2012/06/29

Jewelry Supplies for Jewelry Making


Jewelry making or beading is not a new thing to us. No matter you create jewelry for living or just for hobby, you can not create anything without jewelry supplies. What are jewelry supplies or jewelry making supplies? These materials involve jewelry beads, jewelry findings, jewelry making tools and some other special supplies. 


Jewelry supplies and jewelry beads allow you to create your own jewelry, just the way you like. Jewelry beads let the jewelry designs beautiful, and the jewelry making supplies make the job of making jewelry become easier. To the experienced jewelry makers, they know it all clearly that what kind of beading supplies they should choose for stringing beads, making wire jewelry and knotting jewelry. However, the beginners of this funny hobby may not know it clearly. Following are some suggestions about it. 


There are all kinds of jewelry you can make. The supplies that are required for making jewelry are basically jewelry wire, beads and findings. As a beginner, you can start with making stringing bracelet or necklace, because stringing jewelry is the simplest jewelry design. What you just need to pay more attention is to choose the correct stringing material for your design. For example, you can use elastic cord to string glass beads; if you are working with pearl beads, you can choose silk beading threads. So choose what kind of stringing material is just depending on your project. Wire wrapped jewelry is still very popular today. If you have some experienced about jewelry making and want to create some complicated designs, the wire wrapped jewelry will be your good challenge. There are many different kinds of jewelry wires. Some are meant to be sewn with a needle and others are stiff enough that you can use the wire itself to pick up the beads. When you create wire wrapped jewelry, you cannot do it without jewelry pliers. There are several different types of jewelry pliers, and each of them has their special usage. For instance, crimpling pliers actually crimp off your wire to create a finished edge. Correct jewelry pliers will help you to create perfect jewelry designs. 

No matter what kind of jewelry supplies you need, you can easily find them on today’s fashion jewelry market. And more and more people prefer to get them by wholesaling online, as wholesale jewelry supplies online is convenient, and can save time and money for them. You cannot ignore it if you want to create more jewelry designs without breaking your bank. 

2012/06/17

Bangle Bracelets in Ancient and Modern


These days, bangle bracelets have become popular with stylish women and men all over the world. You can easily find a woman or a man wear a bangle or bracelet when you walk on street with freedom.
Fashion Shamballa Bracelets
Fashion Shamballa Bracelets

On today’s fashion jewelry market, you will modern fashion bangles and bracelets anywhere. However, the tradition of bangle bracelets is actually a very old one, dating back to ancient India and Tibet, China. Bangles are typically made of rigid materials, and differ from bracelets in that they have no clasp. Bangles can be simple bands, or they can be elaborately engraved and decorated with gems. Stacked bangles can add a touch of playful elegance to almost any type of outfit. Bangles can make a unique accessory for a formal dress. Wearing a number of bangles together also creates a pleasant tinkling sound whenever you move your arm, subtly calling attention to your every motion. Wearing several bangles or bracelets together is one fashion trend for 2012 too.
Lampwork European Style Bracelets

Have you heard some special things about bangle bracelets? An ancient belief that a bracelet said could be a sort of amulet that protected those who used it. It is no coincidence that these jewelries were particularly long for children, arguable even baby bracelets, custom still persist in some cultures continue this tradition in modern times. Many villages in China still have this tradition too. Currently, bracelets and bangles are due especially to the designs of fashion, but remember, inevitably, the echo of the symbolism that once represented as magical object. Today, for most men, a wedding ring or watch some good sport is used as the maximum personal accessory, though many also opt for a cute and stylish pair of twins. However, currently there is a growing number of men interest in jewelry, especially bangles or bracelets for men. Many men like to wear silver, gold or Shamballa bracelets. About Shamballa bracelets, they are new and hottest fashion jewelry in 2012. Many celebrities in Hollywood and European are wearing them now. As we all know that the impacts of celebrity charms cannot be ignored. So more and more women and men like to wear Shamballa bracelets, especially the young people. Leather bracelet or bangles is another type of fashion jewelry loved by men. Today, slim bangles and bracelets are not the special favorite for women. Chuck or large sized bangles made in different materials, elegant filigree metal bangles and floral bangles are loved deeply by them now.
Bracelet, European brass Loop with Clasp plus Lampwork and Alloy
Bracelet

Of course, no matter what kind of bangle bracelets you like, vintage style or modern style, you can easily find them on fashion jewelry market. Well, if you would like to get a wide range of selection for them, I would like to say you’d better select them from online stores. 

