This page covers all you need to know about the tools and materials that you can buy and use to make your own jewelry. For more detail and examples of how these different materials can be used check out DIY Jewelry Hub’s Tools and Materials section.

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Tools

Pliers

There are a number of different pliers that can be used in jewelry making, but these three are all you really need to create your own homemade jewelry.

Round Nose Pliers

Round nose pliers are your best friend when it comes to making your own jewelry. You will use these pliers to make looped ends for beaded charms and to help you secure the ends of bead strands.

 

Cutting Pliers

Cutting pliers are used to cut and trim lengths of wire, head pins or eye pins.

 

Flat Nose Pliers

Flat pliers can be used to help you open jump rings, manipulate wire and squash jump rings. It should be noted that some flat pliers come with a texture on them that can mark your metal findings.

 

 

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Findings

Jewelry Chains

Chains are a very useful material in DIY jewelry making. You can attach beaded charms and pendants to chains to create unique necklaces. Chains can also be used as decorative features in earrings and bracelets.

 

Clasps

Lobster Clasps

These clasps are great for securing a beaded necklace design. They can be attached to the end of your beading wire using crimps. I don’t recommend using these clasps on bracelets as they can be difficult to operate one handed. Lobster clasps are however a great option for finishing off anklets.

 

Screw Clasps

Screw clasps are also a great option for finishing off your necklace designs. Like the Lobster clasp, screw clasps are also not a great option for bracelets. Screw clasps are another great option for securing anklets.

 

Toggle Clasps

This is my favorite style of clasp. The toggle clasp is easy to open and close one handed and stands out as a design feature on your home made jewelry. Because they are so easy to open and close with one hand toggle clasps are a great fastening option for bracelet designs. Toggle clasps also look great on DIY necklace creations.

 

Crimps

Crimp Beads

Crimps are small metal ‘beads’ that are attached to the end of your beaded necklaces, bracelets or anklets and squashed using pliers to keep your beads securely in place.

 

Pinch Ends

Pinch ends are an alternative to crimps. They are gently ‘pinched’ around the ends your beaded strands and feature a loop that can be used for attaching clasps or charms.

 

Earrings

Earring Hooks

Earring hooks are used frequently to make long or short earrings that featuring a dangling charm. You can attach your chosen charm using a jump ring. Check out my ‘How to make earrings tutorial to see how you can use earring hooks to make beautiful earrings.

 

 Post Earrings

This earring post finding can be used to make earrings by gluing your choice of materials to the flat bed.

 

Charm Connector Stud Earrings

The charm attachment post earring allows you to add attach a charm or bead so that it dangles below the ear lobe (much like an earring hook).

 

Jump Rings

Jump rings are small metal rings that can be opened and closed. They are used to secure different jewelry components together. For example, a jump ring can be used to attach a charm to a necklace chain or a lobster clasp to the end of a beaded strand.

 

Pins

Head Pins

Head pins are great for creating bead charms that can be added to earrings or used as pendants. The head at the base of the pin stops beads from sliding off, while the top of the pin can be shaped into a loop, read to be attached to your chosen finding. I use head pins to make simple earrings and charms.

 

Eye Pins

Similar to head pins, eye pins feature a pre-shaped loop at the end instead of a head to stop the bead from sliding away. Eye pins can be used to create beaded linking charms.

 

Rings

These pre-fabricated ring findings feature an adjustable band and a flat bed perfect for gluing on your choice of decorative elements. You can see how to create a bold statement ring using a flat bed ring finding in my statement ring tutorial.

 

Jewelry Wire

Tiger Tail Wire

Tiger tail wire is a special coated wire that maintains its shape very well. It is often used to create flexible beaded strands for necklaces and bracelets. This is my preferred material for making beaded strands for necklaces and bracelets.

 

Jewelry Wire

Jewelry wire comes in different diameters. It is usually quite malleable and can be used in place of tiger tail wire or to make your own head pins or other findings. 18 guage wire is easy to work without being too flimsy. It is thin enough to fit small seed beads as well as larger sized beads to create bangles, rings and charms.

 

Memory Wire

Memory wire comes in fixed sizes for necklaces, bracelets and rings. This wire holds it shape and comes in large coils. Check out my tutorial to see how  to make a memory wire bracelet. Because memory wire holds it’s shape there is no need for any extra clasps or findings to finish the designs.

 

Beading Elastic

Elastic can be used in place of wire to make bead strands for necklaces and bracelets. Beading elastic can be easily tied and stretches so that no clasps are required in your designs, however, it tends to wear out faster than jewelry made with beading wire.