STEP 3.

If you choose to drill, draw a straight line across the amber with pencil at the height you want the hole to be, keeping it high enough so the piece doesn't flip over when strung. Draw another straight line across the center of the top and sides of the amber. Check that it looks correct. Make an "X" on both sides where the lines bisect - this is where you will be drilling. With a small, round bur, make indentions at the "X" on both ends. Keep the bur slow enough so as not to burn the tool, but fast enough so it doesn't skip, just cuts. (This pertains to all steps.) With a small drill, drill from either end, slowly and steadily, but keep the drill rotating! Continue drilling in and pulling out and blowing off dust. Don't stop in the middle or the drill will get stuck. Pay attention to where the drill is, and where your lines are from all angles, until you meet in the middle. If it's a bit askew, use progressively larger drills until it is straight. For stringing, see STEP 6.

STEP 4.

Carve your design with round burs. Pay attention to the direction the bur moves, so you can spin it away from any edges, to avoid chipping.

STEP 5.

Sand the amber with finer and finer sandpaper (higher grit numbers). Small pieces of sandpaper around bamboo skewers or toothpicks can get into hard to reach indentations. After you've used 600-grit or finer, finish by rubbing the piece with brass polish on a soft cloth.

STEP 6.

Before stringing a pendant, thrum the inside hole with a piece of string tied to one end of your workbench, and coated with oil (olive or other). Repeat using separate strings coated with (in this order) silicon carbide powder, a progressively finer silicon carbide, tripoli (not oil), and finally brass polish.