In this detailed introduction to jewelry-making, you'll learn one of the most fundamental cold-connection techniques that will allow you to make beaded earrings and pendants without needing to understand metalsmithing or invest in heat tools for soldering. Everything for this class can be purchased in any craft store that sells beading supplies. While the end project is a pair of earrings or a simple pendant, the technique that you learn will serve as the stepping stone to more complicated pieces. Mastering this technique gives you a solid foundation, and no experience is necessary. I'll walk you through every step.

I cover my top three jewelry-making tools (plus my favorite bonus tool) and I'll explain why I prefer these tools to other tools.

In addition to learning to make wire-wrapped loops on headpins, you'll learn the proper way to open and close jump rings (along with what jump rings are) and you will learn how to attach ear wires. We'll cover considerations in choosing beads, and I'll teach you what to look out for when making jewelry.

Supplies Needed

Note about supplies: I cannot vouch for the quality of the supplies I am linking online because I buy my supplies in person. Be sure to read the reviews before making a purchase.

Tools:

Round Nose Jewelry Pliers, Chain Nose (aka Flat Nose) Jewelry Pliers, Flush Cutters or Wire Cutters (Flush Cutters are better.) Links below.

Optional: Bent Nose Pliers can stand in for Flat Nose aka Chain Nose Pliers

Note about tools: These must be jewelry making tools, not hardware store tools. Most craft stores and big box stores with craft sections sell these tools. Here are some links to tools on Amazon and Michaels.com. I am not an affiliate and these are not sponsored - I simply want to make it easier for you to find the right thing.

Set of 3 - Round & Flat Nose Pliers plus Flush Cutters - Amazon

Round Nose Pliers Amazon Round Nose Pliers Michaels

Flat/Chain Nose Pliers Amazon Flat/Chain Nose Pliers Michaels

Flush Cutters Amazon- These are the exact ones I have Flush Cutters are not currently available on Michaels' website, or apparently in store either.

Optional but great to have: Bent Nose Pliers Amazon Bent Nose Pliers Michaels

Beads: I don't recommend buying your first beads online though I realize if you are taking this class during COVID that you may want to do so. It can be difficult to get a sense of the size of the beads unless you can handle them. But since at the time of this post, we are still in a pandemic, I recommend firemountaingems.com and caravanbeads.com for buying beads online. For the earrings I make in the class, I mostly used 3-4 mm faceted Czech glass beads or 4-5 mm gemstones - you want round or oval, not briolettes or specialty shapes. Start simple. Here are some faceted Czech beads on Amazon. And here are some more. If you have a local bead store, and can do so safely, visit a bead store after you watch the videos so you can both see what appeals to you and you can always screenshot any of the beads I use if you need help from your bead store in picking out beads. Another option is to visit your jewelry box and see if you have any old or broken jewelry that you can harvest and repurpose beads from.

Findings:

As you buy findings, remember to check the color or finish if you care about matching your metals.

Head or ball pins (not sewing pins!) and you may be tempted to buy eye pins but after you take this class you won't ever need them. 3" Head Pins Amazon Ball Pins Amazon 2" Headpins Michaels 2" Ballpins Michaels 3" Headpins Michaels

Ear wires - any types of "fishhook" style ear wires that you like. Click here for an example.

Jump Rings - 10mm Jump Rings on Amazon

Optional: 7mm Oval Jump Rings (in case you want to make pendants from the multi-beaded components. You could use any jump rings for this but I explain why I like the oval ones in the class. I can't seem to find this type of jump ring on Amazon. After you watch the class, you can decide if you like the newer style "oval" jump rings that they have on Amazon.

Sam Boswell

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