A weekend of wedding rings.
This weekend some friends from Edinburgh took the long drive and ferry journey over to Mull for an important weekend. The couple and their young son were here to spend the weekend in my workshop, learning to make their wedding rings. They brought with them a box of treasures, including two tiny silver bracelets, given to Meghan as a child. After a morning of designing and testing we came up with a simple ring design using the two bracelets, the silver band would wrap around the finger twice, overlapping and creating a symbol of unison.
Testing designs and demonstrating techniques.
A tiny bracelet ready to be transformed.
I was especially pleased at the idea of helping to turn Meghans childhood bracelets into the wedding rings. Together we gave them a new lease of life and now they are now ready to be treasured once more.
Hammering the bracelet out into a straight strip
Hammering the silver into shape around a ring mandrel
Although the two have very different professions - Tim a musician, artist and maker (who I used to work with running arts workshops) and Meghan a Medic and PHD student - their approach to the making process was remarkably similar, they were both very patient and picked up the skills with ease.
Filing the ring after forming and soldering
A happy family with their finished rings.
A little word from them: 'It was really very special and amazing to come and make our rings with you and the memories will I think be with us for always. Maike I was so impressed with your teaching style, so calm and unintimidating and patient that I really felt that it was all possible...'
It is always such a pleasure to be part of this special process, whether making wedding rings for a couple, or teaching them the skills to make the rings themselves. I hope that many more wedding rings will be made at my bench.
Maike x
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