Tips to elevate your handmade pieces!

I love jewelry, I love looking at it, I love making it, and I love wearing it. But there are some parts of jewelry that I don’t love. I can’t stand it when a piece is uncomfortable and scratchy to wear, and I also can’t stand poorly constructed jewelry that looks like it will fall apart after two wears, so I thought it would be fun to share with you some things to look out for so that you always make strong, comfortable jewels that you will enjoy for years to come.

Here are my tips for making long-lasting, professional looking and comfortable jewelry:

1: Make sure you tuck away the ends of the tiger-tail wire. I usually achieve this by running the wire through a few of the beads at each end of my beaded designs so that it doesn’t poke out. You can also use a crimp cover which covers any sharp ends of the wire. You can see some examples below.

2: Avoid using elastic in your designs. Elastic might be easy to put on and take off (and in some cases, is the only appropriate option in terms of accessibility). Unfortunately, this accessibility comes with a trade off, elastic tends to wear out quickly, and you can find your beautiful bracelet scattered all over the floor at the most inopportune moment. I suggest making your beaded jewels with nylon beading thread or tiger-tail wire for a longer life span. I’ve got a post about the pros and cons of different beading materials here.

3: Pull your wire tight at each end of your beaded pieces. I’ve noticed with the trend towards beaded jewelry in recent years, beaded tiger-tail necklaces are being sold with large loops at each end. This loose loop can catch on things and lead to breakages. I also personally think it looks sloppy and makes your work seem less polished.

4: Try to use precious metals! I spent a long time making jewelry using findings made from base metals. While these materials are cheaper and great for when you’re starting out, I think investing in fine metals such as sterling silver, is a great way to elevate your designs and make them seem more polished and professional.

Here are some sterling silver materials you can buy and use in your designs:

Sterling silver wire: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10781&awinaffid=1029234&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fau%2Flisting%2F1060766372%2Fsterling-silver-round-wire-sizes-in%3Fclick_key%3D58be71b400533b21524d7845c39eff8599d2340c%253A1060766372%26click_sum%3D3a671f94%26ref%3Dshop_home_active_5%26crt%3D1%26sts%3D1

Sterling silver earring hooks: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10781&awinaffid=1029234&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fau%2Flisting%2F697545606%2Fear-wires-925-sterling-silver-varied%3Fga_order%3Dmost_relevant%26ga_search_type%3Dall%26ga_view_type%3Dgallery%26ga_search_query%3Dsterling%2Bsilver%2Bclasp%26ref%3Dsr_gallery-1-4%26frs%3D1%26organic_search_click%3D1

Sterling silver clasps: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10781&awinaffid=1029234&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Fau%2Flisting%2F1153751710%2Fsterling-silver-lobster-clasp-lobster%3Fga_order%3Dmost_relevant%26ga_search_type%3Dall%26ga_view_type%3Dgallery%26ga_search_query%3Dsterling%2Bsilver%2Bclasp%26ref%3Dsr_gallery-1-1%26pop%3D1%26sts%3D1%26organic_search_click%3D1

5: I don’t always follow my own advice, but when you are making beaded pieces with pearls, it can pay to spend some extra time knotting your beading thread between each pearl. This technique not only protects the pearls, it also stops you from losing them all in the case of a breakage! I have’t made a pearl knotting tutorial yet, but I think there will be one on the way soon so keep an eye out.

So there you have it, a few tips and tricks to elevate your jewelry making to that next level! Please note that this post contains affiliate links.