No, that is not english; It is Japanese for 'circular bishamon pattern'.
It is derived from the Buddhist guardian deity  Vaiśravaṇa (Bishamonten in Japanese). He is a depicted as warrior carrying a hōtō (treasure tower). Thus, the pattern is taken from the deity's armor which has scales.

I am familiar with this pattern because it it quite popular in Sashiko  - YES, another new word.  This is decorative stitching from Japan, but it is not really embroidery.  And, yes, in case you were wondering, I occasionally do sashiko another of my many crafts.  This is how I know of the pattern.

Hey, by now, you should know that reading my blog posts means you will learn new things, that is what being adventurous is all about!

Now, that we we have another lesson let me explain why I am writing about this.

I have chosen this pattern to decorate my small tool canister.  The tool holder (see first image) I made was really a practice piece. 

Two weeks ago, I took a basic wood shop class and made a bird house.  That class was the prelude to what I did today. 

I took a private lesson in WOOD TURNING. 
YES, wood turning.  
Why?
Well, I want some larger wood "dapping" blocks for when I am sinking bowls. 
I have the small wood and steel cube's with the dapping punches but the largest piece of metal they will take is about 1.5" diameter. I have 2 other wood sinking block and they take 3", 3.25", and 4.7" diameter pieces and most of the dishing areas are not even 50% of the diameter deep some are not even 25%.  PLUS I have the Pepe Tools Cupola Punch and Die Sets,

The issue is I need some in between sizes and I want them deep - at least 50% of the diameter if not more so I can get a good wall on the bowl I am sinking 

Thus, learning to "turn" a bowl allows me to make my own in the sizes I need.

At 11:00 am I met with Mike McElhiney a wood turner in San Diego and I had a 2+ hour lesson. Before we started, I showed him a few of my existing dapping blocks and what I can make with them so he could understand what I wanted to do with what we were going to be making.  

Mike had brought the wood and tools and showed me how to set up the lathe, put the wood in the chuck, turn the outside, drill a center bore and then turn the bore into the "dishing" bowl.  

The wood chips and dust were flying everywhere (even down my shirt and into my BRA!)

I (we actually)  made 3 dapping bowls and a 4th blank (outside turned only) for one more.
The end result: 

• 3.5" outside diameter with a 3.25" inside diameter by .7" deep
  
• 3.25" outside diameter with a 3" inside diameter by 1.4" deep
• 3.75 outside diameter with a 3.5" inside diameter by 2" deep 

I sink some metal in them, in the next few weeks to test them. Then I will get back together with Mike for another lesson and  then make some with specific dimension 

Here are some pictures and at the end a very short video of Mike turning the big block of wood round. 

This project has been sitting on my workbench since before the summer. I had made the frame and the bezel setting and there it sat and then got buried under the papers, tools, files and other stuff that piles up as we work on other projects and then never put the stuff away. 

Last Sunday, I did spend the day putting all that stuff away and finally exposed folder with the project. Don't get me wrong, I did not loose it under there; I knew it was there but first it was avoidance and then other projects took priority.

It was time to finish it. 

Forming and fitting the filigree takes time and I was uncertain if I would really FINISH it but my goal was to at least have all the filigree done as I could do the soldering another day if need be. 

I started bending and scrolling and wiring in place around 10:00 am.  I started to solder around 3:30pm; that took several rounds of solder, pickle and cleaning to get all the joints done. I then soldered the bezel in and had the stone set by 6 pm. 

Once again, here are some process pictures. As usual, click an image to see a larger version and read the caption

Yes, I know, once again I did not write a Sunday morning blog post.
You feel bad? Imagine how I feel. Let alone someone sent me an email asking me where it was....

So where was I?

I was at the Vista Antique Steam Museum for the 3rd Vista Fiber Arts Fiesta. I was there both Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. 

Why??

Well I have been weaving down there for going on 3 years and I was demonstrating weaving and answering questions about weaving and being a "barn weaver".

Many people who asked me questions were surprised to find out that weaving is my "other" hobby [Silversmithing being the primary] AND that both allow me to relax from my day job.

I had a good time, I hope the visitors did too. 

I was very very very tired by Sunday evening and even though I had yesterday off, it being Columbus Day and thus a Federal Holiday, I had the day off. [Yes, and despite the government shut down which in a way is like a holiday from them but not all the bickering that is going on, but I digress].  I then got some much needed rest and cleaned the studio and found 2 projects that are not done. Well, I do have more than 2 but these were on the bench under the mess.

Next week I hope to have some more goodies for you. See you then.

I know what you are thinking.. "Wait, did I miss something. She normally posts on Sunday and that was yesterday (wasn't it). Well yes it was my friends but I doing another post cause I have an announcement.

THIS THURSDAY - YES, in THREE DAYS (that is October 10, 2013 if you are reading this sometime in future or in the past and you have somehow got the ability to see it) I will be giving a presentation (a.k.a a talk) at the Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society on Chasing & Repousse.  

The presentation is based upon my award winning educational display that I had at the San Diego County Fair this past Summer. 

So tonight I am gathering up some of my tools, the small pitch pot and many pieces that I had in the display plus the slides I wrote up and they are now in a box waiting for Thursday.  During the talk I shall be passing around many of samples and if there is time, just a quick demo of how I work my craft.

The presentation is open to the public and is FREEEEEEEEEE.  The meeting starts at 7:00 pm and I should be starting my talk about 7:30 pm. 

I hope to see some of you there.

Today I took a basic wood working class.

What, what does this have to do with silversmithing? you might ask - bear with me and all will be revealed.