Beaded Jewellery - The History of Jewellery Making

The history of making jewellery (jewelry) using beads goes back thousands of years, in fact you have to go back to ancient Egypt to see the start of bead making. Some of these examples are so amazing that people today would be very happy to wear some of them, and they would still look stylish. Most of these were items of jewellery using wooden beads.

Although the best examples of ancient jewellery making are found in Egypt, fine examples of making beaded jewellery can be found in most cultures. It is thought that many of the ancient Egyptian examples come from Crete. In Knossos there was found the ruins of a bead-making factory.

The Earliest Types of Beads Used

However the very earliest types of jewellery items were actually made from chance finds of bone, stone or pieces of wood. These items were more due to accidentally finding a suitable item rather than it being crafted for the jewellery item.

The biggest advancements in bead making came when it was discovered how to make glass. It was around 1,500 B.C. when jewellery using glass beads started to be used. Of course these were never as valuable as jewellery items using semi-precious and precious stones.

How Beaded Jewellery Business Developed

In time trade routes were opened up and it became possible obtain items from other cultures and lands. Glass beads were traded for items such as gold, ivory, animal skins and even slaves!

Over the ages then there have been many advances in jewellery making, so much so that now homemade jewellery items have become very popular throughout the world. Jewellery items made from semi-precious stones and glass beads will virtually last forever. It's possible then to reuse and redesign jewellery items by combining the beads with new and modern elements.

Homemade Jewellery in Modern Times

Today, it's not difficult to find glass, crystal and beads from semi-precious materials. The Internet is full these items which can be bought in bulk or individually. Today it is popular to make jewellery items from glass, stone, wood and bone - just like in ancient times.

Of course it's possible to purchase mass-produced jewellery items. However, with a little bit of imagination and the right tools you will be able to produce something truly unique. I always find that it's best only to ever make one or two similar items. You will then be guaranteed to have a timeless piece which is truly unique.

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Where to Buy Jewellery Making Supplies

Online is a great way to shop as you can sit in the comfort of your own home with a cup of tea and shop to your hearts content and many online jewellery suppliers ship to you next day as long as you order before a certain time in the day. A few I have ordered from in the past include Fire Mountain Gems, Rings 'n' Things, Beadsunlimited and some eBay shops.

The service for me has been great although I do sometimes get clobbered with the shipping costs because I live in England but most of the time it's well worth it for the unusual items that are available. For silver I use a couple of the above stores but I like Cookson Precious Metals, they have a great line in silver and don't just sell wire!

eBay is a good source for jewellery making supplies too as there are shops now that are dedicated to selling jewellery making items and beads and although a lot of the time it's the price you would pay in a shop, you have the same rights as if you bought online or in a physical store and you have the added excitement of being able to bid for an item and perhaps not having to pay full price!

My most favourite way of shopping though is going to an actual shop and being able to pick up beads, feel the texture and soak up the atmosphere. There is a little bead shop opened recently in my town and another about 10 miles away from where I live which incorporates jewellery making classes too. Many times have I dreamt of setting up my own little store complete with coffee stop and magazines...

My most favourite jewellery making supplies shop in England is in Brighton and it's called The Brighton Bead Shop or if you shop online beadsunlimited. I love Brighton anyway so having the bead shop there is a complete bonus for a bead addict like me.

Making silver jewellery

Now you can either go down the route of buying your sterling silver findings already made, which is a route I strongly recommend for a newbie to jewellery making, or you can make your own sterling jewellery out of sterling wire and sheet.

To make sterling silver jewellery you will need your basic jewellery making tools as well as sterling silver wire. Sterling silver wire comes in 'gauges' and sometimes instead of a gauge, you will find a number like 0.03 which is inches. You can find wire converters online which are great if you're anything like me and can never remember what 0.3 is in a gauge!

If you want to make your own adjustable sterling silver ring you need to use about six inches of 18ga (0.04inches) wire and you will need either a mandrel or a piece of wooden dowel. In very basic terms, curl one end of the wire so it forms a small snails shell shape about 1/4in diameter then veer so slightly bend the straight piece of wire just by the end of the snails shell you have just made.  Wrap the wire around the mandrel/dowel passing the middle of the wire, so it overlaps slightly.  Once you've done this, slightly bend the wire again and make another snail shell shape with the other end of the wire, forming it inwards from the outside of the spiral (this can be a bit tricky) and if there is any wire left, snip it off with your wire cutters and smooth it with a small file so there are no sharp ends.

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Just like doctors and their black bags and mechanics with their toolboxes, people who are into jewellery making need to have a few tools in their kit in order to work on the pieces they are creating. If you are taking up jewellery making, it is a must that you have these tools because it will make your work a lot easier for you.

So, what tools do you need to have in your toolkit when you work on jewellery making? Here are just some of the basic tools that your craft requires.

Pliers are Basic in Jewellery Making

Pliers are the most essential tools that you need to have when you craft jewellery. There are many kinds of pliers and here are some of them that you will use.

1. Large nosed pliers. Large nosed pliers act as extensions of your fingers. You use them for bending wires or for straightening or pulling at them. You get to shape the wire with this type of pliers.

2. Flat nose pliers. Flat nose pliers are used for closing clasps and crimps. They also work a lot better with jewellery projects that require thinner wires.

3. Round nose pliers. Round nose pliers are pliers with a narrow and tapered nose. They are used mainly for opening jump rings and for creating neat little loops on your jewellery wires.

Other Jewellery Making Tools

Aside from pliers, you have to have other tools in your jewellery making kit that can help you pick up your beads, handle your jewellery components properly, for shaping your pieces and for storing them. What other tools do you need for jewellery making? Here is a list.

1. Jeweller's files. Jeweller's files will help you file away at the sharp ends of your wire so they would not injure whoever would be wearing your jewellery pieces. They are also called needle files.

2. Polishing cloth. You need polishing cloth when you hold your wire to straighten out jewellery. This will prevent any scratches on your wires as you do the job.

3. Rulers. A ruler is necessary for ensuring that you have the right length of wire for the piece you are working on.

4. Storage boxes. Naturally, you would need a place to store all your tools, beads, wires, clasps, findings and everything else that you need to create your jewellery pieces. Storage boxes will do the job for you. Make sure that you get boxes that have compartments so your tools and supplies will be more organized.

5. Tweezers. It can be difficult to pick up small items for crafting jewellery such as beads, clasps and findings with just your fingers. It can also be difficult to hold your work with only your hands. Tweezers can help you pick up items that are too small or too difficult to hold.

6. Wire cutters. Wire cutters are, as the name implies, used to make sure that you have the right length of wire that you want. You also need this to cut at your ends when you are done working with your jewellery project.

These are just some of the necessary tools that you need to have in jewellery making. These tools will help the work that you have to do on your jewellery making projects a lot easier.

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