Jewelry Making

Jewelry comes in every shape, size, and style, which is why it might seem like a daunting process to begin making jewelry. However, despite the wide range of creative possibilities, getting started isn't as hard as it looks. Before investing in any supplies, it's a good idea to understand exactly what type of Jewelry you are most interested in. To get you off on the right foot, this guide will help explain the possibilities for jewelry making so that you can make an informed decision about where to start. Once you learn some basics in one style, you can always expand your horizons to other techniques and many of the supplies you purchased for one, especially tools, will still serve for the other.

Jewelry Types

There are several types of jewelry that you can easily make at home. Some require a bit more equipment than others, as well as a bigger investment. Here is a rundown of the basic supplies you'll need to be on your way to making jewelry in a jiffy.

Beading Beading is one of the most simple and affordable types of jewelry making to get into, plus it is the most versatility when it comes to color, style, and design. You can make a chunky, bohemian necklace or classy chandelier-style earrings. For beginners it makes for an ideal place to start since all you need are beads, wire, and findings (clasps). Some basic tools, such as pliers and needles are also useful, among other accessories. To learn more about buying beads and wires, please see the Beading Guide. You might also want to read the section in this guide about wire working which goes into detail about the tools need for beading and other jewelry making techniques.

Macrame Macrame was invented back in the '60s, however, it is still a popular form of lightweight, casual jewelry made with macrame fiber (similar to embroidery thread), hemp, or wax sinew cord. The cord is then knotted in a variety of ways to create twists, patterns, and other designs. Beads and pendants are embedded within the knots as focal points and to add weight to the piece. Typically macrame is used for necklaces, bracelets, and anklets, however, it is also popular for creating fashion accessories, such as belts and handbags. All in all, this is an inexpensive way of making jewelry since all you need is the cord, beads, and maybe a clasp. For working the cords, you might want to invest in some pins and a type of board to work on.

Polymer Clay Polymer clay is a very interesting medium to work with, mostly because it is so versatile. All you have to do is buy the clay, which is a soft, malleable clay that once baked, dries to a hard, heavy material. With this clay you will make colorful beads or pendants which will then be strung on a wire or cord with beads in between as spacers. A clasp finishes the deal. Polymer clay is fairly inexpensive itself, and the only other thing you need is a type of oven (toaster ovens work well) and a baking sheet reserved for jewelry making. Some basic jewelry tools can also be helpful, such as pliers, but you can learn more about those tools below in the wire working section of this guide.

Precious Metal Clay  This unique type of clay goes from a soft, moldable clay, much like polymer clay, but when fired, it turns to a solid 14k, 24k, or silver metal product. There are various ways of firing this type of clay, from a kiln, to a hot pot, or even a torch. While large and somewhat technical, kilns have the most varied uses, such as fusing glass and baking ceramics. They are priced according to size, ranging from $100 to $800. However, a less costly option is to get a hot pot, which only goes for around $50 and is much less intimidating. The only drawback is that you will be restricted to metal clay that fires at a lower heat level. The clay is often priced according to the value of the metal in question.

Fused Glass  Glass jewelry is a specialty that can be fun and rewarding with some practice. Because of the technical skills needed to produce fused glass, people frequently take courses before engaging in glass fusing at home. This is also ideal since glass fusing requires a kiln and quite a lot of equipment, which in the end can be a rather costly endeavor. Classes offer a way to familiarize yourself with the technique and the tools before choosing to make fused glass jewelry on your own. Despite the hard work and money required to produce fused glass, the jewelry that results is very unique and aesthetically pleasing.

Silversmithing  Silversmithing starts off being fairly reasonable when it comes to the cost of supplies alone, but as you purchase the equipment and tools, it can turn into a $200 investment. The one benefit to this technique is that no kilns are necessary, just lots of tools and a small soldering device. Some opt for taking a course first to get started as it is an easy way to learn the basics and to get general guidance before venturing off on your own. Nonetheless, having tools of your own even for taking classes is good. You can always use the tools after the classes end.

Wire Working Tools 

Tools that are used for wire working are tools that cross over into nearly every type of jewelry making. You need them for making jump rings, connecting findings, and even for general shaping and designing. Here are some of the most common tools that every jeweler should have.

