Handcrafted Stress Relief

by Emily J Weitz

There are certain pieces of jewelry that are so well-crafted they command bare collarbones. These lovely objects may be best for special occasions, to complement a plunging neckline or strapless dress. Other types of jewelry are made for everyday wear, and can be dressed up or dressed down for different occasions. Regardless of what kind of jewelry you choose to don, it’s always a point of pride when you can humbly accept compliments by saying, “Thanks, I made it myself.”

Making your own jewelry allows you to express yourself and wear your expression. In addition, it gives you the opportunity to give truly unique gifts. By putting your effort and energy into a piece of homemade jewelry, you are telling the receiver that they are worthy of your precious time. It’s a piece of yourself that you can give someone to wear, that will make them think of you whenever they put it on. Particularly if someone you know is going on a long journey or moving away, giving them a homemade gift will allow them to take a piece of you with them. When I’ve gone on extended travels, I’ve put great weight on the things I would wore everyday. Space was of the essence, so I only wore jewelry that I would never take off. One of the most special things I own is a necklace made by my best friend. Every time I felt these small objects pressing against my skin, I was reminded that I had a home to go back to, someday.

There are at least as many different ways to make jewelry as there are Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavors. And just as you may drool over Cookie Dough and scrunch your nose up at Chunky Monkey, you may excel at certain types of jewelry making and flounder in others. Beading, glassblowing, weaving, and wire-wrapping are just a few of the many options you are presented with when you decide to embark on the task of making jewelry.

So how can you begin making jewelry at home? The first thing you need to do is get the right materials. To select a medium, think about your personal style and what kinds of things you want to use in your jewelry. If you want to capture the essence of the ocean, or just give a purpose to the thousands of beautiful shells that are strewn around your house, one great option is wire-wrapping. For wire-wrapping, you don’t need beads with holes in them, because you are not threading your objects into anything. Rather, you take metal wire and wrap it around the object. I have seen wire-wrappers turn beach glass, crystals, shells, seeds and stones into gorgeous necklaces and earrings. Materials you will need if you decide to start wire-wrapping include soft wire, hard wire, flat-nosed pliers, round-nosed pliers, and wire cutters. In addition, of course, you’ll need whatever materials you want to wrap. There are a number of different wrapping styles and you can find some of the patterns online at www.rockhounds.com.

Other jewelry-making options include threading. For this kind of a project, you will need beads or shells with holes in them, or a fine drill that you can use to drill a hole in your object. You can use nylon fishing line or colored wire for setting the beads, and a beading needle to help you feed the thread through them. Beads that you purchase at shops, fairs, or online come in a range of sizes. When you read directions on how to do a project, the directions will usually refer to a specific sized bead. Once you get used to the sizes, you will be able to estimate the sizes of gems, stones, or shells that you’ve found, and how they correlate to the design.

One great project for beginners is to make beaded stars or mandalas. By using beading thread and a size 10 beading needle, you can wire beads that are between 3 and 4 mm. For comprehensive directions on how to make beaded stars or mandalas, go to www.jewelrymaking.allinfoabout.com.

Jewelry making is a great hobby that allows you to be productive with your hands while letting your mind wander. Once you get the hang of it, it’s very relaxing and therapeutic. And soon enough, all the treasures you’ve been unable to part with will turn into wall-hangings, necklaces, and gifts, and your new hobby will have actually reduced the clutter in your house.