Pewter Dress
Step by step on how to make pewter dress, presented by Joan Launspach
For any questions contact: Joan
What you need to make pewter dress:
- Pewter
- Felt
- Ball tool
- Paper pencil
- Masking tape
- Patina
- Baby oil
- Brasso
- Batting
- Soft cloth for polishing
- Pewter glue
- Beeswax in a pot
- Hot plate for melting wax
- Glass dropper bottle
- Clear lacquer spray varnish
- Gloves
- Gold leaf sizing (tacky glue)
- Imitation gold leaf
- Metal bead
- Small wire hanger
- Scissors
Read through all the instructions first before starting this craft.
Step 1
Place pattern on pewter and trace using a fine ball tool. Press on a piece of felt. Trace slightly harder than you would when you write. This side is the RIGHT SIDE. When you turn over you should be able to see the outline of your pattern on the WRONG SIDE. Remove paper pattern.
Step 2
Rub a tiny amount of baby oil on the front and back of the entire piece of pewter. This lubricates the pewter and makes the tools glide easier.
Step 3
From the back, hollow out the dress using firm pressure of a finger. Work on 2 pieces of felt, rubbing with your finger.
Step 4
Turn pewter over to the front side and place on a smooth hard surface. Flatten around all the areas you hollowed out using a soft paper pencil. If necessary, turn over and hollow out some more. Keep repeating this process until you have hollowed out enough.Step 5
When you are satisfied with the embossed design, re-trace the entire design on a flat, hard surface using a fine ball tool. This is called re-defining.
Step 6
Heat beeswax on a hotplate until SMOKING hot. Use a glass dropper bottle to fill all the hollowed-out areas with wax.
Step 7
Wear gloves to clean the front of the pewter with methylated spirits using a piece of batting.
Step 8
Still wearing gloves apply pewter patina using a clean piece of batting. This turns pewter black instantly. Allow to stand for about 3 minutes.
Step 9
Use a clean soft cloth to polish with Brasso until you have a shiny silver finish.
Step 10
Use a pair of scissors to trim around the edge of the dress.
Step 11
Paint a thin layer of gold leaf sizing onto the band of the dress below the bust and allow to dry for 15 minutes. Lay gold leaf over the band and rub excess gold leaf away with a soft cloth.
Step 12
Use a strong clear glue to adhere a small metal bead to the centre of the dress. Fold straps back and glue a small metal hanger to the dress from the back. To complete spray with a clear lacquer varnish.