Bent Nose Pliers  Use these to shape or straighten wire and to hold it in place while using other tools. It's a good idea to have small and large sizes. Avoid those with notches on the inside that can scratch wire.	Round Nose Pliers These are perfect for curving wire or making hooks and loops, which can be used as findings or for attachment pieces. You may want both small and large sizes depending on your needs.	Wire Cutters  No matter what type of jewelry style you are working with, if you need a wire thread or loop to work with, this is the only way to get them. The sharper the cutter, the better, as it will last longer.	Ring Mandrel  A solid metal ring madrel is particularly useful for creating and sizing metal or wire rings and for working hoop earrings. Use with a raw hide hammer  to avoid scratching the jewelry.	Jeweler's Files  These come in sets with several sizes and shapes which are used to smooth off the metal. Wooden handles make it more comfortable to hold than all metal files.

Bench Block  This gives you a nice, sturdy, solid place to flatten wire and metal.	Chasing Hammer  This round tipped hammer is used with the bench block to hammer wire flat.	Chain Nose Pliers  Square on the outside, flat on the inside, with a tapered nose to reach small places. These are excellent for making angles in wire.	Thing-a-ma-jig Wire Jig  Wire jigs make it easy to make very delicate details without a big hassle.	Wire Twister  as the name implies, these tools are used to twist short pieces of wire with just one hand. A hand drill  will perform a similar purpose.

About Wire

Whether you are wire working, making findings, or just stringing some beads, wire is an essential supply for making jewelry. But how do you know which is the right size and what material is best? You'll want to choose based on durability, malleability, and style/color.

First of all, wire is measured in gauges, from 16 to 34. The smaller the gauge size, the thicker the wire will be. Typically, the thicker the wire, the more sturdy it will be. However, the type of material used for the wire also affects how flexible a particular gauge will be. To get an idea of exactly what gauge size looks like, check out this chart at JigWig.com.

• For projects that involve designs of winding wire, a 16 to 18 gauge is best. This is perfect for giving shape to necklaces and bracelets, for use in or around very large beads, creating wine charms, and even for creating chain links.
• Gauges 20 to 24 are considered medium to thin thickness and are good for wire wrapping beads, as well as for constructing findings, headpins, and ear wires. This is typically the gauge used for making earrings and 20 or 21 is the best for ear wires.
• The smallest, skinniest wire of the bunch is 26 to 34 gauge. It's easily manipulated and flexible, perfectly for use with small beads in embroidery and stitch projects.

Wire is available in brass or copper, which are both inexpensive, as well as in sterling silver, gold, and gold-filled wire, which all cost more. The least expensive wires are typically soft, while more expensive wires will come in varying hardnesses, from soft to hard (scale from soft to hard is 0 to 4).

• Sterling silver  is great looking and made soft or hard. The only thing to remember is that silver tarnishes. If you don't want your jewelry to tarnish you must choose the non-tarnishing  kind, typically called Argenteum. Silver-plated wire  is another option that is less expensive since it usually has a nickel core and it only comes as soft wire. Know that this type of wire has a tendency to chip.
• Gold  is most valuable and does not tarnish. On the other hand, it happens to cost a fortune at the moment. A less expensive, but equally as pretty, is gold-plated wire.  Like silver-plated wire, this too can chip and wear off from usage.

Findings

Any jeweler will need to know a little something about findings. Findings is the name used to describe all the tiny hardware that most people overlook until they got o make a piece of jewelry. Here are some of the basics that you should know.

Jump Ring  You can actually make these yourself with wire, or to keep it simple, you can buy them in bulk pre-made. They are like little rings to attach clasps and other jewelry parts together.	Ear Wires  Ear Wires and other earring components are available. Some come in open styles (which you can make yourself) or in closed styles as well as the clip-on variety.	Earposts and Earnuts  This type shown is prepped entirely, but you can also buy the posts and nuts separately. Also look for pearl posts for setting pearls. They have a special rounded back to cup the pearl.	Pendant Settings  Settings, for pendants, earrings, and rings can be purchased to set your gems and stones instead of wire wrapping them. Also look for pearl "drops" (settings for pearls).	14k End Caps  End caps are used to finish the end of a metal chain and to fit it for a clasp. They can also act as a hook for a clasp.

Clasp Types
Lobster Claw Clasp	Spring Ring Clasp	Tube Clasp	Pearl Clasp

Toggle Clasps	Hook and Eye Clasp	Magnetic Clasps	Barrel Clasp

External Links

• BellaOnline -- This site has more than 50 links to jewelry projects to try.
• DIY Net -- A series of jewelry making tips and projects from the Do-It-Yourself network.
• DotCalmVillage -- A tutorial on making findings such as jump rings and eyepins, plus lessons for some projects.
• WigJig.com -- Making jewelry lesson by lesson. It's simple and easy to follow