Jewelry has been a part of human history for as long as we have been around. For thousands of years and across many continents, jewelry has been a way for us to express ourselves.
Archaeologists have even dug up prehistoric jewelry made from shells, beads, and even stones.
Today, jewelry is still just as popular as ever. It continues to be an amazing way to express ourselves and show off our style.
However, sometimes seeing the same jewelry style repeatedly becomes a bit redundant. That’s why making your own jewelry is so much fun.
So let’s start with this starting guide to jewelry making for beginners.
How To Get Into Jewelry Making?
The best part about beginner jewelry making is that all it takes is a few simple tools to get started.
So if you know you want to start jewelry making, you may also wonder how exactly you get started.
There are a few basics to keep in mind when it comes to getting started. Here are the most notable to keep in mind:
Figure Out What Type of Jewelry You’re Interested in Making
As a beginner, the first real step you must take when getting into jewelry making is to figure out what you want to make.
There are so many different kinds of jewelry that you can make as a beginner.
Maybe you love the idea of putting together beads and charms to create stunning necklaces or bracelets.
Or perhaps you love crystals and stone and want to create pendants. To truly start, you need to know what medium you want to focus on and then eventually branch out from there.
Look Around For Inspiration On What To Create
A simple Google search or Pinterest hunt will give you many ideas if you’re unsure where to start.
Why not search up jewelry-making ideas for beginners and see what pops up? This will give you a better idea of the type of homemade jewelry you can easily make.
This will also allow you to figure out all the tools needed to get started. For example, if you’re interested in starting super simple with wire, chains, and beads, you’ll only require simple tools to get started!
Now that you have a better idea of how to get started on your jewelry-making journey, let’s explore what exactly you’ll need to get started.
What Do I Need To Start Making Jewelry?
Now that you have a clearer idea of the type of jewelry you’d like to make, the next step is getting started.
You may be wondering all about how to make your own jewelry and what supplies you’ll need.
Below, we’ve put together some of the basic supplies that you’ll need to finally get started on all the fun of making your own jewelry.
Jewelry Making Tools
If you’ve never done your own do-it-yourself project, you might wonder, “What are the basic tools for beginners of jewelry making?” The tools you choose to work with depend on the type of jewelry creations you wish to make. However, there are a few tools that are essential to any beginner.
These include:
- Round-nose pliers are perfect for looping and bending rings and chains, as well as gripping and bending wire.
- Chain-nose pliers: these are excellent for gripping, bending, crimping, and prying things open. These pliers allow you to open and close chain links, hold onto smaller items, and are great for shaping wire as well.
- Wire-cutters: as the name states, these are essential for cutting up wire. You’re going to want to invest in a good pair too because your pair of wire cutters can quickly start to wear down if you use them a lot.
- Flat-nose pliers are necessary for gripping wire and creating sharp bends and right angles in the wire.
- Stopper beads: if you plan on stringing beads together, then stopper beads will be a must-have in your tool arsenal. These nifty tools allow you to hold other beads in place and prevent them from scratching up against each other.
As we mentioned, these are the basics you will want to invest in if you’re serious about learning how to make jewelry at home. However, it can get pretty expensive to purchase tools individually.
Another great option is starting out with a beginner tool set. The best jewelry-making tool kit for beginners will include many of the items we listed above and some other essentials.
You’ll be lucky enough to find tweezers and flat crimping pliers in some tool kits.
Now that you know what tools are important to have let’s move on to getting all the right jewelry-making supplies!
Jewelry Making Supplies
Jewelry making supplies includes all of the essentials that will make up your own jewelry designs.
To figure out what supplies you’ll need, you’ll want to make sure you’ve decided on the style and type of pieces you would enjoy creating.
Some of the best jewelry-making supplies can be found in a craft store! Some supplies that you’ll want to grab include:
- Beads: When it comes down to jewelry making, nothing is more important than beads. They come in various colors, shapes, and sizes and make for the perfect material for simple projects.
- Strings: If you’re going to be working with beads, then strings are a must. These are used to thread beads.
- Jewelry Findings include all the pieces you’ll need to finish a jewelry piece. Think of clasps for earrings or necklaces, head pins, eye pins, jump rings, and crimp beads.
- Charms & Pendants: Charms are smaller and are perfect for a bracelet or earrings while pendants tend to be larger and are great for a statement-making necklace.
- Chains: As they are often made of stronger material, chains are perfect for stringing pendants. They can also be used as decorative pieces all on their own.
