Anyone can start making their own jewelry—you just need to know where to start. Whether you’re interested in learning jewelry making as a hobby or want to pursue it as a career or a side hustle, you need to have the right tools to succeed. Here is a quick list of what you need to start in the jewelry-making field.
Choose Your Type of Jewelry
Jewelry making can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be. Some jewelry makers start by creating simple bracelets and necklace designs with string and beads that you can find at your local craft store. Other artisans take this a step further by using wire and precious stones to create higher-level and more expensive jewelry pieces. Depending on your skill level and experience with jewelry making, you will encounter lots of varied materials and styles of jewelry. Find the pieces that inspire you most and pursue creating them.
Smelting Equipment
If you’re looking to pursue jewelry making as more than a hobby, you may want to invest in some smelting equipment. These tools will help you melt down precious metals such as gold, copper, silver, and more and create beautiful decorative pieces and jewelry. Some common pieces of smelting equipment to use could include a crucible, furnace, jewelry molds, and hammering equipment. For example, blacksmiths and jewelry smiths use smelted copper and other shiny metals to create dazzling custom pieces.
Organization Tools
No matter what type of jewelry you want to create, staying organized will save you many headaches along the way. Tiny beads, crystals, and gemstones will easily disappear into small corners of your home or workshop. Utilize storage containers and sorting drawers to easily store and categorize your jewelry materials and supplies. Keeping your materials sorted can also help you be more productive, which will be especially helpful when creating products to sell.
Making your own jewelry for yourself, friends, or customers is an incredibly rewarding experience. If you’re interested in becoming a jewelry maker, just remember these tips for what you need to begin, and you’ll be on your way to creating your own pieces.
