Potato, Poh-Tah-toe.

"So it's pavé setting."
"No, it's thread setting."
"Then when you add migrain its pavé setting."
"No, it's thread setting."
"Everyone would call that pavé setting."
"But it's thread setting."
"But it is bead setting, right?"
"Yes. But specifically, it's thread setting, a type of bead setting."
"Regular people don't call it thread setting. They call it pavé setting."
"But it is called thread setting."
*Sigh*
"So what should I call it?"
"Thread setting."
"But no one will know what that means.  I wanna call it pavé setting."
"Potato-Poh-Tah-Toe. But you should call it what it is: Thread setting."
"Ok, fine. I'll call it thread setting."

Anyone that knows me, knows I like my information correct. I want to get my facts straight and clear.  I don't particularly take to blended foggy information or information that contradicts what I have been previously informed about (instert: doesn't like to be wrong, but will grudgingly admit when I am.)  Hence the conversation that took place this week. 

Week 7- Open Channel Setting

We began our week with open channel setting.  Stones all hanging out suspended between two sides.  Carefully, we aligned the stones and created their little seats and hammered them into place.  Simple but careful layout and attention to levels is needed to be successful.  The clean lines and sleek modern look of this setting has always been appealing to me.

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The graver is an indispensable tool.  All of them.  Flat, round, onglette.  And the many more I have yet to pick up.  I love them.  I am not sure how I made jewelry without them.  The details are just lost without them.  I love them.  Did I say that already??

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Graver control is crucial in getting this to work.  You need to know the proper type of gravers to use as well as how far to cut the metal with the gravers.  And you must keep them sharp.  Blaine uses a diamond coated sharpening plate at the bench to keep the graver sharp and adjusted for specific techniques.  It's quick and easy to use and less fiddling and musing happens than using a sharpening stone.

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One slip up and you could blow your whole piece.  which comes back to the "patience" part of the process.  I enjoyed the process as much as the end result.  I am hopeful to get in more practice soon, as to be any good at pavé, I am going to need lots of practice.  Like hours and hours.  Maybe days and weeks.  Who am I kidding?  Probably years and years.  Who doesn't want to aspire to be half as good as Alexander Sidorov. 

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Thread Setting

The conversation above was to clarify what this type of setting is called.  I personally have always called most all types of bead setting, pavé.  I know there are differences: plate set, bead set, pavé set but I had never heard the term "thread set."  So.  It's bead setting in a row that has shared beads for setting. Don't call it pavé.  Cause it's not.  We all clear on that?  Good. 

The practice plates are set up for us to quickly learn and concentrate on the task of learning the setting versus messing with certain elements a design may have.  They are great tools to get the basics down.  I kinda love my little plates.  I'm a bit attached to them.

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Pavé Setting

I was so excited the night before pavé setting, that I couldn't sleep.  Seriously.  I never thought that I would have the skill level to even attempt this type of setting.  It is crazy precise and detailed.  But I do.  And I did.  It was so much frigging fun!!  I now want to pavé EVERYTHING.   It is very time consuming and requires patience but it really can add a look that no other type of setting can.  It means "to pave" as in pave it with diamonds.  Um, YES!  I will be paving anything and everything.  Well most anything...maybe not this.  But ya' never know!

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After all the beads were ready and all my stone seats were carved out, the process of setting stones began.  You follow a criss-cross or zig-zag pattern to set the stones by bringing the metal over a stones edge and using a beading tool to make a round half sphere to give the piece a finished appearance.  For my first attempt, I am pleased.  I want to repeat this same layout a few more times to work out issues and challenges. 

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Oh yeah.  And we set this.  And then retipped it.  Sweet.


We completed the 7th week. Wow. Time is flying by.  I am excited about the next few weeks: more advanced stone setting, more hand fabrication, ENGRAVING!!!!! and a few other fabulous things to keep us on our toes.  Can you tell I am excited about engraving??  Beyond belief excited.  Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!