Supplies Tips for New Jewellery Crafters

Hi I'm Anne-Marie from byAMOR. Starting out in handmade jewellery can be expensive. If, like me, you’re hell bent on working things out for yourself, the road ahead is fraught with costly pitfalls. These learnings from my mishaps may help those of you branching into the craft.
There is a confusing plethora of helper tools to make your beading, knotting, coiling, and wrapping life easier. But you only need a few basics to start. The must-have pliers are a round nose and a chain nose or flat nose. These are an extension of my own fingers. Flat, nylon jaw pliers are handy for re-straightening bent wire. A side cutter will snip a neat edge on wire and string. If using memory wire though, get a stronger pliers designed for it.
If I’d invested in a course at the outset, I’d have saved myself a fortune in supplies, not to mention clumps of hair torn out with frustration! I managed basic wirework, but tying flush knots in beading string can be tricky. Ultra fine tweezers didn’t help much and I never did work out the magical bead knotter I’d splashed out on. I threw more dosh at crimpers for crushing crimps on tigertail. I felt more crushed than the crimps, and defeated, signed up for a class.
So I learned to crimp and cover using the boring old flat nose pliers, but also discovered I didn’t need the bent nose pliers, the super coiling pliers or other gizmos I’d squandered on. Master the basic tools and skills and you can go on to develop a wide range of techniques by yourself. The only other tools I now use regularly are a hammer and anvil for hardening wirework, a metal file and a ring mandrel. The ‘wonder’ tools lie sadly redundant.
Though I recommend attending a few basic workshops, you’ll find plenty of free tutorials on the internet. I learned to wrap briolettes via You-tube.


If experimenting with wire, start out with plated craft wire, popular for costume jewellery. Leave precious metals until you are confident. Silver filled or gold filled wire is a cost-effective step between craft and solid silver wire.
The lower the gauge number (ga), the stiffer the wire. 22ga and 24ga wire are pliable and good for learning. 28ga and 26ga are very fine for wrapping small briolettes with tiny holes. 20ga (aka .8mm) is ideal for wrapping cabochons, rings and a host of other goodies. Get used to these before moving onto the tougher, 18ga for stiff wrapping or findings. Square wire will lie flatter, but round is easier to manipulate. Keep all your cut-offs and scraps that are an inch or two long and use them for forming links and charms.
Stave off tarnish by storing metals in airtight plastic lunch boxes (new), sealable lunch baggies and recycled vitamin capsule containers.Overspending on delectable beads and stones is tempting. You can refashion old or broken jewellery or repurpose everyday items like buttons, nuts and bolts or whatever inspires you. I love Magpie and Button’s creations. http://www.etsy.com/shop/magpieandbutton.
If internet shopping, focus on bead sizes. 2mm beads may look huge in the macro photos but are really micro-sized. The most commonly used round beads are from 6mm to 10mm. Strands of teardrops and pendant discs are more economical than buying singly or in pairs. Some suppliers will willingly sell you half a strand if you can’t afford a full one. I also find it cheaper and more reliable, to buy chain by the foot and attach clasps securely myself.
Don’t be lured by too-good-to-be-true internet deals on gems and pearls unless you know what you are purchasing and its real worth. Read up on trade names and fake gemstones; http://jewelry.about.com/od/birthstonefactsandfolklore/a/fake_gems.htm. Both http://www.firemountaingems.com/ and http://www.rings-things.com/ give information on their natural, man-made and enhanced stones. They also have free tutorials, bead size guides and other useful information.
There are heaps of decent suppliers with reasonable prices on Etsy and many shops have a de-stash section. I am currently having fun wrapping sea glass collected by http://www.etsy.com/shop/irisoconnor. Having snipped all excess buttons off my clothes for custom-made rings, I’ve nabbed some colourful ones from http://www.etsy.com/shop/NicedaySupplies.
Now, anyone want to buy a magical, nearly-new bead knotter....??