October Newsletter
Hi friends! Happy Autumn and Happy Spooky Season!
In November of 2024 I quit my day job to make jewelry full time. It's been so much fun, and such a gift to have a few years of setting my own pace and chasing my own projects. However, running a small business profitably is incredibly difficult, and my bank account is starting to look rather sad, so I'm back in the job market with a part-time gig. I will still have time to make jewelry, and to teach at The Crucible! But the pace might be a bit slower. Also (you might've noticed) email updates will now be every other month, approximately.
So, What's New?
I completed a couple of silver chainmail necklaces! These both use a chainmail pattern called Half-Persian, which I'm less familiar with, so making 14" - 16" of each proved to be excellent practice.
I started selling on Fybe! Fybe is a new alternative to Etsy, dedicated to promoting small hand-made artists. No drop shipping, no genAI. I don't have every item listed there yet: the process of switching things over is making me rethink (and want to completely remake 😵) my listings, so the going is slow.
I made a bunch of 💍 rings, which is kind of weird for me, so I wrote about it. Read about Rings and Things
I completed this very cute custom order for my friend Sarah, owner of Made by Mocha. She thought the HooDooHex pendant looks like the end of a skein of yarn, and requested a crochet-themed addition. 🧶🫶
In mid-August I got to hang out with my mom 🤗 and we went to see Yosemite National Park.
What's Coming Up
I'm finally chasing silicone molds, after talking about it for years. Hopefully these will let me pack even more detail into the SeaDragon forms, which will show up as gorgeous textures under the transparent enamel. I'm trying to get them figured out and a big batch done in time for Christmas 🤞
There might also be chainmail spinner rings??
For my locals in the San Francisco Bay Area:
KQED is hosting an event at the Crucible called Heavy Metal: Industrial Artisan Fair (and my husband will be manning my table because I have to teach a class the same night! 😆)
It's Thursday, October 22nd, starting at 5pm.
AND
My "Exploration in Chainmaking" class is finally running! We will study several variants of chainmail, decorative loop, and loop-in-loop chain making over the course of 6 evenings, ending with a final necklace-length project of your choice. It starts on October 15th and runs Thursday evenings. There's still time to sign up!
Mark your Calendars!
Heavy Metal: Industrial Artisans Fair by KQED
Oakland, California
Thursday, October 22, 5pm - 9pm
Demo Days at ACCI Gallery - Berkeley, California
Saturday, November 14th, 1pm - 4pm
(there are rumors of a street fair / art market also popping up that day!)
GIFTY - Oakland, California
Saturday, December 5th, 10am - 6pm
Sunday, December 6th, 11am - 4pm
Patchwork Show - Oakland, California
Saturday, December 12th, 10am - 5pm
Katie MacAvoy
🎓 Want to Do It Yourself?
Join me for one of these classes at The Crucible in Oakland, California!
⛓️ Exploration in Chainmaking - October 15
💍 Jewelry and Metals I - October 19
🔗 Chainmail Bracelet - October 31, December 20
🍪 Sand Cast a Cookie Pin - November 22, December 20
🧶 Viking Knit Bracelet - December 19
🔥 Lost Wax Casting - (Sold Out - Join the Waitlist!)
(Psst hey, we also offer small-group classes for your Team Building, your birthday.. anything really! Contact The Crucible to learn more)
My Contact page includes all my links, social media, and a list of all upcoming in-person events, so you can plan ahead! 📆
My Etsy shop is always open. If you don't see something listed there please send me a note! I occasionally take custom orders too!
Also I'm now selling on Fybe - a platform dedicated to real artists; no drop-shipping, and no genAI!
And hey - Thank You for following along 🤗
-Kat