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Pearl Stringing 101
String pearls like a pro with this one-day skill-building workshop!
Pearls are a beautiful addition to your jewelry designs, and knowing how to string them properly can even lead to a nice side income. In this one-day virtual class, students will learn the traditional art of pearl stringing on genuine silk cord, including the affixing of a clasp, neat knots between each pearl, and finishing off securely. Alternative materials, pearl drilling/reaming, and silk stretching will also be discussed. Students will leave the class with the know-how to create heirloom-quality pearl strands in their choice of color, size, and shape. The design possibilities are endless!
Meet the instructor
Kristin Mitsu Shiga is a hapa metalsmith, educator and arts administrator who has played a variety of roles in the arts since 1992. You may recognize her as the ringmaster of Metalwerx’s Virtual Spring Symposium!
From a long line of educators, Kristin is passionate about teaching and has had the opportunity to share with students at venues all over North America including Penland, Arrowmont and Haystack Mountain schools of craft. Her proudest achievements have been establishing nonprofit metalsmiting studios and programs that continue today in New York (OCM BOCES), Oregon (Multnomah Arts Center), and Hawai'i (Donkey Mill Arts Center).
As a maker, Kristin pursues projects that tell a story and actively engage her audience. Her solo work centers around one-of-a-kind wearable art and holloware with an aesthetic that has been described as a "marriage between her Japanese heritage and influences from her early explorations in architecture and the Modernist design movement." Her ongoing series, "Unfinished, Damaged & Broken" explores the significance of age and wear on common objects while protecting, bolstering or celebrating their hard-won imperfections.
Kristin has shown her work internationally, and is included in several notable collections, including the Kamm Artful Teapot Collection and the Permanent Collection of the White House. You will find her work published in numerous books and magazines, including Art Jewelry Today, The Art of Enameling, Metalsmith’s 2017 Exhibition in Print, and several of Lark’s 500 Series books. Learn more about Kristin’s past work on Oregon Artbeat (segment originally aired in 2010).
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.
- 1 x Towel, piece of leather, or soft cloth (for resting pearls on while working)
- 1 x Strand of pearls (at least 16” long, instructor recommends 6 -10mm diameter pearls as a good starting size) - your choice of type (freshwater, cultured, baroque, “potato,” or other shape), the style and color do not affect the stringing technique
- Silk thread (choose color and size to match your pearls) - You will need the right size for your pearls. The instructor recommends having a couple of sizes in your chosen color on hand (eg. sizes # 2 & # 4)
- 1 x Pearl Clasp - you may choose a different size based on your pearls, here are two options (RioGrande) and (RioGrande)
- 1 x Pattern 5 tweezers (RioGrande)
- 1 x Needle Awl/Probe (Amazon)
- 1 x Bead reamers (optional) - These may be used with a flex shaft (RioGrande) or by hand with a pin-vise (RioGrande)
- 1 x Pearl drill - available in a variety of sizes, only need if you're using undrilled pearls (RioGrande)
- 1 x Pearl drilling vice (optional) (RioGrande)
- 1 x optivisor pr other sight aid (as needed) (RioGrande)
- 1 x Cord protectors (optional) - at least two are recommended, in case one becomes damaged or lost. Here are two options (RioGrande) and (RioGrande)