- Resin: if you’re interested in making high-quality jewelry, then working with resin is a must. Resin is a liquid-like substance that can harden over jewelry giving it a shiny and waterproof casing. Resin jewelry can look particularly beautiful and professional.
With all of these supplies at your disposal, you can begin crafting your own jewelry designs. Next, let’s take a look at how to make jewelry for beginners and what projects are the easiest to undertake at first!
What Are Some Easy Jewelry-Making Techniques To Start With?
You may now wonder, what’s the best technique to start making jewelry? However, the answer depends on the project you want to create and the materials you work with.
For example, the technique for creating earrings will be different than a leather bracelet.
Some of the most basic techniques that you’ll want to familiarize yourself with will include:
- Using eye and headpins
- Opening and closing jump rings
- Gluing pendants and jewels
- Entwining laces
- Using wire
- Stringing beads
However, it can be easy to start feeling overwhelmed after getting all the materials you need to get started.
The same applies if you haven’t yet purchased anything but have some idea of what you want to create. Luckily, there’s no need to feel like you don’t know where to start. There are lots of easy projects for beginners to start on for jewelry making.
What Is The Easiest Jewelry To Make?
Ready to make your own jewelry but don’t know where to start? If you’re a complete novice to making your own handmade creations, you’ll want to start super simple.
One of the easiest jewelry pieces to make happens to be bead stringing. It’s a great beginner skill to master, and it allows you to be super creative because of all the different styles and colors of beads to choose from.
Once you understand the basic concepts of stringing together the beads and working with the different materials such as crimp beads and a crimp tool, you’ll be a bead stringing pro.
In addition, you’ll be able to create a wide variety of jewelry pieces just from learning how to string beads. These include bracelets, necklaces, and even anklets.
What Is The Easiest Material To Work With?
There are many different materials to choose from when embarking on your handmade jewelry project.
From wire to beads to shells and chains, there are lots of different styles of pieces that you can make. Each type of material has its own benefits and difficulties depending on what you’re expecting to create.
For beginners, the best materials to start working with are wire, leather, elastic, and fabric. All of these are easy to shape and most of them can be used on their own as a decorative piece.
Leather cords are quite popular when it comes to stringing beads with larger holes or creating a necklace with a breathtaking pendant.
A wire is another fantastic material, especially if you purchase more flexible types of wire.
You can create stunning bracelets and earrings with wire, and it is a very beginner-friendly material. With elastic, you need only string beads or charms and tie the elastic at the end to create super unique pieces.
Perfect Hobby For You:
Where To Buy Jewelry Making Supplies?
Now that you know the basic materials you’ll need to get started, you’ll want to know where you can even buy all these things.
You may even be wondering if you need to have a lot of money even to get started on enhancing your jewelry-making skills.
Fortunately, there are a lot of options when it comes to choosing where to buy your jewelry supplies. For starters, there are tons of online and in-store options these days.
Some of our top picks for online jewelry suppliers are:
- DollarBead.com: This site is perfect for finding affordable options for jewelry-making supplies. You can compare it to a dollar store that is filled to the brim with tons of jewelry supplies that won’t break the bank.
- eBay.com: If you’re looking for really specific jewelry pieces that you can’t find anywhere else, then eBay is your best bet. You can find lots of unique results and even win jewelry supplies for pretty low prices if not many people are bidding on them.
- Michael’s: This store chain is filled with tons of crafty fun items for anyone looking to complete a DIY project. You can also go shop in person as there are Michael’s locations throughout the United States. You can look at and feel all of the materials before you choose to commit to them.
- Amazon: As you can expect, Amazon is filled with an endless supply of materials with both high and low-quality options available. Shopping here will definitely be budget-friendly. The website also has just about any kind of supply you might be looking for.
All of these sites will offer you beads, pliers, pendants, pearls, kits, and more!
What Is The Best Wire For Jewelry Making?
When it comes to choosing the best wire for creating your jewelry pieces, it really comes down to a few factors.
After all, jewelry wires are available in various metals, including gold, silver, and copper. When working with these wires, you can create tons of beautiful jewelry pieces such as bracelets, rings, and even necklaces.
So the type of jewelry piece you would like to make will impact the type of wire you choose to work with. In addition, the gauge, meaning the size of the wire, will also impact how easy it is to work with.
The thicker the wire, the harder it is to shape it and turn it into your own bracelet for example.
Here are some of the most popular reasons to work with each type of wire and why:
- Copper Wire: Copper wire is one of the most popular choices for jewelry designers. This is because copper is incredibly malleable. It is one of the easiest wires to manipulate the shape of. Another plus to working with copper is that the wire will not rust and lose its color as quickly as other wires. This means that the piece you create will last much longer and won’t rust over.
