Jewellery Making Supplies

Making your own jewellery can be a great hobby, or you can even turn it into a business. Before you start, you will need some supplies and you when you are following instructions or tutorials, you will need to know the names of some of the things you will need.

Earring findings.

"kidney" earring findings: These are for pierced ears, the earring wire will fasten at the bottom creating a full loop.

Fish hook: The most common finding used for dangling or drop earrings, these hook through the ear and will sometimes have a back to prevent them from falling off, but they don't always need it. French ear wires are similar to this.

Flat ear studs: The bead is glued to the pad of the stud; these are available in a variety of materials and sizes.

Milled cup studs: These have a cup that you can press or glue a bead or stone into.

Flat pad ear studs and milled cup studs are also available for pierced ears, these simply clip onto the earlobe.

General findings.

Jump rings: Small hoops that are used for lots of different things. They can be used to lengthen bracelets, attach discs, and as fastening links for items such as bracelets and necklaces.

They come in soldered and unsoldered, if you are using them as a fastening for a bracelet, I recommend soldered, as they are sturdier.

Eyepins: These are small pins that have a loop at one end. Attach beads to these and then attach them to your necklace, they can also be used for earrings.

Headpins: Similar to Eyepins, but they have a small stopper at the bottom instead of a loop.

Pendants: These are slightly cupped so you can glue a pendant into them.

Torpedo clasp: Used as a necklace fastening, this is a clasp that screws together.

Spring end: A small spring like finding that you attach onto the end of cord, ribbon or thong etc so you can attach a clasp to the other end.

Bolt and loop fastening: A fastening for necklaces or bracelets (sometimes called a "tiffany" fastening) put the bolt through the loop and it will stay there.

Tools.

Even if you are just making things as a hobby, there are still some things that you will need.

Pliers: A pair of small needle nosed pliers should do the trick for the hobbyists, but if you will be making an array of different items, you will need needle nosed and round nosed, possible in different sizes.

Chain and Wire cutters: Some thin chains can be cut with a good pair of household scissors, but for more heavy duty chains you will need a pair of chain cutters. More often than not these can be used to cut wire aswell.

Scissor: For cutting thread, thong, ribbon etc.

Tweezers: These come in handy for smaller, fiddlier jobs.