Handmade Wire Jewelry - Love at First Sight

I remember the first time I set my eyes on a pair of handmade wire earrings.  It was love at first sight.  I was at a girls’ night out dinner party when a friend pulled out a bag of earrings she had made to sell to the group. Her designs were fun, stylish and affordable.  I was fascinated that she made them all herself.  A few weeks later, my mom came home with a few pairs of earrings similar in style, which she had paid a small fortune for at a retail store.  I decided then and there that I had to learn, so I bought a book called Getting Started Making Wire Jewelry and More. It outlined the supplies I would need, with step-by-step instructions and photographs.

To get the ball rolling, I bought some beads at a local shop, which taught me how expensive beads can be when you buy them individually.  As Julia Roberts would say, "big mistake, big, big mistake!"  I paid over $100 for a quantity of beads so small that I could cup them into the palm of my hand – and I had nothing fancy to show for it, just a few tiny acrylic beads with a few glass beads thrown in.  I remember walking out of the shop thinking, “Wow, this is going to be an expensive hobby.” I had only purchased enough beads to make a few pairs of earrings and I still didn’t have any of the tools or findings (which are all the little components of making wire jewelry like clasps, earrings, and head pins) needed to actually make something. 

Here are five lessons I learned as a newbie to making handmade wire jewelry that I would like to pass along.

Lesson 1:  Explore Your Options When Buying Locally

Though it's fun to pick up supplies at local stores, if you are buying in person make sure you have scoped out the most affordable local stores.  You would be amazed how much price can vary between bead shops.  When I’m buying in Seattle, I head straight to Fusion Beads, a store just north of downtown.  Fusion also has an online marketplace at fusionbeads.com.  Sometimes you just can’t beat seeing the products in person before you commit to buying them!

Also keep your eyes out for gem shows passing through your town.  In Seattle, there are usually 2-3 large gem shows annually and if you're near the Space Needle this weekend you're in luck, The International Gem and Jewelry Show is at the Seattle Center!  Prices are great at these shows because there are so many vendors and they all compete on pricing.  Also, if you have a knack for bartering, the vendors at these shows are usually willing to negotiate on price.  Use it to your advantage!

Lesson 2: Consider Online Suppliers

Oftentimes you can stretch your dollars by finding cheaper options online. After getting discouraged with the cost of my first bead-buying experience, I looked online for better deals.  I found a company called Fire Mountain Gems based in Grants Pass, Oregon. With products ranging from beads to tools to findings, I got everything I needed from a local Pacific Northwest business, while stretching my money a little farther.   Artbeads is another great resource for beginners buying online.

Lesson 3:  Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk is one of the tricks of the trade, no matter what craft you enjoy.  When you purchase beads, rather than buying them one by one, look for beads or pre-drilled stones sold by the strand. When you break down the cost, beads sold by the strand will cost approximately half of the price per bead versus individually sold beads.  This may limit you a little in terms of variety, but you will get much more bang for your buck and in the long run you will have much more stock.  This rule also applies to findings, chains, and other jewelry supplies.  Usually, the more you buy, the greater the discounts will be.

Lesson 4: Wait to Buy the Good Stuff

Beginner crafters, it's OK to use crappy supplies - in fact, I recommend it!  The Getting Started book I read when I started out suggested buying copper wire to practice with before buying sterling or gold-filled wire. I wish I had listened to that advice!  I can’t tell you how much wire I wasted trying to get down the basic techniques. If, however, you are stubborn like me and insist on going for the good stuff, whether sterling silver or gold, I would recommend buying half-hard wire with a gauge of 26 to 28.

Lesson 5: Bigger Isn't Always Better

A few millimeters can make a big difference to any crafter, so make sure you're using the right sized materials. I made the mistake of buying 20 gauge wire for my first project and I couldn’t understand why I was having such a tough time trying to work with it. The gauge of the wire indicates its thickness. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the wire. Once I started using thinner wire, it felt like a piece of cake. Higher gauged wire with dead-soft or half-hard temper will give you more flex and will definitely save you some aggravation as you are getting started.

The “bigger isn’t always better” lesson also applies to supplies for working with pre-drilled holes in beads. Often, beads and semi-precious stones are drilled with tiny holes. Consequently, you will need higher gauged head pins and/or wire in order for them to fit through the holes. Eventually, as you build stock, you will want a variety of sizes, both in head pins and wire to serve different purposes.

These are just a few of the tips I wish I had known when I started out in wire jewelry design.   I learned so many things the hard way and would love to help other beginners skip the frustration!  For a few other wire jewelry resources, check the following:

• Wire Jewelry Lessons
• Making Wire Jewelry:  What Tools Do I Need?

What valuable lessons have you learned as you started a new creative hobby?  Inquiring minds want to know!