How to Make Your Own Jewelry Kit
A craft store, or department store with a craft department, will have everything you need to make a nice kit. First you’ll need beads – choose a nice selection of various sizes, shapes, colors, and types. Some beads are plastic and look very cheap but make a good starter kit. Other beads are more expensive but will be very impressive to a teen. You may also want to pick up some metal trinkets, such as a small cross, fish, butterfly or other ornaments to use for earrings.
After selecting the beads look in the craft department for jewelry hardware. Earring wires, earring studs, clasps and other hardware is sold in small packets containing many. One pack of earring wires, for example, will usually make 25 pair of earrings. There’s a large variety of different hardware such as pin backs, metal necklace wire and other selections.
Try to purchase one pack of pin backs (there are two or three different types), a pack of earring wires (or post earring hardware), a pack of necklace/bracelet wire and a pack of clasps. If the girl will be making key rings as well, purchase a pack of gold or silver-tone key rings. In addition, purchase some elastic thread in gold and in silver to make stretch necklaces, chokers, bracelets and ankle bracelets. Also in the craft department you’ll find tinsel sticks which look like pipe cleaners but are gold or silver tinsel. These are helpful when making pins and key rings.
Then head over to the bait and tackle department and get a small spool of fishing twine. The fishing twine is virtually invisible when you place beads on it and is easy to work with. Since it’s less expensive and more pliable than necklace wire it allows the girl even more jewelry-making options.
Take inventory to make sure you have everything you need:
Earrings – wires or studs and beads
Necklaces – wire, fishing twine, beads, clasps, elastic thread
Bracelets – wire – fishing twine, beads, clasps, elastic thread
Pins – pin backs, beads, tinsel sticks
Key rings – rings, beads, tinsel sticks
After you’ve collected everything needed to make jewelry you’ll still need to have jewelry-making instructions. You can find lots of jewelry-making patterns and ideas online to print out and insert in the kit, or you can borrow some of the following patterns:
Necklaces & Bracelets:
There are several different ways to make necklaces, bracelets and anklets. One of the easiest ways is to use the stretch cord. String beads in any pattern then tie a knot, tie it once again. Put a tiny dot of hot glue onto the knot then slide the knot into one of the beads to conceal it.
Another way is to use the necklace wire. Attach the clasp to one end, using needle-nose pliers to twist the wire tightly and secure the clasp. Now string the beads in the desired pattern and attach the last clasp.
One other way is to use the fishing twine instead of wire. Follow the wire necklace instructions but use the twine in place of the wire.
Earrings: Thread a piece of the fishing twine through the loop on the wire hardware. Bring both ends of the twine together and thread beads onto them. Put a dot of hot glue into the hole of the last bead to secure it.
Post earrings: Use one large bead or a trinket and hot glue it onto the earring post. Or, arrange small beads in a pattern on the table, put a drop of hot glue onto the post earring, then place glue side down, onto the arrangement of beads.
Pins – Use tinsel sticks to make the shape you want (candy cane, cross, etc.). Thread beads onto the tinsel stick then glue the pin back onto the design.
Key rings – Use the tinsel stick to make a pattern, then bead. Or, use the fishing twine to make a design. Now thread the ring onto a loop in the twine or tinsel stick.
