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Home Jewellery Making for Fun and Profit
Jewellery has been
worn from as far back as we have records. It was even
worn before clothing. Primitive people made jewellery
from feathers, wood, stones, shells berries, bones and
teeth. In Pharaoh’s day, gold was the main medium.
Not only was it soft and easy to shape into a variety
of designs, but it lasted a lifetime too. Over the years,
many craftsmen have earned a living from making jewellery.
Many people find making jewellery as
a hobby one of the most satisfying occupations of all.
You can choose your own design, colour and materials
and finish up with a unique piece for yourself or your
friends. All you need is a steady hand, a good eye and
plenty of patience – and a few trusty tools. So
how do you start?
It depends on the kind of jewellery
you want to make. It can be as simple as threading beads
onto a nylon thread, or taking classes to learn something
a little different, like wire wrap jewellery.
Basically, wire wrap jewellery –
as its name suggests – involves using certain tools
to bind and twist wires together into a chosen design.
The tools needed are all relatively cheap and readily
available. They are…
· Pliers of various kinds, eg,
bent nose, flat nose round nose, etc.
· Wire cutters.
· Ring mandrel.
· Pin vise.
· Swiss pattern file.
· A scale.
The wire itself comes in a variety of
shapes, eg round, square, triangle and many more. It
is made of brass, copper, fine or sterling silver, gold
or gold filled with brass. Different gauges are available,
from thick (8 gauge) to thin (26 gauge). Copper wire
is so soft it is one of the best for beginners to use.
It can be coated with transparent acrylic to prevent
discoloring. Once your skill has increased you could
try using what is called gold filled wire. This is not
wire filled with gold, as the name seems to suggest.
It consists of gold tubing filled with a base metal,
usually jeweller’s brass, and is available in many
gauges, shapes and patterns. There is also a choice
of three colors; white, yellow and rose gold. It is
so durable it will last a lifetime. In fact, 17th century
jewellery made from gold filled wire has been passed
down through the generations and still exists in good
condition today.
Special care needs to be taken to avoid
scratching gold filled wire because it is so soft. You
must carefully file down all the sharp edges and corners
of your pliers – not too much, but just enough
to round them off slightly. Keep the finished jewellery
in a cotton padded box so it is not damaged by other
pieces.
The basic techniques in making wire
wrap jewellery include twisting, wrapping, crimping,
scrolling and shaping. These skills are easy to learn
and the turnaround time for each piece is short. Design
variations are endless as all kinds of gemstones can
be incorporated. It is the ideal jewellery to make at
home because you don’t need complicated machinery,
fire or chemicals. Once you have become skilled at creating
wire wrap jewellery, you might even find a ready market
for it.
1howto.com
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