Make It Your Unique Jewelry

Learn to make your own jewelry as a hobby and you just may end up with a side business. There are many different types of jewelry to make such as beading, metal casting, art clay molding, and chain mail. These make not only unique items for you but how about giving them as gifts that anyone would love to receive? A beaded necklace or sterling silver ring is perfect for sentimental gifts.

The easiest type of jewelry to make would be in the form of beading. Purchase the beads and findings and tools in the many bead shops you can find locally. You can as well find these shops online and have the items delivered via post. You can find many patterns and instructions online and learn how to do it on your own or thru books. There are many books available for instruction. Aligned with beading is the art of wirework where wire is wrapped around beads or other elements to form unique designs. Both can be combined together to form one piece.
Metal casting and smith is the real techniques behind jewelry making, involving heating metal in kilns and crucibles, pouring it into molds and then cooling it down before the design is transformed. This can take many years of training and studying before you can design and would take a huge investment in the purchase of tools and material.

Art clay is a newest form of jewelry making. Originating in Japan, it is way to create sterling silver jewelry without the many years of studies or the purchase of expensive equipment. Heating is via oven or torch. Art clay is a substance made of metallic dust mixed into a clay-like substance that is then burned off leaving beautiful metal in its place. There is a definite shrinkage in the item so that is calculated into the design. This clay can be worked much like sculpture or it can be molded. There are many different types of art clay available for different particular uses.

Interlocking metal rings into a pattern creates chain mail. This is predominately a male type of jewelry making as it was used historically to create armor in the deflection of weapons. Now, it is used in accessories or jewelry and in period costuming for the theatre. You can find this craft also in the many historical festivals and fairs.