Designing Your First Jewelry Piece - Getting the Creative Juices Flowing

Designing jewelry and bead work are quickly becoming one of the most popular hobbies in America today. And with very good reason; with a little time, and a little effort, just about anyone can create beautiful pieces of jewelry that anyone would be proud to wear.

So you've decided to join the craze and create your own jewelry masterpieces. Many people would insist that your next step should be to go to your local craft store and pick out a few patterns for some necklaces or earrings and follow the directions exactly. Or, another possibility is to buy a beading instructional book for say about $10 to $15, and try to follow the complicated instructions found there. Never fear, though, there is a third option. Use your imagination and create your own pieces. It takes a bit of planning, but once you're done, you'll be able to show off your one of a kind piece.

The first step in designing your first piece of jewelry is to decide what type you want to create. Perhaps the easiest choice in this case would be to create a necklace, and that's the assumption that this article will adhere to.

Once you've decided to create a necklace, the next step is to figure out what the focal piece of the necklace will be. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to visit your local bead store and take a look around. Search out a large bead, one with a color scheme that speaks to you as an accent piece. It can be anything from a nickel sized cameo to miniaturized disco ball approximately a half inch in diameter. What ever you choose, make sure it is one you like, since the rest of your necklace will be tied to that focal point.

The next step in creating your signature beaded necklace is to gather together the other beads, keeping in mind how long you want the necklace to be, and how large you want it to look. Keep in mind, the bigger the beads you choose, the clunkier the necklace will appear. It's also a good idea to base your color choice on your focal point bead, either by incorporating matching colors or choosing colors that compliment the focal bead. For example, if your focal bead is a swirling combination of red and blue, choosing beads for the rest of the necklace should be either red, blue, or possibly green and black. The easiest way to decide if the beads are the right choice is to place a few choices in your hand, and choose the ones that seem to look to best to you.

So now you have the beads, the focal point of the necklace, and you know the desired length. Now you have to choose the stringing material. Your choice should be based on the style of bead, how you want the necklace to lay on your neck, and the diameter of the bead hole. Many people chose beading wire when they desire a more rigid set up for their necklace. Personally, I prefer upholstery thread. It's strong, and allows the necklace to lie gracefully on your neck.

Now comes the fun part; actually putting the necklace together. Basically the whole process will take you about an hour to complete from start to finish. The first step is to cut your thread to be one and a half times the desired length. For example, if you want the necklace to be a 20 inches long, cut the thread to be 30 inches. That way you'll have extra for tying of at the ends. Then, of course, thread the needle.

The next step is extremely important, and a lot of people unfortunately skip it. Take your beads, and lay them out on the table in the pattern of your necklace. That way, you'll be able to quickly string them together and not have to worry about missed symmetry. Once you have the pattern laid out, begin the process by attaching one half of a chose clasp to one end of the string. Then begin stringing the beads, making sure to keep with the pattern. Here's a small hint though; after so many beads, say every six or seven beads tie a knot to prevent the beads from sliding around. That way, if the necklace should ever break, you won't have a huge scattering of beads on your hand. Once you've reached the end of your pattern, add the remaining half of the clasp piece and make sure everything is securely tied. For extra added strength, add a few drops of super glue to your knots.

So there you have it. You've created your first necklace. Now you're well on your way to creating many more pieces of unique and beautiful jewelry.