Notes from the bench
From the bench
Notes from the studio on stones, engraving, embroidery and the workshops.
Caring for a natural stone bracelet
What to keep it away from, how to clean it, and what to do when the elastic finally goes.
What happens at a Saturday workshop
Drop-in Saturday mornings at the bench in Hagerstown. What is on the table, what it costs, and who it is for.
How long a custom piece takes, bench by bench
Honest turnarounds for engraving, embroidery, jewellery, 3D printing and art commissions, and what actually makes a piece late.
Engraving, embroidery or laser-cut wood: choosing the right gift
Three benches, three very different gifts. A short guide to which one suits the occasion, the budget and the deadline you have.
The twenty stones, and how to choose one
Twenty natural stones are strung at this bench. Here is what each one looks like in the hand, and the three questions that narrow twenty down to one.
How to measure your wrist for a beaded bracelet
Wrap a strip of paper round the wrist bone, mark where it meets, measure the strip, then add nothing. That number is the size to order.