Entry No. 43 — the Bozeman file — filed under: hands-on
Sweet Pea Custom Silver
Meagan Anderson is a full-time Montana silversmith whose Sweet Pea Custom Silver studio is based in Raynesford, and she teaches hands-on silversmithing all over the state, including private classes she'll bring to your own workspace in the Bozeman area. This is the real thing: you actually solder and shape sterling silver. In her ring class you make two sterling bands and pick your style, then build a bezel and set a real stone, walking out with a ring you made yourself. Tuition includes toolkit rental, silver, a stone, and all materials.
The story
Most craft workshops hand you pre-cast wire and a pair of needle-nose pliers, then call it metalwork. Meagan Anderson does not operate that way. A full-time Montana silversmith who grew up in Alaska making stone necklaces from rocks she gathered as a child, Anderson runs her permanent studio out of Raynesford, but she regularly packs up torches, flux, and hand tools to teach actual smithing across the state.
There is no permanent storefront in Bozeman—and that is the whole point. Anderson operates strictly via traveling pop-up dates in town or private house-call sessions where she brings a complete workshop to your own space for one to six people. In her introductory ring class, you forge two sterling silver bands, construct a custom bezel from raw stock, ignite hand torches to melt solder, and bezel-set a real stone to wear out the door that night.
What it's like
You will not be standing at a polite distance watching a slideshow. Expect to sit down with a rented toolkit, raw silver, and an open flame torch while Anderson guides your solder flow amidst the hiss of quenching tubs and the scrape of hand files. Because there is no fixed Bozeman storefront, public local class slots sell out fast; your best move is keeping an eye on her event schedule or gathering a small crew to book a private session in your own workspace.
The move: Catch one of her Bozeman ring classes and each forge and stone-set a silver ring to take home that night.
📍 Before you go Bozeman classes are traveling/pop-up dates, not a permanent storefront; join her email list or watch the events page and book a private session if no public Bozeman date is posted.
- 📍 Bozeman
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Pop-up classes in the Bozeman area (studio based in Raynesford, MT)
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Studio Wheelhouse — Keep the maker streak going with another hands-on workshop in letterpress or stained glass at this rotating community art studio.
- Mountain Witch — If you set an agate or gemstone in your silver ring, stop into this nearby metaphysical shop to browse raw crystals and local herbal supplies.
- The Break Room — Head to this low-key campus bar afterward to order a beer and examine your newly soldered sterling bands under pizza-parlor lighting.
Good to know
Is there a storefront shop to visit in Bozeman?
No. Her permanent workshop is in Raynesford, Montana. Bozeman events are pop-up classes or private workshops brought directly to your location.
Do I need prior metalsmithing or torch experience?
None. Silversmithing 101 is built for complete beginners, taking you step-by-step through heating, soldering, filing, and setting your stone.
What does the class tuition cover?
Tuition includes your silversmithing toolkit rental, sterling silver, a real stone or gemstone, and all shop consumables needed to finish your ring.
How many people can participate in a private class?
Private sessions are capped at 1 to 6 people, keeping instruction direct and hands-on.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · kpax.com · livability.com
last checked: 2026-06-24