Jewellery making anyone??

A question about : Jewellery making anyone??

Ok, I think some people on here make their own jewellery already?

I was thinking maybe we could start a thread - offering/sharing tips, advice etc?

I have been making jewellery for years now and sell in a couple of local shops and to friends. I also make things for pressies, so am happy to offer advice (not an expert by any means )

Anyone??

Best answers:

• Oh Millie, you could be about to save my life!
  I bought a tripel stranded row of freshwater pearls for Ј1.50 from a chairty shop (that's good, right?) with a view to re-threading them into 2 necklaces, for Mum & M-i-L for Xmas. Trouble is, I haven't a clue where to start!
  A lovely Moneysaver kindly sent me 2 books on the subject which have lots of lovely ideas for designs, but they seem to be geared more for lots of projects & both suggest an equipment list as long as my arm! I want to do this cheapley as possibl & am a total novice! I've never ever made any jewellery before!
  I have got some other very tiny beads to create some sort of design with the pearls , and I can get "catgut" from work (I work for a Vet, he laughed when I asked but said yes, to take as much as I want!). Can it be as easy as threading the beads onto the catgut in my chosen design then adding fastners? (Where do I get fastners BTW?)
  Thank you for starting this thread, you lovely, talanted, special person!
  Lillibet x.
• Ok to start with, get some tiger tail. This comes in different thicknesses, so get a standard thickness like 7 strand, available from Jilly beads, I can't do a direct link, but under findings- stringing materials. I'd go for the top one-This is far easiest to work with for a beginner (at least it was for me)
  Then you need something to cut the wire. I used heavy duty nail clippers as you can get a really clean, close cut- as will become clear...
  Cut a piece of wire a couple of inches longer than you require for the necklace, standard length I do is 18", but depends on neck thickness and you can add an extension chain
  Now you will need some crimp beads- also from J beads under findings - crimps and charms. I'd go for these
  Crimp Beads : silver plated : per pack
  Pack contains approximately 125 crimps.
• agh, it only posted half of my reply
  OK, take crimp bead and thread onto end of wire, then add a clasp, I use 13mm trigger ones from J beads (under findings- clasps). Then thread the end of the wire back through the crimp bead so it pokes out a bit the other side, and squash the crimp bead with some flat nosed pliers (under tools on J B). Give it a tug to check it is secure
  Then start to thread your beads, mkaing sure that the end beads cover the sticking out bit of wire.
  When you get to the other end, add another crimp bead, then a split ring, 5mm (under findings- clasps), then bend the end of the wire back, through the crimp bead and under the end beads (this may take a bit of fiddling) then squash the crimp bead as before and test it's secure
  Hope this helps I know there are quite a few bits to buy, but once you've built up a bit of a collection, you can make lovely bits for v little money
  There are other on line bead stores, but I find J beads the best. (I don't work for them btw )
  Any other qns, just ask
• Hi Millie,
  Thanks for starting this thread - I'd quite like to get into jewellery making!
  I was wondering if there are any books or tuition websites that you could recommend?
  PinkLipgloss
• Pinklipgloss.... that would all depend on what kind of jewellery you are wanting to make, there are books and tutes all over the internet, but you would need to know what you want to do.
  I do stringing, wirework and beadweaving, I know others that make glass beads and others that only work with sheet metal.
  There are a few magazines available, and another place to look is in the local library and see what it is that you fancy having a try at.
  Then you can narrow down your search and perhaps join a few of the beading/craft/jewellery making forums for further information.
  Hope this helps
• Jo_F,
  I think I'll start off simple with just stringing and then take it from there. Thanks for your advice!
• Sorry Millie, I didn't mean to high jack your thread, it caught my eye and I noticed that you weren't online at the time and that's why I answered (makes a change for me to be able to answer something!).
  didn't mean to step on toes and hope that I haven't.
  Jo
• I'm sure you haven't Jo, I think the idea for this thread is to just all muck in together with tips, advive and general showing off hehe
  I love beads, I've got way too many! I do straightforward beading, some beaded flowers, recently I've been making focal beads from Fimo. I'll take some pictures later and explain how they can be made.
  Lets have some nice pictures on here of what people have made
• I havent made anything...but would love to see/hear the ideas of everyone else!
• Hi guys
  I have just got into jewellery making. I am doing a craft fair with a frend in May. I'm really nervous about it! Anybody got any tips for a newbie?
  Also, i'm really struggling to find jewellery display stands, you know, lke busts and earring stands. I dont want to spend loads on these as i'd rather put the money towards beads. I only have half a table at this fair and need to use my space carefully. Any ideas?
  Vicks xx
• I have two small metal stands that my ex husband made me years ago, and I use these to stand cork notice boards up in, that way I can pin the earrings or necklaces to the boards.
  I also use a mug tree for bracelets, and small wicker baskets (and some plastic wicker baskets) for keyrings and things, I also have some boards that my grandma made me, they are just hardboard or chipboard, with a bit of padding/cushioning, and then covered with velvet/velour material and then she glued some braid around the edges.
  One suggestion that I have heard is to use picture frames as they come with a stand attatched.
  Try searching for jewellery displays on Ebay, I got a bracelet stand for a couple of quid once.
• If you are ever in Birmingham go to the jewellery quarter. There is a shop there called Erics and I used to buy my boxes and other display stuff there as well as buying some earrings etc to sell to supplement my own - Erics was always as cheap as chips
  Look around charity shops for beads as well as old tailors half dummies (just the top no legs) as you can use these to display necklaces etc. BTW a mug stand is good too - I have one in my bedroom and have draped all my necklaces over it (Ј1 in a charity shop).
• Thanks for the replies guys. Im watching about 6 display things on ebay already, and I bought 2 cork notice boards that i'm going to try and do something with. Good idea with the mug tree, wouldn't have thought of that!
  vicks xx
• Once you start getting into crafting (of most types!) you do start to look at everyday objects with different eyes.
  Charity shops can also be a good source of beads, as can car boot sales, especially if you look at stuff with the thought of stripping it down into components.
• How much is a decent price to pay for sprung earring wires silver plated. I was looking on ebay and saw 200 pieces (100 pairs) for Ј2.98-does this sound reasonable??? Any other suggestions for cheaper prices for these?? I have found that if you buy from websites they tend to work out more expensive because of the postage rates-am I just looking at the wrong sites??