Right now I am working on 4 different but similar projects. Three are for my next article in Art & Jewelry Magazine and the fourth is cuff that has been on my to-do list for almost 2 years. 

All 4 projects use the techniques of Chasing and Repousse.

Like any skill you learn, you have to keep at it to improve. Spending a concentrated period of time focusing on a skill also helps and having taken several C&R workshops over the past 4 years has certainly done that. 

But for some reason, spending 4 days this Thanksgiving weekend, working on C&R for almost 7 hours a day has taken my skills to a new level.  I can just feel the difference in the way I work.  

How can I tell??

• Certainly my lining is better
• When working from the back, my repousse areas are more consistent in depth and are smoother.
  
• I am not "flipping" as much. Meaning I am able to get the depth I want the first or second time.
• Because my repousse is smoother, I have less planishing to do to smooth out the lumps and bumps on the front side
• When chasing I have control here as well.
• I know what tools to use where. No more wondering should I use this tool or that. When I need a different tool, I look at what I have and from the profile I if it will work.
• Overall I am more confident in what I am doing and can "see" where I want to go with each project.

This is important for me to recognize because I also found that while I am hammering I am comfortable and happy. 

This skill/technique has become second nature to me.
 
And most of all, I know that I have found my passion in this medium. 

I can make hollow forms or even jewelry but what I will really doing is making a surface for me to decorate with Chasing & Repousse.  

As for the title of the post, that's french for Pushing Through.

Last Sunday I taught part one of the Viking Knit class at the Palomar Gem & Mineral Club. The students learned about making the cap and leader and practiced the basic, single weave with copper before working in silver.  Three students signed up so the small class allowed for more personalized instruction and some great conversation. 

Yesterday was the second part of the class. Everyone arrived with their silver knit tubes and we started by reviewing how to make the leader and then they learned double and triple knit. We then moved on to using the draw plate and seeing how long our knit grew once we had pulled them through the plate. I then discussed with them various style of end caps, how to solder them on and how to make a clasp which we then did.  We finished up by discussing various other metalsmithing topics including having another class to

Below is a picture of the students and I at the end of the class and the double knit choker necklace that I made.