Make It with Kim

Make It with Kim Jewellery Silversmithing Workshops in Bristol. Kim has over 20 years experience and has been the silversmithing tutor at The Bristol Folk House since 2011.
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She has her own Studio Workshop at www.makeit.kim where she hosts private and small group tuition. Bristol Jewellery Workshops & Online Mentoring www.makeit.kim

01/06/2026

Jennifer has been in the studio for her first taste of jewellery silversmithing and she made not one, but seven pieces of jewellery in a day 💙 & she did a beautiful job 💙



31/05/2026

Are you a jewellery maker who has always wanted to try sand casting? Or do you already have your own sand casting set up, but struggle to get the results you want?

Our Sandcasting for Jewellers Workshop is for you!

We take a deep dive into all the pros and cons of different tools and setups so you can find the right fit for your space and budget.

We look at different sands and how to make a good mould.

We troubleshoot all the common issues and discuss how to cast more complex shapes.

And most importantly, we cover how to stay safe while casting metal 🧑🏼‍🏭

Our next workshop is on Saturday 6th June, 10am - 4pm and we have one space remaining 🔥

You can find the full details via the link in my bio or search Make it with Kim Sandcasting


27/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who made our Second Hand Tool Sale such a joy!

The studio was full of treasure hunting, story swapping and skill sharing, and together we raised £1,200 for 🧡

A big thank you to the generosity of .spencer.jewellery and everyone who came, helped out and made the day everything is was 💙

You can read all about what we got up to in my latest blog post - you'll find the link in my bio 👆🏻

There’s something quietly magnetic about old tools. For makers, they’re more than metal and wood, they are stories, and vessels holding possibilities.

They hold history, when you inherit an established maker’s bench tool, craft and confidence transfer with it. Tools become keepsakes and connectors across generations.

They are sustainable: rehoming second‑hand tools keeps usable things out of landfill and lowers the barrier for makers starting out.

Do you have a favourite vintage tool? Tell me below 👇🏻 I love hearing where tools have travelled. 🛠️✨

15/05/2026

This is why we don’t buy knock-off Foredoms 😬

A pendant motor is an investment, and while cheap copycat machines can look tempting, if the price seems too good to be true, it usually is.

We have several genuine Foredoms in the studio and they’ve always been reliable, with interchangeable handpieces and plenty of compatible attachments available.

We inherited this knock-off, and here's why it is a problem:

• The handpieces aren’t truly compatible. The key fitting is very slightly different, risking damage if you try to swap parts.
• The wiring isn’t UK compliant, and it doesn't have a fuse so we can only safely use it through an extension lead despite it passing PAT testing.
• It had barely been used before it started making worrying noises.
• It's pretending to be another brand, so taking money from the original manufacturer and damaging their reputation when the quality is poor.

When we opened it up, the inside was far worse than expected. Loose metal flakes and solder had become trapped inside the housing, grinding away the copper motor rotor every time it ran. The motor itself wasn’t even secured properly, causing even more damage.

Lottie and I salvaged what parts we could and retired the rest.

Fakes can look convincing, often with branded manuals and fake guarantees, but poor manufacturing shows eventually and can be unsafe.

There are affordable pendant motors out there that are perfectly good, and some even fit Foredom handpieces, just make sure you buy from a trusted retailer or known brand and stay safe.

If you want to ensure your handpieces, accessories and maintenance parts are all compatible and you can receive technical support and customer service, buy a genuine machine.

10/05/2026

What a day!

A huge thank you to everyone who came to today's jewellery tool sale, it was lovely to see so many faces and furry friends 🐕

We're pleased to say the studio is far more spacious now that so many tools found new homes ⚒️

Congratulations to our raffle winners who have been contacted with the good news 🥳

And to Andrew and Louise Berry
who brought a lovely selection of new tools, as well as donating some great prizes.

I'll post a proper update once we've totaled up the final takings, but we are pleased to say, we raised a lot of money for a great local cause, thanks to our wonderful jewellery community 💙

And special shout out to Lottie for managing to pop this reel together in record time 🙌🏼

09/05/2026

South West & South Wales Jewellery Community, we have some exciting news!

Spread the word and tag any local jewellery makers 👇🏼

You are invited to our Second Hand Tool Sale & Swap in Bristol on Sunday 10th May, 10am - 1pm.

We will have a large selection of second hand tools, supplies, stones, books and related resources ⚒️

Andrew and will be in the studio with some new tools, supplies and Andrews highly anticipated new book, Jewellery Repairs At The Bench 📖

We will be raising money for local charity, on behalf of local jeweller and passionate community leader, Dee who sadly passed away four months ago.

On the day, we will be raffling some exciting prizes from .spencer.jewellery spencer and of course ourselves, to raise funds for this wonderful community charity.

The perfect excuse to visit Bristol for some tool and jewellery chat while finding new bargains and passing on under used tools to those who will cherish them.

The sale is on Sunday 10th May, 10am - 1pm in Kingswood, Bristol BS15 8DB

Visit www.makeit.kim for full details and studio directions or email [email protected]

Please share the event with any local jewellery enthusiasts and we hope to see some of you there!

14/10/2025

Did you know tools don't always come ready to use?
And they often don't come with any instructions!

Stone setting tools are no exception.

I can't tell you how often I've been asked for tips on how to remove gouges and marks from a bezel setting.

Traditional bezel strip is only 0.3mm thick so when people try to sand out unsightly marks, they often wear the bezel wall away causing it to flake off or create holes.

So people then advise you swap out thin bezel strip for a thicker material which can withstand aggressive sanding.

Now, I'm a fan of a chunky bezel, but they require more skill to shape and set and if you leave unsightly marks in them, it will still take time to remove them.

So surely a more productive question would be, how do we avoid marking our work in the first place?

If we can identify what is causing the marks, it's usually an easy fix to stop them from happening.

For example, bezel pushers are usually made from a cut off section of square steel bar.

If you feel the end, it's edges and in particular, it's corners often feel rather sharp ⬛

If you push something sharp into thin, soft metal, it will cause unsightly marks.

But it's REALLY easy to remove those sharp edges! You just need to sand them off.

There are lots of ways to do this. Some people use emery paper or buff sticks. I like to use a grinding stone on my Dremel.

Grinding stones come in a range of colours and types and they'll all do the job. Here, I'm using an orange aluminium oxide one and I'm just removing the sharp edges and corners by slightly beveling them.

Then I use a rubber or silicone wheel to smooth out any scratches left by the grinding stone. Smooth emery paper will do the same job.

Then, if you want to get super swanky, you can give it a polish. I'm using rouge but any polishing compound or mop will do.

When you think you're done, close your eyes and rub your finger over the end of your pusher. As long as you remove any sharp edges and have a smooth finish it will do the trick.

It sounds like a lot of work, but if you use a Dremel or similar rotary tool, it takes seconds and makes the world of difference to your work.

12/10/2025

Last night I had an enjoyable evening running a textured ring taster session for some lovely humans Sometimes you can't beat a simple hammer texture ⚒️ a bit of shine ✨ and some good company.

If you'd like to join us for a one day workshop you can find out about our upcoming sessions and private tuition options or sign up to our newsletter via the link in our bio 👆🏼

Address

Kingswood Estate, Britannia Rd, Bristol
Kingswood
BS158DB

Telephone

+447734805250

Website

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