Handcrafted Jewelry - Design Jewelry Ideas

Handmade jewelry design ideas

If you wish to own a beautiful brooch, necklace or bracelet, why not try to make it yourself with handcrafted jewelry. You do not have to be a goldsmith or silversmith to produce an exquisite fashionable accessory and there are lots of materials to choose from for your design. The handmade beaded necklace (as shown below) is made from small glass beads in a free unstructured style. Matching earrings were also made to compliment this piece. The other pieces pictured are a torque (torq or torc) and a small enameled cupcake broach.

Torc design jewelry

The pictured torc is made from silver plated copper although a traditional torque is made with stranded metals which are twisted together. The torque is always open ended, but often the ends are intricately decorated making the piece difficult to remove, but it is designed to be worn permanently. Smaller versions are for use on the wrist, bracelet fashion.

The small broach (image opposite) was made from copper which was then enameled. The flat copper was initially annealed (to heat the metal until soft) and was then raised on a wood block using a wooden mallet (the block has a small depression in its middle). Copper is soft so this was easy to do. When formed into the shape you require the copper is thoroughly cleaned to remove any oil or grease residues. The piece is then coated with liquid glue and the colored powered enamel (powdered glass) is sprinkled onto its surface using a fine sieve. You do need to be careful when transferred the delicate broach to the kiln. All it takes is 2 minutes in the kiln, after which it is removed and left cooling on wire rack.

Jewelry making ideas

Jewelry lovers and luck

Many wearers of jewelry believe that certain items are good luck charms, and associate the wearing of such jewelry with good fortune, perhaps when looking for a job or buying sweepstake lottery tickets. The attachment factor, to specific pieces of jewelry seems to occur more often with handmade jewelry. When you start making jewelry yourself you have complete control over the jewelry design and you are free to experiment with different types of glass beads, metals or gemstones. It is a good idea to make your piece with plastic beads, as a type of template before completing the finished article in sterling silver beads.

Handcrafted jewelry ideas

In its simplest form handcrafted jewelry can be made with loose beads and some string, indeed many jewelry starter kits contains ample supplies of both items. The string can be a light or heavy gauge wire, ribbon, nylon or waxed cord and the bead selection can be anything from cheap beads, such as millefiori beads, to the more expensive semi precious beads.

Glass jewelry design ideas

The bead size themselves can vary from very tiny seed beads to the larger glass or gemstone beads. Stringing is easy and you can mix and match bead color and sizes to your heart’s content. If using wire for stringing then check that the wire is not too sharp for the beads. The best cross section is circular, especially if using semi precious beads, but some wire is square or triangular in shape and can tear the beads.

Satin ribbon is a nicer alternative, in my opinion, to the harder materials used for stringing, with the added advantage that you are unlikely to lose valuable beads through string breakage. A nice idea for jewelry storage is to have a keepsake box for your special pieces.

Craftwork and hand made jewelry gifts

If you can make or design jewelry, then the blood, sweat and tears (perhaps) of your work will be appreciated more by the receiver than if you had simply bought something from a store (or online). Presenting a loved one with a gift of personally handcrafted jewelry is a really nice way of saying I love you.