Ring Making Workshop: Choose Your Perfect Ring Making Experience
There’s something very satisfying about making a ring. Perhaps it’s because you get to wear the finished result. Perhaps it’s because a ring can be incredibly personal. Or perhaps there’s just something wonderfully addictive about starting with a piece of silver and ending up with something that fits your finger.
Whatever the reason, ring making workshops are a brilliant way to have a go at jewellery making.
At the North West Jewellery School, we offer a range of ring making workshops, from simple silver rings and stacking rings to gemstone rings, rolling rings and even spinner rings. So if you’ve been searching for a Ring Making Workshop and wondering which one is right for you, you’ve come to the right place. The only tricky bit might be choosing which ring you want to make.
Why try a ring making workshop?
You could buy a ring. There are plenty of them out there, but there’s something very different about wearing a ring and being able to say, “I made that.”
Our ring making workshops give you the chance to learn practical jewellery-making techniques while creating a piece that is completely your own. You’ll work with real jewellery-making tools and materials, learn from experienced tutors and be guided through the process from the first measurements through to the final polish. And even better, you don’t need to be an experienced jeweller to take part.
Our workshops have been designed with beginners in mind, so you can arrive knowing absolutely nothing about making rings and still leave wearing one you made yourself.
Which ring making workshop will you choose?
This is where things get interesting! We offer several different ring-making experiences, each with its own style and personality. Some are delicate and simple. Some involve gemstones. Others are a little more unusual.
Here’s a closer look at what you can make.
Gemstone Stacking Ring Workshop
If you like the idea of having a few rings to mix and match, the Gemstone Stacking Ring Workshop could be right up your street. During this workshop, you’ll create three sterling silver rings. You can texture all three if you wish, then choose a gemstone to set into one ring and a silver embellishment for the final ring. The finished set includes:
A gemstone ring
A textured ring
A charm ring
You’ll learn classic jewellery-making techniques including measuring, forming, texturing, soldering, setting and finishing. And because you get to choose your gemstone and embellishment, your three rings can be completely personal to you.
This workshop is suitable for complete beginners and is held in an intimate setting with plenty of support along the way. You could come along knowing very little about jewellery making and leave with three silver rings. That’s a pretty productive day!
Sterling Silver Ring Making Workshop
Sometimes simple really is best. The Silver Ring Making Workshop gives you the opportunity to create your own personalised sterling silver ring while learning some of the fundamental techniques used in jewellery making.
You’ll learn how to measure, form, texture and finish your ring, with guidance throughout the process. You’ll also get to hand stamp your ring, allowing you to completely customise how your finished piece looks.
It’s a lovely introduction to working with sterling silver and a great choice if you’ve always fancied making your own ring but haven’t known where to start.
And, of course, you get to take your finished ring home with you.
Three Skinny Stacking Rings Workshop
Can’t decide on just one ring? Why should you have to? The Three Skinny Stacking Rings Workshop lets you make a set of three delicate sterling silver rings, each with a different finish.
You’ll create: A silver beaded ring, a silver textured ring and a silver twisted ring.
Together they make a lovely little stack, but you can also wear them individually or mix them with other jewellery you already own. During the workshop, you’ll learn techniques including measuring, forming, texturing, and finishing.
It’s designed for complete beginners, so you don’t need to have spent years making jewellery before you arrive. You just need to be prepared to make three rings, and perhaps accept that your jewellery box may start getting slightly more crowded.
Want to know more? We have a full spotlight on our Three Skinny Stacking Rings workshop which you can read here.
Spinner Ring Workshop
Fancy making a ring that does something a little bit different?
The Spinner Ring Workshop gives you the chance to create your own distinctive sterling silver spinner ring while learning traditional jewellery-making techniques along the way. With its moving bands, a spinner ring is a fun and tactile piece of jewellery that you’ll probably find yourself absent-mindedly spinning once it’s on your finger.
This workshop is perfect for beginners who are passionate about creating personalised and unique jewellery. Whether you arrive alone or with a friend, you’ll find a warm and welcoming atmosphere that encourages creativity. Our friendly and knowledgeable tutors will guide you through each stage, helping you feel comfortable with the tools and techniques as you work.
You’ll start with the design process before moving on to the practical stages of creating your ring. Along the way, you’ll learn essential jewellery-making skills including measuring, shaping, texturing, and finishing, with professional guidance throughout.
You’ll have the opportunity to experiment with different textures and finishes, allowing you to put your own personality into the finished piece. By the end of the session, you’ll have created a unique spinner ring to take home and, quite possibly, a new appreciation for the rather satisfying combination of jewellery and things that spin. And if you want a spinner ring but more ✨extra ✨, then why not try...
Gemstone Spinner Ring Workshop
Now we’re getting a little more playful! The Gemstone Spinner Ring Workshop takes the traditional spinner ring and adds a gemstone, plus not one but two spinning bands.