2012/06/11

Basic Jewelry Tools the Beginners Must to Know


You are unable to ignore jewelry tools when you want to create jewelry designs, even if they are very simple. For example, you just want to use elastic cord to string a bracelet, you also need to use a jewelry tool—scissors to cut off the elastic cord, isn’t it?

As a jewelry making beginner, you must have the following basic jewelry tools—pliers, cutters, bead reamer, memory wire shears, beads containers and scissors. About the pliers, they are sorted in many different types according to their different usages.
Round Nose Pliers: they have round noses or tips, and used for creating wire loops. All the wire wrapped jewelry will use this plier.
Jewlery Pliers, Round Nose Pliers
Round Nose Pliers

Flat Nose Pliers: they are also known as chain nose pliers, are smooth and flat on the inside. They come in very handy for holding jewelry, pulling wire tight. You can also use them to fold over the wire to make a right angle and to basically grip anything that is difficult to do with your fingers.
Jewelry Pliers, Chain-Nose(Flat Nose Pliers)
Flat Nose Pliers

Bent Chain Nose Pliers: like round nose pliers, the thinner the tip, and the better. This kind of pliers is angled allowing jewelry makers to get into tight areas, which other pliers can’t reach.
Split Ring Pliers—this is a special kind of pliers used to hold a split ring open for connecting other components to the ring. Simply insert the curved tip of the pliers into the ring side and by squeezing the pliers handles, it open split rings. In adding charms, pendants or beads to the ring, the curve tip securely holds the ring.
Jewelry Pliers, Split Ring Opener, Polishing
Split Ring Opener

Bead Crimping Pliers—it is used in squeezing tubes and beads into smoothly round shape crimps without making unwanted sharp edges.

About the cutters, they are also sorted in different types, for example, end cutter, side cutter and jewelry sniper. The ends of end cutters have jaws that are blunt with blades perpendicular to the handles. They are used in making sharp and clean cuts on wire. Side cutters have jaws that are pointed and angled. The angled is designed nearly parallel to the handles so that the cut is made the top side of the cutter.

If you want to be an experienced jewelry maker, you need to have various jewelry tools in hand. And purchasing them is a convenient today. Some small craft stores may only be able to offer a small selection, but you can purchase them from online stores. If you have found a large and reliable jewelry materials supplier, you will find that you can find many what you need and desired there. 

2012/06/10

Swarovski Crystal Pendants for Cool Summer Jewelry Making


In the fashion jewelry market, what can make women look elegant but won’t break their cost to buy? The answer is Swarovski crystal. Yes, the answer is absolutely right. Hot summer is coming. Want to have a cool summer? Why not create some cool jewelry or decorations by using Swarovski crystal pendants? They will bring you unbelievable cool feeling.

Swarovski crystal is brilliant, shining and dazzling, which cause so many women fall in love with it. Swarovski is a name long synonymous with beauty and excellence featured on runways and in haute couture around the world. The use of Swarovski crystal pendant in your design gives it an instant air of glamour. These pendants are available in a variety of colors in many shapes and sizes, and can be used for sewing, jewelry making and wire works.
Swarovski Crystal Beads
Swarovski Crystal Beads

Sea and beach are two of the most favorite things for almost all of the people in hot summer, I am no exception. Maybe the only difference is I wearing a cool necklace which is created by sterling silver chain and blue heart shaped Swarovski crystal pendant. It is a faceted heart shaped pendant. The color of this Swarovski crystal heart is a deep blue. It reminds me of the ocean at sunset--deep and alluring. The deep blue color also gives me the feeling that I am on the beach and the sea breeze is so comfortable and intoxicating. The exquisite cute noodles on the surface make this pendant very sparkly and iridescent. The design is simple but shining, and suitable for wearing every day. It is also gorgeous accessory with jeans, a cocktail dress, or for your business casual days at the office.
Swarovski Crystal Beads, Flower, Crystal Copper
Swarovski Crystal Beads

Want to design remarkable creations? The elegant Swarovski crystal pendants will be a good choice. Their captivating sparkle, rich colors, creative shapes and precision cut facets, make them become focal point of any project. Dangling earrings are of the fashion trends of 2012. I would like to say let’s use some colorful Swarovski crystal flower shaped pendants to create some summer earrings. These colorful flower pendants are sure to make your earring designs bloom. These stylish flower pendants assure the highest brilliance created from their precision cut facets that will endow design ideas with a spectacular sparkle. Their brilliant and fresh colors are the source of cool and fresh air in hot summer.

