Jewelry Making For Beginners, Part 2

This week I’m going to show you how to make a pair of simple earrings.

I don’t usually make a tutorial video since I’m little shy to talk in English partial reason for that is that I’ve heard critics about my pronouncing from teachers and later in my life so I usually leave English talking to my friend.

So for this simple earring project you will need following:

• Beads (any size, colors and material you like to use or have). In the video I used 8 mm beads which I actually forgot to tell you 😱
• Pair of earring hook (I used silver plated ones but you can use any earring hooks that you get)
• Seed beads, size 8/0 (I used in the video Czech glass seed beads which are good seed beads since they are usually same size and you don’t need to try and fit to see if they work for your project)
• 5 cm / 2 inch long head pins (I noticed that I was so nervous while we filmed the video that I talked of eye pins while I was meant to say head pins 😱)
• Round nose plier
• Cutter plier
• Flat nose plier

Steps:

• Take the head pin and slide firstly one seed bead
• Slide one wooden bead
• Slide one seed bead
• Slide one Czech glass bead
• Slide one seed bead
• Slide one wooden bead
• Slide one seed bead

Cut the extra head pin if needed and make the loop. I don’t actually know what is so called right way to do a loop with round nose plier so that’s why I make it in the video like I usually like to do a loop. It can be firstly be hard to estimate how much you will need to cut the head pins but your eyes will get used it after you make more of jewelry. I would recommend to cut little bit off from the head pin so you start to bend the head pin as a loop and if there seems to be extra or the loop is going to be too big for your taste, just cut off some more of the head pin until you reach the loop size you’re pleased with.

You can watch the video below, hopefully I explained everything clearly although I was so nervous 😬 

Thank you for watching, reading my blog and happy crafting!

~ Minna 

Jewelry Making For Beginners, Part 1

I got an idea to write jewelry making for beginners serie since I bet some of my readers would love to know what tools and materials they will need if they start to make own jewelry.

Many consider jewelry making as a fun hobby which can bring you some extra money too if you like to make them for sale. Otherwise, jewelry making is relaxing hobby and you only need few tools as starting. I have make my own jewelry past 37 years but not consistently all the time. When I opened my first Etsy shop in 2012 I started to make my own jewelry for sale and more consistently. Jewelry making skills will improve only by making jewelry and those people who enjoys to make something with their hand would most likely love to make their own jewelry. Jewelry making is creative and there isn’t right or wrong way to make jewelry. Best part is lots of experimenting and constant learning new techniques.

So today I will write about those few jewelry tools that you will need before starting to make your own jewelry.

Best tools are ergonomic friendly for your hand so I’m recommending to buy tools that have long grip. My first tools were mini size and they worked fine but my hand tired a lot when I made many jewelry per day or bending those eye pins for earrings.

Best tools I’ve bought are BeadSmith tools that have lasted for years now and they are good quality pliers. Plus their price isn’t so high. 

Chain nose pliers

Chain nose pliers are good plier to hold any jewelry, good pair with flat nose plier to open and close jump rings. This plier is also good help for adjusting jump rings since sometimes jump ring’s ends may not meet together and you need to adjust it little bit. Chain nose pliers are also good for bending wires and I use this plier to grip chain link if I need specific chain length. Many jewelry makers just cut chains but I don’t like to waist anything so I preferably use chains that have openable links.

These pliers have narrow tip, inside the pliers are smooth which doesn’t scratch jewelry parts. Beadsmith pliers have spring that returns pliers open after being pressed. Pliers stay new no matter how many times you use them. Pliers have long ergonomic grip that makes these pliers comfortable to use.

Flat nose pliers

Flat nose pliers have little wider tip than chain nose pliers and this plier is good for holding any jewelry piece, open and close jump rings. I’ve used this plier also for straightening the wire if I needed to straighten it just a little bit. Also sometimes the jump ring may not go evenly close so I have used this pliers for adjusting the jump ring ends so that they will go nicely together.

These pliers have are smooth inside so they will not scratch any jewelry parts. These pliers have spring too which returns the plier in its original position after you have pressed. Long grip makes these pliers hand friendly and comfortable to use if you make a lot of jewelry.

Round nose pliers

Round nose pliers have round tips and this plier is good for bending any loop for your jewelry. This plier have smooth surface which doesn’t scratch your jewelry piece. I’ve also used this plier to forming back jump rings that sometimes has lost their shape. 

Round nose pliers have spring too which returns the plier in its original position after press. Long grip gives good hold any jewelry or wire that you need to bend. Long grip are ergonomic and hand friendly to use.

Cutter pliers

I bought my cutter plier from hardware store where I got it reasonably price. It will not cut memory wire since it’s most hardest wire to cut. There are available memory wire cutter plier but haven’t try them since I don’t make much memory wire jewelry. Other wires this cutter cuts well and I’m happy with narrow tips which allows me cut any wire or jewelry pins exactly where I wanted.

My cutter plier actually belong electricity tools but have worked well also for jewelry making. 

With these four tools you can start to make your own jewelry. There are lots of places where you can buy the pliers. I would highly recommend long grip pliers for home and if you need to take your jewelry making supplies with you let’s say car trip or sale events, short grip tools are fine for that. 

Finnish places to buy jewelry pliers:

Helmikauppa 

Adlibris

Helmimaailma
Motonet 
Prisma
Kärkkäinen
Lekolar

Worldwide places to buy jewelry pliers:

Amazon
BeeBeeCraft
Jewelry Tools
Alexnld
eBay
RioGrange
PandaHall

I only mentioned few places since I don´t know all the places where you can buy jewelry tools. Even good grocery store may have some jewelry pliers or local bookstore. Nowadays, there are many places where you can find the pliers and I would recommend that you go to see your first pliers in person so you can see and feel it in your hand.

I hope this blog post help you get started with jewelry making and feel free to leave your favorite jewelry supply shop link in the comment box.

~ Minna