You can choose from silver, copper or brass for the spinners, or mix them up. You can also choose whether you want your outer spinner to be plain or wavy. And then there’s the gemstone! You’ll choose a 4mm gemstone to add to your ring, giving you plenty of scope to make something that feels completely personal.
During the workshop, you’ll work through the design, measuring, shaping, texturing, and finishing with guidance from the tutor. It’s suitable for complete beginners, although anyone with previous jewellery-making experience is very welcome too.
There’s also something very satisfying about being able to sit there and quietly spin the ring you made yourself.
Rolling Ring Workshop
The Rolling Ring Workshop is a great choice if you like jewellery with a bit of movement.
You’ll create a set of three interlocking sterling silver rings, often known as a Rolling Ring or Russian Wedding Band. The rings are made to move around each other, creating a piece that feels different from a traditional single-band ring.
During the workshop, you’ll learn measuring, forming, texturing and finishing techniques as you create your own personalised rolling ring. It’s another workshop that has been carefully designed for beginners, with plenty of support throughout the process. And there’s something particularly fun about finishing your ring and immediately discovering that yes, it really does roll.
.
Gemstone Ring Workshop
If you have always fancied making a proper gemstone ring, this could be the workshop for you. The Gemstone Ring Workshop teaches you how to create your own bezel-set gemstone ring.
You’ll start with the design and work through the different stages of making your ring, learning how to measure, form, texture, create the bezel setting and finish the piece.
Then comes one of the best decisions. Which gemstone are you going to choose?
A selection of gemstones will be available, subject to supplier stock, so you can choose a stone that suits your taste. The result is a handmade sterling silver ring with a gemstone
chosen by you.
It’s a lovely workshop for anyone who wants to understand a little more about how gemstone jewellery is made, while actually creating a piece themselves.
Sea Glass Ring Workshop
If you love the character of sea glass, the Sea Glass Ring Workshop gives you the chance to turn a beautiful piece into something you can wear. You’ll design and make your own sea glass ring with a bezel setting, learning the jewellery-making techniques needed to take your idea from the first measurements through to the finished piece.
During the workshop, you’ll learn skills including measuring, forming, texturing, setting and finishing, with guidance from the tutor throughout. And then comes the fun part; choosing your sea glass!
North West Jewellery School provides a selection of sea glass for you to choose from, or you’re welcome to bring along a piece of your own. If you’ve got a favourite piece you’ve found on the beach and have been keeping in a drawer because you knew it would come in handy one day, this could finally be its moment.
Your own sea glass will need to be assessed by the tutor to make sure it’s suitable for the design, so while we can’t guarantee that every piece will work, you’ll be able to find out whether yours can be incorporated into your ring.
The workshop is suitable for complete beginners, as well as anyone with some jewellery-making experience. You’ll be working in the peaceful surroundings of the Ribble Valley, with plenty of support as you create your ring. And at the end of the session, you’ll have a sea glass ring that you designed and made yourself.
Which is considerably more exciting than putting the sea glass back in the drawer. Want to know more? We previously wrote a workshop spotlight on Sea Glass covering the history, fun facts and an in depth look at our workshop!
Spiral Ring Workshop
Fancy something a little more unusual? The Spiral Ring Workshop gives you the chance to make your own sterling silver spiral ring, with the option of adding a charm.
This is a three-hour hands-on workshop where you’ll learn techniques including measuring, sawing, texturing and forming. You can also choose from different finishes, giving you the opportunity to put your own stamp on the finished piece. No previous experience is needed, so complete beginners are welcome.
You’ll spend the session learning how the different techniques work, putting them into practice and gradually turning your piece of silver into a finished spiral ring. And yes, there is something rather nice about looking at the finished ring and knowing exactly how it went from a flat piece of material to something sitting on your finger.
Parent & Child Ring Making Workshop
Ring making isn’t only for grown-ups. The Parent & Child Ring Making Workshop is a lovely opportunity for a parent and child to spend some proper creative time together, learning something new and making a piece of jewellery you can both keep.
If you’re looking for something different to do during the school holidays, this workshop gives you the chance to spend the day in a creative environment, making your own bespoke sterling silver ring.
It’s a chance to do something together rather than simply going somewhere together. You’ll learn the techniques, work on your own rings and have the satisfaction of watching a piece of silver gradually become something you can actually wear.
Held at the North West Jewellery School in the heart of the Ribble Valley, the peaceful rural setting provides plenty of inspiration and makes a lovely change from the usual school holiday activities. The workshop has been carefully created for complete beginners, with plenty of support and guidance throughout the process.
The workshops are designed to provide a warm and welcoming environment where you can relax, get creative and enjoy learning together. They’re suitable for children aged 8 and over, and the child must be accompanied by a participating adult aged 18 or over.
During the session, you’ll learn classic jewellery-making techniques including measuring, forming, texturing and finishing, allowing you to create a fully personalised sterling silver ring.
You don’t need any previous jewellery-making experience. Your tutor will guide you through the process, demonstrating each technique and helping you as you work on your own ring.
