| Jewelry making is an ideal way to start earning a | | | | one pair, get memory wire shears. These are |
| little extra money from home. You don't need to | | | | designed to make clean cuts on tough memory |
| spend a lot to get going. Initially your circle of | | | | wire, so can also be used for softer wires. |
| friends will be your customers. Your friends will tell | | | | 2. Chain-nose pliers (sometimes called needle-nose |
| their friends, who will tell their friends, and so on | | | | pliers) - Very versatile for picking up and grasping |
| and so on. | | | | small items, bending eye pins, closing jumps rings, |
| Though you may start with a kit or two for the | | | | even closing crimp beads. |
| learning experience, you can't rely on kits if you | | | | 3. Round-nose pliers - Used for creating loops on |
| want to make money selling your work. People | | | | beaded head and eye pins. Can also be used for |
| will pay more for one-of-a-kind pieces. Plus, the | | | | winding your own jump rings and as the second |
| mark-up on kits is quite high because another | | | | pliers you'll need for closing jump rings. |
| artist has done the design work for you. In other | | | | 4. Optional pliers - Wire-looping pliers which have |
| words, you can both charge more and keep your | | | | several graduated circumferences to allow you to |
| costs lower if you design your work yourself. This | | | | form perfectly uniform jump rings and loops (in |
| is how to maximize your profit. | | | | place of the round-nose pliers mentioned above). |
| A good place to start is by flipping through | | | | Crimping pliers which have little notches to allow |
| magazines and catalogues. Clip jewelry photos | | | | you to both flatten a crimp bead and then bend it |
| that appeal to you, along with price information if | | | | to form a rounded finished look (instead of the |
| available. Get a notebook and fill it with the | | | | flat crimp you get using the chain-nose pliers). |
| pictures. | | | | As for materials, I recommend some assortment |
| You're not going to copy them. This is just to | | | | packs of beads in coordinating colors, some |
| give you ideas and get your creative juices | | | | decorative metal spacers, seed beads in both |
| flowing. The pictures will also come in handy when | | | | silver and gold (These can serve as spacers and |
| you can't quite figure out how to do something | | | | beautifully set off your other beads.), tube-shaped |
| you have in mind - kind of like your own illustrated | | | | crimp beads (Buy the best you can find - these |
| how-to book. | | | | are what hold it all together!), head and eye pins. |
| There are two easy to learn jewelry making | | | | Other than that, let your choice of project be |
| methods to consider: beading and wire sculpting, | | | | your guide. You might want some silver or |
| also know as wire wrapping. | | | | pewter charms. For earrings, you would need ear |
| Beading requires little skill other than a good sense | | | | posts or wires or clip-on bases. For bracelets, you |
| of design and the materials are inexpensive. | | | | need memory wire or stretchy cord or beading |
| Wire sculpting or wire wrapping is not that much | | | | wire and clasps. For necklaces, memory wire or |
| harder to learn, but since you are dealing with | | | | beading wire, clasps and perhaps pendants. |
| gold, silver and genuine gemstones, the materials | | | | A bead board is a good idea too. Its ruled tracks |
| cost a bit more. But the markup is much higher. | | | | help you measure and lay out designs for |
| Tools and Materials | | | | bracelets and necklaces; as well as to corral the |
| Here's a list of tools you will need to start: | | | | beads you are working with at a given time. |
| 1. Jewelers' wire cutters - If you can only afford | | | | |