Jewellery Making Class

Last week I stumbled upon a hidden gem in Dingle town, Abi Dillon’s Sea Glass Studio. Abi specialises in making jewellery from sea glass that she finds washed up on the shores of Ireland and England.  I was so intrigued by her artwork.

I had never seen jewellery made out of sea glass before. I admire the way she integrates elements of nature into her work. Rather than buying her material she collects it from the beach.

 There appears to be a sense of mystery to the whole process.  No two pieces of sea glass are the same.  Each item has been on a journey.  We don’t know where they came from and so they have their own story.  Abi occasionally finds pieces of pottery on her travels making them into buttons and pendants with her rotary drill.

After collecting her treasures, Abi brings them back to her studio to wash. Once dry, she categorises her findings into labelled plastic boxes for later use.  The entire process seemed quite magical.  In her studio Abi has a display cabinet where she keeps bits of rare sea glass.

For the price of €20, I was invited to dive into a world of colour and creativity.  Set up on a table in her workshop were a few boxes full of beads, wires and charms to choose from.  Pliers and a jewellery mat (prevents beads from rolling off the table) were provided.  I made six pieces in total.

Anklets

This was the first piece I made.  I used a variety of different beads, shells and charms, feeding them onto a string and finishing them with a clasp.

I became more daring with my second anklet.  I asked Abi to show me different techniques as I wanted to make a piece that was more delicate and flexible than the first one.

 I found that the first anklet I made was very clustered.  While I liked the element of charms and adding shell beads, I felt that there was too much going on and a sense of movement was lost.   I wanted to refine and simplify it.  Rather than using string I opted for wire.  Abi showed me how to create a chain using wire.  I fed some wire through each bead, and using the tip of the plier I created a loop at each end.

I found this gorgeous little elephant charm in one of the boxes. They are my favourite animal so I couldn’t help but include it.  The chunky clasp not only tied the anklet together but also added a bit of character.  It was the last piece I made and incorporated everything that I had learned.

Bracelet 

From making the first anklet and bracelet, I learned not to have too much going on.   I discovered a heart shaped clasp that I felt I had to add to my next piece.  I was so eager to use it even though it didn’t exactly belong.

Earrings 

I opted for clear and purple beads and used the same loop technique as the anklet for attaching them to the fishhook ear wires.

Necklace

Using one of the dolphin charms as a pendant, I attached it to a chain with a split ring.

In one of the boxes I found a piece of sea glass.  A hole had already been drilled through it.  Using a special hook, I attached this pendant to a chain, completing the necklace.

When our time came to an end, Abi put all my creations into a little bag to take home.

I felt so relaxed afterwards.  Making the jewellery was surprisingly therapeutic.  She was very informative and helpful.  She also runs classes for kids and the elderly.  If you happen to go to Dingle, I highly recommend visiting Abi Dillon’s Sea Glass Studio.  You’re in for a real treat!