Pewter Casting- A Study in Affordable Addiction
About 15ish years ago, while looking for my nitch in the SCA, I stumbled upon the opportunity to learn how to carve soapstone and cast pewter. The then "Her Ladyship" Giliana Attewatyr was starting the beginnings of a guild and teaching anyone who would come out on Tuesday nights the art of fire and molten metal, and I took to it like a fish to water. She soon after went on to become a Laurel and then a Baroness, starting the very successful Arn Hold Casting Guild, and I became first her rapt student and then her Apprentice. I stuck with casting from then on, finding it to be a perfect hobby that was both affordable and fun. Three years ago this July the Order of the Laurels of Artemisia invited me to join their group, and I became Mistress Clare and proud sister to my teacher Mistress Giliana, and we continue to research and hone our craft and teach anyone who stands near the pewter pot long enough to listen to us. The rest, I guess, is history.
The beauty of casting is that it's relatively easy to do. Carving in soapstone doesn't take any carving experience or major tools. We love to point out that any tool can be your best carving tool and our carving kits usually house the strangest of favorites, from nails to sewing needs to my own favorite, an old but very sharp crossbolt bodkin.
I teach classes at various Kingdom events in Artemisia and Kingdom's nearby, and there is a Casting Guild Facebook page where we post pics, questions and insights into our latest projects. Feel free to join us, or if you're local, swing by our next guild meeting. Various class notes are shared below, with more to come. Please feel free to print them out and use them, as long as you give credit where it is due.
The beauty of casting is that it's relatively easy to do. Carving in soapstone doesn't take any carving experience or major tools. We love to point out that any tool can be your best carving tool and our carving kits usually house the strangest of favorites, from nails to sewing needs to my own favorite, an old but very sharp crossbolt bodkin.
I teach classes at various Kingdom events in Artemisia and Kingdom's nearby, and there is a Casting Guild Facebook page where we post pics, questions and insights into our latest projects. Feel free to join us, or if you're local, swing by our next guild meeting. Various class notes are shared below, with more to come. Please feel free to print them out and use them, as long as you give credit where it is due.
beginning_pewter_casting_by_clare_ver2.pdf | |
File Size: | 720 kb |
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concepts_and_possibilities_in_pewter_casting.pdf | |
File Size: | 1389 kb |
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