For those of you that don’t know ( and if you don’t I am really surprised since it is all I have been talking about) I am going to LA next month for the Muppets Most Wanted red carpet premiere and a bunch of other events! The other day I posted on my Facebook page that I was looking for new jewelry designs to make some #DIYbling for the events and one of my friends asked “How did you get started making jewelry?” Well, she asked differently than that but you get the gist. I actually taught myself how to make jewelry by reading a lot of books and practicing. I learned before the internet was fairly common and I was completely old school. However, if you are thinking about making jewelry right now you are very lucky! There are a lot of videos, tutorials and how-tos everywhere on the internet. You don’t have to almost pull yourself bald headed like I did. You have everything to get started jewelry making at your fingertips. YAY You!

But sometimes scouring the internet trying to find the best posts, videos, etc is difficult. Plus it takes hours of surfing. So I decided to put some of my favorite resources all in one spot. You may remember I did another DIY jewelry post many months ago, but I am going to expand on that, add more tips and include videos, so you can get started right away! Again, YAY you!

Some Super Awesome Making Jewelry Tips You Need To Know Before You Start!

1. Buy a good jewelry tool starter set. You can get one from Michaels, JoAnne’s or any other supply store. Do not buy a cheap set because if you find that you love making jewelry you will end up buying a new set. If you find you don’t you may want to sell your tools and recoup some of your money. Better tools are easier to sell. If you don’t want to spend a fortune try eBay. I got my set from there and only spent 50% of what they cost retail.
2. Before you get started learn everything you can about your materials. What is the difference between acrylic and glass beads? How flexible does my wire need to be for my project? How strong does my wire need to be for the beads I chose? Heavy beads need heavy wire, learn the gauges. If you are going to be seed beading learn about the different needles, threads and other supplies you will need. I bought a few different needles when I was starting out because I needed to know which one I was most comfortable with. My favorite is the Beadalon Collapsible Big Eye Needles. They are super easy to thread and you can put a lot of beads on at one time. Those seed beads are hard to pick up, so being able to string them on the needle like that really helps.
3. Practice, practice, practice! Buy cheap supplies such as head pins, crimp beads, thread, etc to practice with. Keep working until you get the technique done and you are happy with the results. Also, don’t give up. It took me forever to learn how to make a loop on a head pin and wrap the wire straight. My hands didn’t want to move like that, lol. But after time they got better. However, again YAY you!, there are supplies out there that help you do it in one or two steps. There are links below!
4. Make sure you have all the supplies you need. Wire, crimp beads, closures, tools, glue, and anything else you need for your project. There is nothing worse than starting a project only to find that you don’t have everything you need.
5. Invest in a couple of things. A beading board is great for sizing and keeping up with your supplies. You can get those for under 10.00 at Wal Mart. Also, get something to display your jewelry on if you are going to take pics. It looks a lot nicer than just laying it on the table. Also, it shows others how it will set on their body. This is extremely important if you want to sell the piece.
6. Everyone wants to make money but please remember that you and bout 35,000 other people are trying to sell their jewelry. Don’t be upset if you don’t sell anything. You would be better trying at a local craft fair or flea market.
7. If you are wanting to do seed bead projects use delicas beads for them. They are a little more expensive but set better. They are all the same size so they lock with each other well. Also, you can make patterns out of any image so you may want to invest in pattern maker software.
8. Don’t limit yourself. There are so many options out there besides the normal jewelry. You can make photo jewelry, dog tags, cameos, etc.

Making Jewelry Videos

This very short video will show you the tools you need and what they are used for

This is a great video that shows you the different findings you will need, why you need them and other tips!

This is going to be something you will use quite often. So it is best to get the technique down and perfected!

This is the best video I could find to show you crimping. Crimping is used to start and finish string bracelets and necklaces. Even some earring designs use them.

How to Make Hoop Earrings

Just a tip, she is using memory wire. You can get it at Michaels or Walmart!

Another great video for simple earrings!

Floating necklaces are a favorite of mine and super easy to make. Crimping pliers are not very talked about but an essential item for your tool kit! You can get one at Michaels or Amazon!

Looking for a quick projects for gifts? Or maybe to sell at a bazaar or fundraiser? Try stretch bracelets. They are super easy to make and take very little time!

This necklace is simply stunning and easy to make! Plus it won’t take a lot of time and is a great beginner project!

You can find supplies on the internet or you can go to Walmart, JoAnnes or Michaels. I also suggest buying a Beading/Jewelry Making 101 book. It is an amazing reference to have and you can keep it beside you while you are working. You can find more projects at the following links:

I have made this one several times using different focal beads. It is an easy project for beginners and even advanced jewelry artists that just want a quick and easy project.
http://www.firemountaingems.com/galleryofdesigns/jewelry_design_gallery.asp?docid=6399&doccat=simple+projectsfollow

I make all my Moms earrings. I get ideas from here because she loves chandelier earrings. Also, look around the site and the pictures. You may find designs you want to try using different beads and findings.
http://www.rings-things.com/projects/68002-46.htmlfollow

I really love Better Homes and Gardens. They have some lovely jewelry ideas. I suggest the jewelry ideas that use recycled items. I do that a lot. I find vintage or old jewelry at thrift stores and yard sales then pull them apart and recycle them into something completely different. It is so much fun designing something from scratch using something that someone else wore. I always think about the person that may have worn the original piece. Who they were, how they got it and what occasions did they wear it for J
http://www.bhg.com/crafts/beads/jewelry/follow

This favorite jewelry magazine. The creations in this are so original and I enjoy trying some of their projects. I love their site too and get a lot of ideas from it.
http://art.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/follow

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