This artice was written by:By Alexandra Heep, A great artice for beginners and a review for the rest of season jewelry makers.
The Plan
When it comes to making jewelry, beginners should be aware of a few things. Everything of course begins with a plan and the proper materials. The plan needs to consider what type of jewelry you will be making (wire, beaded, necklaces, bracelets, etc), and then you find a quality source for those materials.
Sources
To find sources, you can ask established artists whose work you admire where they get their supplies from and what techniques they use. Most areas have local craft stores that will sell supplies to get you started. However, keep in mind that those places cater to the masses and if you want to make something more unique you are more likely to find those supplies online.
Deciding What to Make
Assuming you have already gathered the materials, now what? Before you start a piece of jewelry, ask yourself if it is an item you want to wear, or if you want to give it as a gift or sell it. If you want to sell jewelry or give it as gifts, it's probably better to finish a few pieces, so you can get used to different techniques and practice implementing ideas with your hands.
Decide on a color scheme and the size of the item. What is the item supposed to say? Is it supposed to be bold or dainty? How long is the item supposed to be? Also, many people are inspired by seasons or holidays and pick their color schemes around those events. Don't use too many colors, but don't go all monochrome either as the item will be lost on clothing. Plan to incorporate accents and spacers in silver, gold or of neutral or clear colors in your design.
In the case of bracelets and necklaces you will also need to decide what kind of clasp you want to use. Make sure you know how to affix the clasp and that you have the materials on hand to connect the clasps.
It's probably best if you don't combine too many different materials, sizes of beads etc at first. If you use a stringing technique, always start out with extra material. For example if you are making a necklace that is supposed to be 20 inches long, start with about 30 inches of wire, cord or whatever you are using. This allows for ease of stringing, as well as working with the final clasp.
Laying out your Materials
If you are making beaded jewelry, it's best if you lay out your beads first. For necklaces, start with the focal piece (pendant), and then work in a matching pattern to each side of the pendant. A bead board will be a great tool to assist with your layout. Also remember the smaller the beads the harder they will be to handle. Make sure the holes of the beads are large enough to accommodate your wire or stringing material.
Some people like to make jewelry with asymmetrical looks (having assorted individual pieces go all the way around). In that case it's a good idea to have them of somewhat equal weight or size because in the case of necklaces they will not stay centered on your neck if you don't balance the weight. This means you may find yourself constantly tugging and rotating it to keep the clasp in the back.
For earrings, it's simpler but you will need to match up your stones or individual pieces really well to make sure each earring looks as identical to its mate as possible.
If you are connecting links to make chains, it's a good idea to lay out your individual links beforehand. Even if you are assembling a linked chain without a pendant, it's easier if you work from the center up each side towards the back where the clasps will go.
Final Thought
Once you are ready for the actual assembly of your piece, make sure you are in an area where you will not be disturbed. Many people can work with distractions, but in the beginning it's best if you set time aside where you know you won't be bothered with phone calls or kids bursting in.
Don't worry if your first piece does not turn out like you wanted. You will find that each piece will get easier to complete as your hands get used to crafting. Practice does make perfect and what matters is that you enjoy what you do.
