There are so many reasons you might want to start making your own jewellery; but whether that’s because you want to start your own business, or you’re just looking for a new hobby, everyone has to start somewhere! If you’re looking to get into the addictive world of jewellery making, it can be tricky to know where to begin, especially if you’ve never done anything like it before.
To help you out, Inscripture take a look at how you can learn the ropes and the best way to get started. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your jewellery making journey in no time.
Table of Contents
Learn The Ropes
Firstly, you need to learn the ropes – and there are a number of ways you can do this. Books and magazines can be a great way to get started as they’ll help you to learn the basic techniques. There are a range of dedicated publications out there that release weekly or monthly magazines teaching you how to make jewellery, and these can be for a range of materials including metal, beads or clay.
You could also find a local class to attend. If you’re unsure of any that are taking place, look online to find the nearest classes to you. There are even dedicated schools such as London Jewellery School where you can learn about the art of jewellery making. That said, it’s probably worth starting smaller until you really get to grips with the basics, so start by taking a beginner’s class around your local area.
What’s more, thanks to the wonders of the internet you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your sofa to begin learning about jewellery making! A quick internet search for ‘how to make jewellery’ will throw up thousands of results, but most helpfully you’ll be able to find a number of videos and tutorials online, particularly on YouTube. These will help to show you the basics so you can begin practicing at home.
Buy The Right Tools
Next on your to-do list should be investing in the right tools. No one can do a job properly without the correct equipment, so find out from your classes, tutorials or magazines what tools you’ll need to get you started. If you’re serious about jewellery making, then it’s a good idea to spend that bit extra and ensure that you have the best tools available to you.
Master The Basics
While there are a number of different practices and materials when making jewellery, there are some basic skills that you can apply to almost everything you do. As such, it’s a good idea to get to grips with these basic skills first. These could be skills such as closing a jump ring, to making wire loops, and you can learn these by using some of the techniques we discussed above, either attending a class or looking for online tutorials.
Set Yourself Up A Dedicated Workspace
The best way to keep everything together and allow yourself time and space to be creative, is to set aside a dedicated area for making your jewellery. The size of this will vary depending on the space you have available to you. Perhaps you have an unused office or spare room, if not the garage can be a great place to work. Alternatively, if you’re not blessed for space you can set yourself up a table or desk in the kitchen, living room or even your bedroom, where you can sit down and create beautiful jewellery.
Stock Up On Materials
Now you’ve got a workspace to store your stuff, you need to make sure you actually have materials to store. Before jumping on Amazon and ordering in bulk, it can be a better idea to visit your local craft shop and see what’s available. This not only helps to supports a smaller business, but it means you can buy a few samples and materials and play around with these before buying too many. Otherwise you risk buying a huge amount of something you might find you don’t actually need or want anymore.
Start Simple
When you actually begin producing jewellery it’s best to start simple. Don’t try to go straight in with anything too intricate or fiddly. Now you have a good grasp of the basic skills needed, put these to good use by making simple pieces. This will help you to get your practice in. As you get better, you can move on to more tricky designs.
Look For Inspiration Everywhere
As you begin progressing, you’ll want to move away from the simpler pieces. You can find inspiration for your jewellery in so many places, for example, online searches will throw up thousands of results. You could even put together a Pinterest board of jewellery that you love. You should also get off the internet and go into the shops! Next time you’re walking down the highstreet check out what your favourite brands are up to and any new jewellery they have on sale. All of this will give you inspiration for your own pieces.
Don’t Let Your Mistakes Slow You Down
Remember that as with anything, making jewellery will have its learning curves and you can’t expect to be instantly amazing at it (lucky you if you are, but don’t expect it!). It’s OK to make mistakes or find that some materials really don’t work for you, it’s about trial and error until you perfect your own style. So, don’t be disheartened by any mistakes you make or pieces you don’t like all that much. Learn from these and move.
Enjoy What You’re Doing
Finally, you need to enjoy what you’re doing, whether you’re doing it for business or simply for pleasure, otherwise what’s the point! Don’t rush yourself when you’re making your jewellery, this not only means you’ll make better pieces but means you can fully take in the experience and really enjoy what you’re doing. Not to mention you’ll feel a great sense of pride and achievement when you’re wearing your handmade accessories – even better when someone else is wearing them!
