My First Ring!

 I finally got the nerve to cut a strip of my precious 18 gauge silver sheet and try to make a ring. It was a big deal for me, because a) I rarely wear rings so one made for me would sit in my jewellery box forever, b) I have hands like a stevedore, so a ring made for me would have to be a size 11, using a LOT of silver, and c) making it for someone else would be silly since I didn't know if it would turn out and I really didn't know anyone who would wear it any more than I would.
So, yes, it was a big deal.

 It's a spinner ring. No way was my first attempt going to be a plain band.

Considering the fact that I didn't do a lot of measuring and I really didn't know what I was doing, it turned out okay. I might wear it.

Still On The Chain Maille

Well, I took the plunge, and used my Koil Kutter (with the new blade, unsullied by steel) to cut a whole pile of argentium jump rings.  Figuring out the size of the rings needed was very difficult because the required math seems to have taken a holiday.  Carol at Beaded-Baubles .com has created a beautiful pattern that she calls Coda.

This is a variation of her pattern, which, I think, is a variation of the Helm chain. 

I was too anxious to get a picture and did my photography at night.  Not a good idea.  You can't see the sparkle of the argentium silver (92.5% silver, same as sterling, but low tarnish).  Amazingly, every speck of dust on my board, too small to be seen with the naked eye (my naked eye, anyway) shows up in incredible detail.

I call this piece Infinite Seasons because of the obvious circle motif and the gorgeous peridot green Swarovski crystal leaf contrasted by the burnished copper leaf.

This is a better shot of the leaves, showing the beautiful play of colours on the copper and some of the chain detail.  It's also another great shot of the dust.
This necklace is a little over 17 inches long and contains an ounce of argentium silver.  Argentium has 92.5% silver, same as sterling, but where sterling is alloyed with copper, argentium is alloyed with germanium, increasing the resistance to tarnish.
This necklace is sold.