Jewelry Making for Beginners - Beginner DIY Jewelry Guide
This article is part of Jewelry Then & Now series.
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Designing jewelry is an exciting and fashionable craft that anybody can perform. When you decide on that step, you’ll need ideas. Find them by either looking at others' possessions or having a closer look at your collection. That can help you understand what aspects of design you find the most important and will meet your needs the best. It doesn't matter if you get inspired by pieces owned by others or end up obsessing over a bead or clasp that you already have.
Although there’re numerous styles, materials, methods out there, starting with basic jewelry projects are the best ways to be ready for a more complicated task.
Here’re 8 useful tips to get started with DIY jewelry tips and how to make jewelry at home.
Choose Material
It can be overwhelming when you decide to make jewelry since there are so many possibilities. Just as you wouldn't expect to learn to crochet, knit, hand-sew, quilt, and embroider all at once, it's unrealistic to try every kind of jewelry making when you're at a fresh start. Instead, pick one type you would like to design and go from there.
Choose one material to focus, knowing that you can always try something else later. Metal is a popular choice as it comes in various forms and strengths that can be molded and shaped according to needs and the kind of design you have in mind. And because they’re relatively more durable like gold, silver, copper or brass, they can be a part of DIY jewelry in the form of wires, chains, and rings, clasps and stone holders.
Idea for Project
Look all around for the unique design. Search the jewelry for sale in clothing or accessory stores. Browse on Web. Check some bloggers whose style you prefer and look in their jewelry archives. Sometimes, you’ll find a helpful tutorial to follow step by step, or you may just find something that fits you and then can adjust the colors, size, or style a bit to meet your preferences.
Sketching Your Task
Sketch first and then draw out your ideas on a paper first. Now you can decide upon their size, shape, placement of elements, clasps and hooks without wasting time and supplies. You can also apply 3D application to simulate how exactly jewels are going to look when you make a final piece. With 2D software tools such as Photoshop or Corel are useful also if you want to have a clearer picture of how jewelry should look.
Prepare Work Space
The worst thing for jewelry making beginner is to have supplies strewn everywhere. If you can't find what you want, don't waste your time that you could use for creating.
Pick a room of the house or at least a table, desk or drawer that you can use only for this hobby. Then sort supplies and label. There are plenty of jewelry making storage ideas such as cheap bins and boxes you can get that contain dividers for efficiently storing different beads and findings. Apply a model that fits for you, and a great jewelry crafter is born.
Pick Supplies
There're countless options for where to buy jewelry making supplies. Before you choose favorite online vendors, though, try to find a local craft store and literally get your hands on some of the supplies. Check, touch and pick what you need.
Once you master the skills and know what you like working with, then you can order online.
You can choose a lobster clasp which is perfect for necklaces that give a more streamlined and fancier image. Also, barrel clasps which consist of two tube structures that screw together and then there are hook and eye which is the simplest clasp and best for securing heavy necklaces.
Adding beads to jewelry could make a big difference. They're frequently used in jewelry and create a great look to a simple string or accompany your pendants while balancing their opulence. Their materials vary and can be pricey or inexpensive. You can find wooden beads or plastic ones or glass, shell, stones, polymer, and even clay and the colors just seem to go on and on.
Gems are excellent for DIY making jewelry too. If you want to create a little bling to silver, then using real or fake gemstones is the best option. But you need to know how to handle them and make sure that you have the proper setting for it in your piece. The common ones are diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, opal, and topaz.
Tools
For the first jewelry project, you can use the wire cutters and pliers. But the better the tools you work with, the simpler the making process will be.
If you want to use any metals, you’ll need tools that can cut, mold, reshape, modify and polish metal into the desired shape and size. For that final touch of making jewelry, you will need a small, high-quality CRATEX rubber polishing wheels link to. They are great for grinding, fixing of uneven surface made from silver, gold or other metal and capable for polishing to a high gloss. They're heat resistant wheels made from premium rubber and impregnated with silicon carbide. They don't require a polishing compound since they're used dry. These discs are color aligned from roughest to the finest: green C – COARSE; dark brown M – MEDIUM; reddish brown F – FINE; grey-green XF – EXTRA FINE;
Work and Persistence
Like any other skill, crafting jewelry has difficulties. The first pendant you try to make is going to look like a curved fork. That's normal because the second one will look better and by the 20th one you’ll feel like a professional. Don't let one difficult or failed project affect on your enthusiasm. Just keep trying, practicing, and don’t forget that any skill takes time to develop.
Don’t afraid to try a skill because you think it looks difficult. Also, don't limit yourself to a specific style, color or size of jewelry. Experiment with your supplies, try new things and see how you make them. Exercise with different materials and see what happens. Once you begin, you'll realize that it is an addictive hobby.
Christmas is around the corner so let’s learn how to make diy earrings and surprise loved one.
How to Make Christmas Earrings
If you're a lover of shiny and sparkly things, your time is coming. Prepare early for Christmas parties with a unique pair of festive earrings. This step by step method will show you how to transform branded siam and emerald bicones into a beautiful pair of drop earrings.
If the traditional Christmas colors aren't your desired option, feel free to experiment with alternative colored crystals.
Step #1
Take 1 of the eye pins and thread on 2 x siam 9mm bicones, 1 x pearl, 1 x pearl cap, and 1 x 7mm emerald bicone.
Step #2
Use round nose pliers to bend eye pintail over the emerald bicone to provide a right angle.
Step #3
Take the end of the eye pintail and roll back towards the bicone to create a proper loop. Rerun the 1st and 3rd steps to make another one.
Step #4
Grasp a head pin and thread on, 1 x 5mm emerald bicone, 2 x 5mm ruby bicone, and 2 x 5mm bicone. Use round nose pliers and bend the tail of the head pin over to create a right angle. Then use snips to cut the tail to 1cm.
Step #5
Take round nose pliers, then grasp the end of the tail and roll over back towards the bicone to make a loop. Create 3 more of these.
Step #6
Use a threaded eye pin, and with the round nose pliers open the siam bicone end loop put on 2 of the head pin drops and close. Rerun the process with the other eye pin and 2 head pins.
Step #7
Take round nose pliers, open the loop at the base hook ear wire, add on one drop and close. Rerun to form the other earring, and you'll get beautiful handmade Christmas earrings.