I am a metalsmith

I have been taking a jewelry-making class at the Community College. This is not one of those sissy bead-stringing deals. This one involves cutting and torching and chemicals and cool tools. Here is my first finished piece of jewelry.

It is a pin of my own design, cut from silver, soldered and set with a stone in a bezel I learned to make, then polished. I don't know what the stone is. It actually looks like a piece of glass with some irregularities in it, but I liked the color and size. I'm kind of proud of it and entirely amazed that it actually came together correctly. Sorry the photo is not clearer. Now I am working on a simple little ring. Last night at class I hammered the silver for my ring to get that great hammered texture. Today my arm is sore. Metalsmithing is hard work!

I also promised a quilt picture. This is my latest work, done at the beach on retreat.

If it looks familiar it is because I made this one about a year ago.
Both done from the same drawing. They will go in the Japanese Garden show/sale this fall. Both will hang from little bamboo rods.