How To Get Started
Ready to start making jewelry? Here are some tips.
Our classes are offered as individual workshops. Courses are offered as 1 day, multiple days, 1 weekend, or weekly. That means you can pick and choose classes that you’re interested in and customize your courses to suit your schedule, without having to commit to months of coursework.
If you’re looking for longer courses, you can immerse yourself in jewelry classes for a few months by signing up for one of our series, like jewelry fabrication (6 classes) or casting (5 classes). These courses are offered weekly and consecutively. You can sign up, for example, for Jewelry 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Each class follows the next in the same time slot on the same day of the week. This is a great way to focus and build your skills!
If you’d like to sign up for all of the classes in a series, contact us to discuss a discounted price for registering for multiple classes.
- Find a class.
Go to our class calendar and browse classes by date or technique. You can filter the calendar to show all classes, just in person classes, or just online classes. Click on a class to go to the class page, where you can see details like price, dates, description, prerequisites, and pictures of class projects. This is an example of the class calendar page.
- Browse by technique.
A great way to browse our classes is by technique. From the classes menu, choose Browse by Technique to view by category. Click on any category to see available classes.
- Online or in person?
You can choose the format that is right for you. We offer classes in person at our school, live online through Zoom, and combinations of both. Both have advantages. In person classes include materials, and use of tools. Each student has their own bench during class. The teacher is there with you to help and answer questions. You’ll need to commute or travel to school, but parking in our area is free. Your instruction and practice is limited to class time, but students can purchase tools to continue to work at home and we also have open studio time.
Our online classes are live from our school to your home studio. No travel and no commuting. The instructor is with you, ready to answer any questions and help as you practice. It’s easy to set up a view of your workspace with a smart device, like a phone or tablet, so your instructor can observe and offer advice. Online students will need to have their own tools to participate, but most classes include a kit of materials for the practice projects that are mailed to you. Online students also have the advantage that they have their own space to work in at home and can continue to practice between and after classes.
- Are you a beginner?
If you’re new to jewelry, welcome! We’d love to teach you how to make jewelry! Try our Intro to Soldering 3 hour class to see how you like making jewelry, or start with Jewelry 1 - Basics, which is the prerequisite for many of our classes. The skills you learn in Jewelry 1 - Basics (sawing, filing, soldering, polishing, drilling, bezel setting) will help you with other classes, like casting and enameling.
But you can also start with other classes. Beginner classes are often listed with a “1” in the title, like Jewelry 1, Metal Clay 1, Lost Wax Casting 1 or Enameling 1. Basic classes often don’t require any experience and are open to beginners. Be sure to check the prerequisites. If you see “Beginners welcome” or “open to all levels”, this is a class for you!
- What kind of experience do I need to take a class?
Click on any class in the calendar or from the browse by techniques page. The class page will show pics of samples, and have info, like the description, dates, price and what kind of experience you need to take the class. This will be listed under prerequisites. Previous experience is recommended when a class will be too challenging without it. Students can take classes they qualify for in any order.
- We can help you design a course of classes.
Just call or email us and we can help you design a custom series of classes. Let us know what your interests and goals are for learning jewelry, and we’ll get you started.
- Are you looking for a semester of jewelry classes?
You can immerse yourself in jewelry classes for a few months by signing up for one of our series, like jewelry fabrication (6 classes) or casting (5 classes). These courses are offered weekly and consecutively. You can sign up, for example, for Jewelry 1 - Jewelry 6. Each class follows the next in the same time slot on the same day of the week. This is a great way to learn jewelry!
If you’d like to sign up for all of the classes in a series, contact us to discuss a discounted price for registering for multiple classes.
- Registration is easy.
On the class details page, at the top and bottom you can find links to register for an online workshop or an in person workshop, depending on what’s available. Some classes are in person only (at school) or online only, or both. Just click on the “Register Now” button to add the class to your cart. Then go to your cart to checkout and register for your classes.
You can also call us to register by phone. Our phone number is at the bottom of any page.
- Available days and times.
Dates for classes are on the calendar, browse by techniques section, and the class details page. On the class page, scroll to the bottom to see a list of all upcoming sessions.
- Sold out. Waitlist.
If a class is sold out, it will be written in red at the top of the class page. It may be sold out for just one session, so be sure to check the bottom of the page for more dates available. If it’s sold out, there will be a link at the top of the page to sign up for the waitlist. If a spot opens up, we’ll let you know.
- Private Lessons.
Don’t see a class or technique that you’re looking for? Maybe a private lesson with one of our instructors is right for you.
- Save your spot today
We only take a limited number of students, and some of our classes fill up quickly and in advance. Sign up early to save your place.