Austrian crystal is world-famous. But I would say Swarovski crystal is not only available in Austrian, many other countries, like China, can offer high quality Swarovski crystal too. If you need more these items but won’t want to break your bank, purchase them from jewelry beads wholesale stores is a wise choice. And Panda Hall in China is a reliable choice. 

2012/06/06

How to Create Brass Chain Jewelry Set


Vintage fashion jewelries are always very popular with people. Many jewelry makers like to create them, and many people like to wear them. And brass chains are one of the most versatile and widely used materials for creating vintage style jewelry. Today, let’s make a cool brass chain jewelry set for this hot summer.
Brass Chains, with Clear Rhinestone
Brass Chains, with Clear Rhinestone

First, let us to create the necklace together. The materials you need to prepare are raw brass chain, gold metallic crystal beads, brass head pins, brass flower caps, brass jump rings and brass toggle clasp. The steps are very simple. First, cut off the chain as short length, and attach three strands together onto a jump ring. Attach their other ends on another jump ring to make those chains as a link. Follow the same steps to make several links. About the numbers of links, it depends on the length of your necklace. String a flower brass cap and a gold metallic crystal bead on a head pin; cut off the rest pin and use a round nose plier to make a loop on the top of bead. Before you close the loop, attach it onto a jump ring. If you think it is not convenient or easy to you, you can close the loop first, and use a plier to open the jump ring to attach the loop, and close the jump ring at last. Both methods are okay, and just choose the suitable one for you. Follow the same steps to make the rest crystal bead as beaded pendants. Link all the brass chain links together, and attach all the beaded pendants on the jump rings which are the links of chains too. The last step is using jump rings to attach the brass toggle clasp on the two ends of necklace. An antique but shiny raw brass chain necklace with gold crystal beads is finished. The design is very simple, but very special right? Just try it in person or create your own one based on this necklace.
Brass Chain, with Cyan Rhinestone
Brass Chain

Now, it is time to create a pair of matchable earrings for this necklace. The steps of making earrings are much easier than making necklace. Cut the raw brass chains as 10 short strands with the same length, and attach them onto two brass jump rings, 5 strands per ring. The last step is attaching the jump ring onto the small loops of earring hooks by plier. A pair of antique brass chain earrings is finished. They are very simple abut much matchable with the necklace right? You can also cut the chains as 6 shorter strands and 3 strands for per jump rings. Add a gold metallic crystal bead on each chain as beaded drops. It is very matchable with that necklace too. 

2012/06/05

Jewelry Making Ideas with Eyepins for Beginners


Apart from making stringing bracelets and necklaces is the simplest jewelry making for beginners; I also think making earrings with eyepins is very simple and suitable to beginners. No double that many people know the eyepins are the pins with a small loop on one end. The loop can be attached to another eye pin, head pin, clasp or other findings and chains. Headpins have the similar function as eyepins, but just have a flat head at one end instead of a loop on eyepins.
Silver-color Iron Eyepins
Silver-color Iron Eyepins

To jewelry making beginners, maybe they are not experienced on using eyepins. Here are some tips will give you a lots help. Eye pins are widely used in earring making, necklaces making and bracelets making. Although they are used in different creations, their usages or functions are the same. Eyepins come in different gauges (usually 20-26 gauge) and lengths. Of course, some jewelry online stores will describe them as centimeter, just like PandaHall.com. It will offer you a detailed table about exchange between these two units.
Golden Iron Eyepins
Golden Iron Eyepins

As we said above, the simplest eyepin beading piece for a beginner would be a pair of earrings. Let us to do it together. First, decide on your bead pattern as it will fit on the eyepin. Drop the beads on the pin, and leave a length to make a loop. Bend the rest pin as 90 degrees right at the bead, perpendicular to the existing loop. Gently grasp the end of the eye pin in the round nose pliers and roll the pliers toward the bead. The end result you want is to have both loops twisted 90 degrees to each other. Use a jump ring to attach the loop you just made to an earring hook. Hold one side of the jump ring with your needle-nose plier and move the opening of the jump ring sideways. Slip the loop on the eyepin onto the jump ring. And now slip the loop of the earring hook onto the jump ring too. Close the jump ring. Add a small pendant on the other loop of your eyepin (the method is the same as you slip the loop of earring hook onto the jump ring). A lovely handmade earring is finished. Follow the same steps to make the other one to create a pair.

