Horn to Adornment: Ancient Material, Modern Jewelry with Jennifer Stenhouse, Sept 13, 2026

Sunday, September 13, 2026  
9:00 am - 1:00 pm, PT

Instructor: Jennifer Stenhouse 

Horn has been used for centuries to create everything from Viking combs and decorative fittings to jewelry and personal adornments around the world. In this lively three-hour online workshop, Jennifer Stenhouse will introduce you to the unique possibilities of working with cow, buffalo, and ram horn on a jewelry scale.

You will learn how to cut, shape, drill, sand, polish, flatten, and form this beautiful natural material using tools commonly found in a jewelry studio. We will explore the characteristics of different horn types, discuss design possibilities, and demonstrate techniques for combining horn with metal and other materials.

If you are looking to add warmth, texture, translucency, and a touch of history to your work, this Little Metal Foxes workshop will give you the skills and inspiration to start creating with one of humanity’s oldest—and most underutilized—materials in the jewelry maker’s toolbox.

By the end of this workshop, students will be able to:

• Understand the basic characteristics of cow, buffalo, and ram horn.
• Identify suitable horn sections for jewelry-scale projects.
• Safely cut, drill, file, sand, and polish horn.
• Soften and flatten curved horn using hot water and pressure.
• Understand when to preserve the horn’s natural curve and when to flatten it.
• Create horn components suitable for earrings, pendants, links, rings, and mixed-media jewelry.
• Troubleshoot common horn-working problems.
• Explore ways to combine horn with metal and other jewelry materials.

All classes include the video recording, which you will have access to for 60 days after the class. The Zoom link, handouts, video(s), and other important information can be found by clicking on the individual class link on the "My Courses" page. The Zoom link and handout (if any) will be available 24 hours before the class starts.

You also get 1 free session of Open Studio Access (OSA) in the month following your class. The Zoom link can be found on the course video access page.

The class supply list is below and contains links to buy the supplies you need.

Supply List for Students

Use the links below to purchase any supplies you don't already have for your class. This site may contain Amazon and other affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, at no cost to you, we may receive a small commission on qualifying purchases.

Recommended Materials

• These are available from knife-making suppliers or some bead and jewelry suppliers like Shipwreck Beads in Lacey, WA. Shipwreck has an excellent selection of horn. I would recommend water buffalo horn anywhere from 9-18”, depending on your project.
• Small pieces of cow horn, buffalo horn, and/or ram horn
• Scrap pieces for practice
• Prepared knife scales. These are a good option for jewelry because they are already cleaned, polished, a consistent thickness, and rectangular size. Try knife-maker suppliers or Esty for a vast selection of materials.
• Thin horn sections for flattening and forming

Required Tools

• Jeweler’s saw frame
• Saw blades, #2/0–#4/0 recommended
• Bench pin
• Needle files, assorted shapes
• Sandpaper: 220, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000 grit
• Pin vise or flex shaft with small drill bits
• Ruler or calipers
• Permanent marker, pencil, or scribe

Recommended Tools

• Flex shaft or rotary tool
• Sanding drums and rubber abrasive wheels
• Small clamps or bench vise with soft jaws
• Buffing motor, polishing lathe, or rotary polishing attachments
• Micro-Mesh sanding pads

Flattening Supplies

• Hot water container
• Hot plate, kettle, or pot
• Tongs
• Heat-safe gloves
• Smooth hardwood boards, steel plates, ceramic tiles, or bench blocks
• Clamps or C-clamps
• Parchment paper, leather, cardboard, or thin protective sheet

Finishing Supplies

• Water container for wet sanding
• Plastic polishing compound or white polishing compound like Zam or Tripoly
• Soft polishing cloth
• Wax, optional. Like Renaissance Wax or Min-wax
• Diamond polishing paste (Amazon)

Safety Equipment

• Safety glasses
• Dust mask or respirator
• Heat-safe gloves
• Apron or shop clothing
• Good ventilation