Our Skelly Stackers jewelry making class in Albuquerque brought students to Meltdown Studio for a hands-on day of ring forming and sizing, stamping and texturing, soldering, and stone setting. Each student created a set of sterling silver stacking rings featuring playful skull details and natural cabochon stones while learning traditional metalsmithing and jewelry-making skills. One of the best parts was getting to stamp their own designs into the silver, giving each ring stack a personal touch and making every set uniquely theirs. We offered this popular seasonal workshop twice last week, on Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, with a different group of students attending each day. Both were separate, complete classes, each with its own creative moments and finished designs.
Small Details, Big Personality
The fun of Skelly Stackers is that there isn't just one way to wear them. Each ring has its own character, with little skull accents, stamped details, textured silver, and natural cabochon stones bringing the designs to life.
One of the most personal parts of the project was stamping. Students had the chance to choose and add their own details to the silver, turning a shared class project into something individual. Those little impressions made each stack feel different, reflecting the choices and creativity of the person who made it.
As students settled in, the workbenches became places for experimenting and making decisions. Which textures to use? Where should a stone go? How would the rings look together? Those small choices are what make a handmade piece feel personal.
The photos offer a glimpse of students leaning in to examine their work, handling small silver components, and taking their time with the details. There is a satisfying mix of concentration and conversation: the kind of atmosphere where everyone is focused on their own piece but still sharing the experience around the table.
From Silver to a Stack of Rings
A finished ring stack may look effortless, but there are quite a few steps behind it. Students worked through the process of forming and sizing their bands, adding stamped patterns and texture, soldering their pieces, setting stones, and bringing everything together with careful finishing and polishing.
Around the studio, students used different tools and workstations as they moved through the project. Some photos capture the glow of a torch at the soldering station, while others show students working closely with their pieces and refining the smaller details. There are also moments of instruction and conversation, with students getting a closer look at their work as they learn each step.
That hands-on process is a big part of what makes learning metalsmithing rewarding. It takes patience, practice, and a willingness to try something new. Each step brings the rings a little closer to becoming something a student can wear and call their own.
The Finished Stacks Take Center Stage
And then comes the moment we love: seeing the finished rings on the hands of the people who made them.
The student photos show stacks of sterling silver rings with playful skull details, decorative textures, personal stamped designs, and colorful stones, including bright turquoise accents. Some stacks are bold and full of detail, while others have their own combination of shapes and colors. Each has a personality of its own.
We love seeing how the individual rings come together. They can be worn as a full stack or mixed into everyday jewelry, making the project something students can enjoy long after the class is over. After a day of measuring, shaping, stamping, soldering, and refining, slipping on the finished pieces is a pretty wonderful way to see the work come together.
Two Class Days, Plenty of Creative Moments
Friday and Saturday each brought a different group of makers into Meltdown Studio. Although everyone worked on the same Skelly Stackers project, each class had its own people, conversations, and creative moments.
Looking through the photos, we're reminded that a jewelry workshop is about more than the finished piece. It's the time spent learning a new skill, figuring out a tricky detail, adding a personal design, sharing ideas, and enjoying the process alongside other creative people.
A big thank-you to everyone who joined us for one of these Skelly Stackers classes. We appreciate you spending part of your weekend at the studio, bringing your ideas to the bench, and sharing photos of what you made. It is always a treat to see the projects through your eyes.
We hope your little skull stacks get plenty of wear, well beyond spooky season!
Explore More at Meltdown Studio
Interested in learning at your own pace? Discover our private jewelry instruction in Albuquerque and get more information about personalized instruction.
If you'd like to create alongside wonderful strangers, share ideas, and enjoy a creative day at the workbench, explore our upcoming group jewelry-making classes in Albuquerque .
Join us at Meltdown Studio for a day of hands-on creativity, new connections, and fun at the workbench. Meet fellow makers, learn something new, and discover what you can create!
