Jewelry is a multi-million dollar industry, with a number of companies selling diamond necklaces and engagement rings in every mall in America. You can join this industry-maybe not with precious metals and jewels-but certainly by making high-fashion pieces that you can wear with pride. Jewelry making is a great craft project for any crafter, but you need the right tools and supplies to get started.

The best investment you can make if you want to begin making your own jewelry is a kit. Kits will include the tools you need to get started, like a needle-nosed pliers and clasps. It is important to realize that beads are just part of what you need in the order of supplies. You’ll also need chains for necklaces and bracelets, backings for earrings, posts to create anything that dangles, and supplies to link it all together. This can be quite pricey, so watch when your craft store has a sale on jewelry supplies and stock up with the necessities. You should also be able to buy kits that include all of these supplies.

Beads are, of course, most fun to buy when it comes to making jewelry. Beads are made from a variety of things, such as metal, glass, clay, plastic, and even wood. You can make your own beads too, if you enjoy working with polymer clay. When shopping for beads, look for a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors so that you can make a number of different designs with your jewelry.

Putting the jewelry together can be difficult without another tool-a magnifier. Using a magnifying glass probably won’t work well, since you’ll need both hands to work on the jewelry, but you can by magnifiers on headsets that you can move in and out of your line of vision as you need it, or you can use standing magnifiers to work on your projects. These magnifying tools will help your eyes stay strong and keep you from becoming too frustrated.

When you’re working with jewelry, use a flat surface so that your beads don’t roll around. You can cover anything that is too smooth with felt to prevent rolling beads as well. Jewelry ideas can come from a number of sources, and you may be surprised to find how easily you can mimic some of the top designers. You can make pieces to match every outfit you own and nobody will ever guess that you did this craft yourself!

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