And perhaps the best bit? At the end of the workshop, you’ll both have a handmade ring to take home. A pretty lovely reminder of a day you spent making something together.
What will I learn at a ring making workshop?
While each workshop is different, you’ll learn a range of traditional jewellery-making techniques depending on the ring you choose. These can include measuring and sizing, forming, sawing, texturing, stone setting and finishing.
You’ll be guided through each stage rather than being handed a lump of silver and told to get on with it. That would be slightly terrifying.
Instead, you’ll have an experienced tutor there to demonstrate techniques, answer questions and help you when you need it. The aim is for you to understand what you’re doing while actually making something you’ll want to wear.
Do I need jewellery-making experience?
No. The ring making workshops have been created with beginners in mind, so you don’t need previous experience. If you’ve never used jewellery-making tools before, that’s fine.
If you’ve made jewellery before and want to develop your skills further, you’re welcome too.
You’ll be working in a friendly, supportive environment, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions as you go.
Can I come on my own?
Absolutely. You can come along by yourself and meet other people who are interested in jewellery making. Or you can book with a friend, partner or family member and enjoy the workshop together.
Either way, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. Once you start measuring, shaping, and working on your ring, the conversation tends to take care of itself.
A jewellery workshop with a difference
North West Jewellery School is based in the heart of the Ribble Valley, surrounded by a peaceful rural setting that makes a rather lovely change from the usual busy pace of everyday life.
The studio provides a warm and welcoming environment where you can spend a few hours learning something new and concentrating on making something with your hands.
You’ll have all the tools, materials and tuition you need for your chosen workshop, and you’ll take your finished jewellery home with you.
So you can turn up curious and leave with a ring.
Which ring making workshop is right for you?
Still not sure?
If you love gemstones, the Gemstone Ring Workshop or Gemstone Stacking Ring Workshop could be a great choice.
Want something delicate that you can mix and match? Try the Three Skinny Stacking Rings Workshop.
Fancy something that moves? The Rolling Ring or Spinner Ring could be more your style.
Want to keep things classic? The Sterling Silver Ring Making Workshop is a great starting point.
And if you like the idea of something a little different, there’s always the Spiral Ring Workshop. There’s no wrong choice - although choosing between them might prove surprisingly difficult.
Want to make more than one ring? Try the weekly jewellery classes
If you’ve got a particular type of ring in mind, but don’t want to be tied to a single workshop project, the weekly term-time jewellery classes give you much more freedom. There’s no set jewellery item that you have to make. Instead, you can use your time in the studio to concentrate on the techniques and projects you’re most interested in. If rings are your thing, you can spend the term making rings, experimenting with different styles, gemstones, textures and techniques.
And there’s no limit to how many rings you can make during the term either. Once you’ve learned the techniques you need, you can keep developing your skills and create as many pieces as you have time for. You might make a simple textured band one week, try a gemstone ring the next, then move on to something more adventurous.
That flexibility is one of the biggest differences between the weekly classes and the one-day ring making workshops. The workshops are designed around a particular finished piece, while the weekly classes give you the time and freedom to decide what you want to learn and make.
They’re also a great option if you already have a few ideas bouncing around in your head and want somewhere to actually make them. You’ll have access to the studio, tools and tuition, with guidance from the tutor as you work through your projects. And, of course, you get the regular social side of coming along each week. You can work on your own jewellery while chatting, learning and sharing ideas with the other people in the class. So if you’re looking for a creative hobby that gives you something to show for your time, it’s a pretty good combination.
Make rings together with a private group booking
Want to make a ring with a group of friends, family members or colleagues? You can also arrange a private jewellery-making booking at North West Jewellery School.
Private group bookings are a lovely option if you’d like to do something a little different together, whether that’s a birthday, girls’ day out, special celebration or simply an excuse to get everyone together and make something.
Rather than joining a scheduled workshop, your group can arrange a private session and choose the type of ring you’d like to make. That means everyone can enjoy the same experience, learn the techniques together and leave with their own handmade ring.
It’s also a great option if you’ve found a particular ring workshop you love but would prefer to do it as a group. Get your favourite people together, choose your ring and spend the day making something you’ll all have a story behind.
Private bookings are available for groups looking for a more personal jewellery-making experience. If you have an idea in mind, get in touch with the North West Jewellery School to discuss what you’d like to make and arrange your session.
Ready to make your own ring?
If you’ve been searching for a Ring Making Workshop, this is your chance to stop looking at rings and start making one.
Whether you want to create a delicate stack, set a gemstone, make a rolling ring or simply learn how to turn sterling silver into something you can wear, there’s a workshop to suit you.
You don’t need to be experienced.
You don’t need to consider yourself particularly creative.
And you definitely don’t need to know all the names of the tools before you arrive.
Just choose your ring, book your workshop and come ready to have a go.
Whilst you'll leave with a beautiful handmade ring, you’ll also leave knowing a little more about how it was made. And there’s a very good chance you’ll be looking at your jewellery box differently afterwards.
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