicrm/contact/imagefile?photo=InstructorWebsiteBioImage_SylvieAlusitz_aad77a32f6d3ab902f525c5464b76cd1.jpg&image_styles=thumbnail)
Sylvie Alusitz received her Masters in Fine Arts from State University of New York at New Paltz in Metal in 2019 and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2015. Sylvie has exhibited nationally and internationally, having been selected for and participating in Autor Contemporary Jewelry Fair in Bucharest, Romania. She has been included in exhibitions at the Greater Denton Arts Council, Denton, TX and the Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA and elsewhere. Sylvie has also received funding from the Tiffany and Co. Foundation and the Women’s Jewelry Association.
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name to be redirected to a page where you can view the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is not required - observers are welcome.
Metal/raw materials (Note that the instructor used SL25L, SL25R, SL2281, and SL293 for her solder components but students are welcome to use any they like and are invited to get creative!):
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1"x6" x sterling silver sheet - 20g or 22g (Halstead)
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12" x sterling silver wire - 16g (Halstead)
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1 x pack of crimp tube beads - 2x2mm or 2x3mm (Halstead)
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1 x pack of tube bezels - any size you like or 2mm (Halstead)
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1 x pack of CZs - to fit your tube bezel or 2mm (Halstead)
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chain for pendant - any you like or 1.5mm rolo with clasp (Halstead)
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solder ornaments - pre-fab or hand made (Halstead)
Torch setup:
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1 x fireproof area - steel sheet, tiles, etc. (Amazon or Home Depot)
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1 x Solderite™ pad / pan with pumice (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
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1 x torch - Smith mini, Silversmith, or butane (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
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1 x striker or lighter - Silversmith system has one (Rio Grande)
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1 x soldering tweezers (Rio Grande)
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1 x soldering pick (Rio Grande)
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1 x 3rd arm (Rio Grande)
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1 x cross lock tweezers (Rio Grande)
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1 x paste flux (Rio Grande)
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1 x copper tongs - for pickle (Rio Grande)
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1 x 6” silver solder - hard (Rio Grande)
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1 x 6” silver solder - medium (Rio Grande)
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1 x 6” silver solder - easy (Rio Grande)
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1 x pickle - sodium bisulfate or citric acid (Rio Grande or Amazon)
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1 x crock pot or lidded glass container (Rio Grande or Amazon)
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1 x tempered glass container or sink - for quenching and rinsing
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1 x small brush - for flux
Hand tools:
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1 x snips / flush cutters - if you don't have jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
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1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
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1 x pack saw blades - 2/0 (Rio Grande)
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1 x burlife / bee's wax (Rio Grande)
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1 x bench pin (Rio Grande)
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1 x rotary tool - flex shaft or any finishing tool you like (Rio Grande)
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1 x set of needle files - #2 cut (Rio Grande)
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1 x riveting hammer (Rio Grande)
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1 x steel block / steel surface (Rio Grande)
Other/miscellaneous items:
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hard work surface
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fine point Sharpie
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liver of sulphur or other darkening agent - optional
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fan and open window - or ventilation system
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safety glasses
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pencil, notebook
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rags/towels