PENDOWN

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Workshop with Local Artisans: I made Bespoke Jewellery in Ibiza.

Ibiza -Artisan workshop

A pair of earrings, ‘PENDOWN’ bracelet and two ceramic pendants – the beautiful by-products of my bespoke jewellery making workshop in Ibiza.

Earrings- I love them. Those who have travelled with me or know me personally, also know my craziness for earrings. I try and buy atleast one from every city that I travel to. Its my best go-to indulgence and souvenir. I have a huge collection from more than twenty countries. So when I got a chance to learn to make bespoke jewelry in IBIZA in SPAIN, I was elated. What could be better to own a self-made earring. And it was not just restricted to making earrings but also a pendant and bracelet. They are my prized possessions from Ibiza. Well, we might have to wait for travel to resume like before but we can always share and cherish travel memories. Arm-chair is always a good idea! . So today, lets head to Ibiza not to party but to make some fashionable accessories.

Have you done a jewellery making workshop? I did it in Ibiza
The super friendly artisan who guided me to make pendants.
Taking a jewelerry making class in Ibiza!
Attentive me, learning the tricks of making earrings!

Blast from the Past : IBIZA

There are more than hundred ways to discover a new place, depending on our tastes. My favorite part is strolling around, which actually helps me to discover the city in a new light. I also ensure to take a trip to the local markets to find handcrafted things. And, there is nothing better than unraveling a new place through its art and craft. It definitely makes me more happier and wealthier.

My trip to Ibiza happened recently in October 2019 and sometimes, its hard to believe that the world has changed so much in just couple of months. Anyways, now that we cant do much about the present, we must continue having some blast from the past. Here, I will walk you through a very interesting workshop and share my notes as well. It was a nice trip down the memory lane. I wish I could make some of it during this lockdown but I don’t have the essential tools. And yes, its no child business. There is a technique for every twirl and twist.

Sunsets in Ibiza are unforgettable!
Blast from the past – No post on Ibiza is complete without talking about the its gorgeous sunsets
The cobbled streets of Dalt Vila
The Old town of Ibiza is a must go!

Dalt Vila (UNESCO Heritage Site)

Dalt Vila, the fortified town in Ibiza, is the historic heart of the city. It is one of the coolest areas to hang around and spend a day wandering around the narrow streets. Here, in its charming cobbled streets, you will find boutique bars, terrace restaurants, fashion bars and jewelry stores. If you are interested in taking a workshop with the local artisans, you may look up for the upcoming sessions on the internet. No prior experience is required. They run small groups of 4-8 people for 1½ to 2½ hours, depending on things they would teach. Yes, pre-bookings are important. I also learned that there are many passionate artists in Ibiza who own shops, where they create fancy and environment friendly jewelries. They try and use materials directly form the Earth, trying to keep up with sustainable jewellery.

Jewellery making Workshop time
Workshop time!

Guiding and Mentoring made it easy!

So when I went for this activity in a workshop, located in one of the old houses of the Old Town of Ibiza, I didn’t know that by the time I would walk out, I would be aware of some tips and tricks of jewelry making. This was indeed a unique hippie experience that I will always cherish. I really enjoyed decorating and making the ceramic pendants. The earring part was a tad difficult because it involved a lot of hand tools and twisting. For the bracelet, we only had to decide a name and then strike the metal stamps with a hammer.

Bespoke Jewellery Making in Ibiza.
Bespoke Jewellery Making in Ibiza- These are the tools for making earrings!
For impressing your name on your bracelet

Bespoke Jewellery Making in Ibiza
I impressed PENDOWN

My Notes!

1.Metal stamping hammers are different from the normal ones.

2. Also one must give a strong, solid blow. All of the energy in every hit goes into making deep, crisp impressions as per the stamp.

3. Earrings need lots of pliers, essentially, wire cutters, chain nose pliers and round nose pliers.

4. An assortment of beads helps you decide what colours you want. Don’t make the earring too heavy, so choose wisely.

5. Half-hard round wires are used for earrings. You may also use wires made from sterling silver or just purchase pre-made earring wires.

6. I learned making headpins, jump rings and earring wires. Each had few steps and interconnecting it all and sliding the beads inside made for a complete earring.

7. For the pendant, we just had to use some powdered stones, stick some beads with glue and bake the ceramic at a certain temperature. The melting made for the design. When it cooled down, we made two holes to make passage for the thread.

8. The artisans helped us with all the raw material and tools and one on one guidance was very useful.

Jewellery making in Ibiza
A pair of earrings from Spain, that I did not buy but make! Thanks to Bespoke Jewellery Making in Ibiza!

So next time, if you are planning to buy a local stuff from a certain place, try enrolling for a workshop. This way, you will not only make a unique souvenir for yourself but will always remember the place differently. Also, engaging in art is a beautiful way of lending a helping hand to the local artisans.

Hola Ibiza
Take me back to Ibizaaaa!

Tell me about the local art classes or workshops that you have done and really enjoyed.

9 thoughts on “Workshop with Local Artisans: I made Bespoke Jewellery in Ibiza.

  1. I love jewellery too snd specially the pieces you get to pick while on your travel, that makes it all the more memorable. I recently picked up some pieces from Goa and they just spark so much joy that I have even worn them just at home during this lockdown too. And nothing beats the experience of not just buying but making your own jewellery. I am penning this down as an experience I would love to have and bring back self made presents as souvenirs for my loved ones.

  2. I love those earrings. And jewellery workshop seems like a great idea while travelling. I had never thought of it until now. I generally pick up a few earrings when I travel. Other than that I do not wear any other pieces of jewellery.

  3. I have come across many posts on Ibiza mostly about the sunsets, parties, and beaches, but thanks for giving me a very different look on Ibiza. Making your own pendant, earring, etc. is really something interesting that one can learn from workshop. Glad you attended one and yes, making earrings does not seem so easy as you have mentioned. Nice to know about so many new and interesting tools involved in the workshop.

  4. I have never thought of taking a jewellery making workshop when I travelled. But now I might. How better to make something that is really tailored to your tastes. Great that you got to make different pieces and learn different techniques.

  5. We made our own jewellery in Bali on Valentines day. My husband made me a pair of heart shaped silver earrings and I made a pair for our daughter. Its harder than it looks like but it was fun and rewarding to have your own handmade earrings! Yours are very lovely!
    If we go to Ibiza we will definitely make some more earrings at the Bespoke jewellery making !

  6. Ibiza is known for many wild parties but good to know some creative instincts from this place. I have made a little bit of jewelry just for fun, but it would be great to learn some authentic local pieces during traveling too. I loved the workshop setup here in Ibiza and definitely you made some beautiful earrings and returned back with handmade souvenirs and that too by yourself. Also the narrow streets of Ibiza are really wonderful.

  7. Impressart is so cool! I’ve got things like these made but only computerized laser engraving ones! I’m amazed are these handmade ones. I’d totally love to get something like this for myself! Ceremic earrings & pendants are just so beautiful! Its awesome that you made them yourself!
    Btw, buying souvenir earrings is actually a great idea! I’d love to see you entire collection of souvenir earrings!!! Pls do an FB or Insta post of it!

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