Maybe you are struggled on the road of jewelry making, but you will find it will open a whole new world to you as long as you can insist. Learning to make beaded jewelry is a fun, easy and affordable hobby if you can find a reliable jewelry materials supplier for you. 

2012/06/04

Small Ear Nuts Play a Big Role in Jewelry Making


We all know that when we wear earring studs, one jewelry finding cannot be ignored is ear nut. Ear nut, a clutch with a hole through which an earring post is attached to secure the earring to the earlobe. The friction version has two curved wings that grasp a grooved post. Of course, ear nuts are also called as earring backs, clutch, push backs, ear backs, earring stoppers, or clutch backs.
Iron Earring Earnuts
Iron Earring Earnuts

Even though as a popular and necessary jewelry finding for earring studs and some hook earrings, ear nuts are not available in various materials like other jewelry findings. The most commonly used materials for this finding including brass, iron, sterling silver, alloy, stainless steel, plastic and rubber. However, they are available in different colors like other metallic findings. You can find them in silver, golden, nickel, platinum, antique bronze, black, unplated, red copper, white and/or transparent (plastic ones and rubber ones). Although they are very small, they are designed in various shapes and sizes. Please kind in mind that you also need to consider their sizes when you choose for their designs. As we all know that the earring studs are easily fall off if the pins of your erring studs are very slim, and the hole of the ear nuts are a little larger than the pins’ diameter.
Plastic Earring Earnuts
Plastic Earring Earnuts

The necklace may be the oldest form of jewelry, but earrings are not that far behind. In ancient Egypt and Babylon, both men and women pierced their ears. Till today, they have experienced a long history. And now, ear nuts are available in various kinds of designs. Ear nuts save you the agony of losing one of your favorite earrings. Don’t chance it when you can use an earring nut. Today, they are not only as jewelry findings to stop the earring from falling off, but have become a design of earring making.
Brass Alloy Finding
Brass Alloy Finding

Ear nuts can be easily purchased from your local small jewelry or craft retail stores. Well, when you purchase ear nuts for your designs, it means that you also need other jewelry making materials, but your local small retail stores can only offer you a small selection. Why not purchase all the materials you need from jewelry online stores? You will get a wide range of selection for all kinds of jewelry materials, as there a number of online stores over the world. And many of them are wholesalers who can offer you really cheap wholesale prices, which can help you save a lot of money. And it is very convenient, which is one of the reasons why more and more people like to purchase online. 

2012/06/01

Useful Information about Sterling Silver Beads


For the jewelry makers who prefer to create high end fashion jewelry, sterling silver beads and gold beads are the best choice. While, the price of gold is much higher than sterling silver, so sterling silver beads are used more widely than gold beads.

How to determine whether silver is sterling silver or not?
Only jewelry or jewelry beads that are at least 92.5% pure silver can be labeled “silver”, “sold silver”, “sterling silver” or “sterling”. If silver beads and silver pendants are stamped with these words, your purchase meets the standards. Sometimes, sterling silver beads or jewelry will be stamped with “925” or”92.5”. These are also appropriate markings and they assure you that you are buying genuine sterling silver jewelry or beads. If you buy them from online stores, you should ensure that you are buying from a reputable online supplier. I am sure no one wants to pay for sterling silver but it is not actually sterling silver.
Sterling Silver Beads
Sterling Silver Beads

How to care of sterling silver beads?
Sterling silver beads are easy to be oxidized when you wear them or store them incorrectly. How to care of them? The best way to prevent tarnish is to wear your sterling silver beads jewelry often. The touch of your skin and hand will prevent the buildup of tarnish. But, please don’t wear them in chlorinated water or when working with household cleaners such as bleach or ammonia. If you are a jewelry maker or jewelry beads retailer, and have a lot of sterling silver beads, you need to store them carefully. Sterling silver items should be stored in a cool, dry place. As we all know that real silver will oxidize with time. Store sterling silver items in a tarnish-proof cloth or in drawers lined with tarnish-resistant strips. You can also use zip lock plastic bags to store them from contact with air, and prevent tarnish.
Sterling Silver European Pendants
Sterling Silver European Pendants

Today, sterling silver beads are produced in various shapes and sizes. They are widely used in making necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, anklets and many other fashion decorations. If you want to get a wide range of selection of these beads, you can purchase them from online stores. Because there are tens of thousands of jewelry beads online stores can offer genuine sterling silver beads to many countries. Well, keep in mind that you should ensure your supplier is reliable as we mentioned above. Hope you will find it, and enjoy your jewelry making.