- Gold Wire: As you can imagine, gold wire is a popular choice for its aesthetic value. Since gold is considered a precious metal, it will be a more expensive option than other wires. It is also much more delicate than other wires, so you will want to be gentle with it. However, if you’re looking to save a bit of money on your first couple of projects, you can purchase gold-filled or gold-plated wires as they will be more affordable.
- Silver Wire: Stainless steel, or silver wire, is another great choice. Silver wire is so popular because it is strong and will last a very long time. There are lots of stainless steel wires to choose from. Some are even capable of being manipulated without the use of tools. Silver wire is usually made of good material as well, which is why it lasts so long.
What Is The Best Glue To Use In Jewelry Making?
The best kind of jewelry glue is one that will create a bond that will last a long time. This will ensure that your jewelry pieces will stand the test of time. There are several types of glue that you can choose from.
One great option is an all-purpose jewelry glue that can be applied to any surface.
This includes fabrics, metal, jewelry pieces, wood, and more. This type of glue is usually waterproof and temperature-resistant as well. Another great choice is cement glue.
This is great for gluing on finer pieces, such as small beads and other small pieces. This glue can get into small areas and will dry quickly. Finally, epoxy-resin glue is quite popular amongst jewelry designers.
The reason being is that this glue is heavy-duty, which means it will bond together gemstones, beads, and metal.
The glue also dries clear, so it won’t discolor any of your marvelous creations!
Best Jewelry Making Tool Kit For Beginners
As a beginner in piecing together jewelry, a jewelry-making tool kit is an easy way to get started.
The best kits will have all the accessories you’ll need to begin jewelry making. When it comes time to start looking into which kit to purchase, as we mentioned previously, it’s important to consider what you want to create.
Some kits come with a lot of hardware and materials that are perfect for the novice who is looking to make simple pieces.
On the other hand, other kits are perfect for those of you who are interested in creating more specialized pieces.
Some of the best kits based on what you’re looking to create include:
- Modda Deluxe Jewelry Making Kit: This kit is excellent for beginners as it allows you to make earrings and even comes with step-by-step instructions. In the kit, you’ll find tools, beads, and everything else you’ll need to create stunning earrings, bracelets, and even necklaces.
- Paxcoo Crystal Chip Beads and Jewelry Making Gemstones Kit: This is a fantastic kit if you have an affinity for crystal-inspired jewelry making. The kit comes with crystals and gem beads in 11 gorgeous colors, some pretty charms, jewelry wire, and elastic string. Jewelry artists recommend this kit as a great beginner set as it gives you the perfect amount of materials to start with that are more unique than other basic starter kits.
- Thrilez Jewelry Wire Wrapping Kit: This kit is perfect for those of you hoping to improve your wire-making skills. The kit comes complete with gold, copper, silver, dark brown, and black wire. It also comes with all the tools you’d need to work with the wire and help you finish off all of your designs.
How To Make Jewelry For Beginners: How To Start?
There are so many ways you can begin jewelry making that it can easily start to feel overwhelming.
However, you don’t have to become a jewelry-making pro as soon as you start. If you’re unsure how to start, it could be because you’re overthinking the process.
The secret behind getting started is to do just that: start! Your jewelry-making skills will only continue to improve the more that you practice.
However, if you feel you need a push to get started, there are tons of tutorial videos and articles to help get you going!
Jewelry Making Ideas For Beginners
Whether you’re looking to make jewelry for fun or for your new small business, there are lots of different projects that you can undertake.
Ideally, you’ll want to start out with projects that aren’t too difficult. The best way to find these are through different YouTube tutorials or a Beginner’s Guide article.
Easy Youtube Tutorial Video Projects Or Articles
Many resources are available online for all sorts of projects, including making wire jewelry for beginners.
Whether you learn better from reading or from visually following along to steps, there are countless ways for you to learn how to make the specific piece of jewelry you have in mind.
Some great YouTube tutorials include this one on how to work with wire and create stunning wire DIY pieces and this video on how to work on beading and create beaded jewelry.
There are also fantastic blog posts that you can visit that are continually updated with new jewelry trends, inspiration, how-to’s, and more.
Check out this amazing list of the top 100 jewelry blogs to keep on your radar in 2022.
You’ll be able to find reliable reviews from experienced jewelry makers, details on other materials you can invest in, and so much more.
As you can see, there are so many fun and unique jewelry styles that you can begin to create once you put your mind to it!
