Ornatia Rustic Jewelry: Learn to Make & Sell Artisan Jewelry

Places to Sell Handmade Jewelry Online for Artisan Jewelery Makers

2010-08-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of both free and fee-based websites where you can sell your handcrafted jewelry from home. Many venues listed are some of the best websites for selling handcrafted artisan jewelry on the Internet. Whether you want to open your own store in a craft mall or simply sell handmade jewelry from your home piece by piece on auction, online marketplaces can help you reach customers worldwide.

Some of these jewelry selling sites are craft malls, others are auction houses, and still others are blogging or website platforms on which you can build your own ecommerce sites. Why use a handcrafter's mall, auction house, or website building platform? The answer's obvious - when selling jewelry on the Internet, partnering with an existing website to create your own jewelry listings can save you time. It is certainly easier than designing your own website from scratch with an encrypted shopping cart.

For this list of jewelry selling websites, I included as many as possible to give you as many options as possible. When I was a jewelry seller promoting my own designs years ago, not all of these websites existed (for example, Etsy.com). So did I exclude anything from the list? Yes. Not included are:

craft malls that didn't look legitimate to me
those that were not fully developed or seemed unimpressive, or
any site that seemed like a scam.

However, I'd advise you to evaluate the retail websites on this list carefully and read each Terms of Service agreement before you sign up. When you are deciding if you want to participate, ask yourself:

Is the site well-established and one many people trust? Is there a professional looking storefront or advertisement interface? Would you shop there yourself?
Does the site have good help pages to get you started, and multiple ways to get help? (such as Contact Us pages and crafters forums)
If you're not in the U.S., does the website allow international jewellery makers to participate (UK, Canada, Australia, India, etc.)?
Is there information about how your work is promoted? (You'll have to do your own promoting, but it helps if there is guidance. If there isn't, it probably means you're on your own in that department.)

So here's the list of places to sell handmade jewelry online. Good luck!

Sell Artisan Jewelry at Craft Malls and Online Shopping Malls

Craft malls are an easy way to sell jewelry on the Internet. Most online craft marketplaces charge some kind of fee to list your jewelry. Sometimes the cost involves an up-front flat fee for a storefront. Other times there's a transaction fee (commission) per sale, and other times you're charged listing fees. There may also be some combination of the above.

A few craft malls are free and supported by advertising. There are probably other fee types, too, as new business models seem to crop up on the Internet every day.

Be sure to study the craft mall to make sure it's a good match for you. The best craft malls have several advantages:

They handle the money. You don't have to have a merchant account to accept credit cards, deal with customer payment, or keep track of receipts.
You can associate your new small business with their trusted brand, giving you a head start in establishing your own reputation and individual jewelry brand.
There's a support network of other crafters to help you learn how to sell your jewelry and deal with customers.
You can study other sellers' listings to learn how to present your jewelry to greatest effect.
You can benefit from the promotional efforts of the craft mall staff and the various sellers. Their customers might browse around and find your listings!

Free Craft Malls

Ecrater is a free ecommerce platform for collectibles, antiques, and crafts. That means you can create a retail web store there and also use its marketplace to sell your handcrafted jewelry. It is completely free - you get 100 percent of your sales. There is a support forum.

Ushops.com is a small and temporarily free shopping mall for handmade items. Right now, to open a store and sell items is free. They warn that they will probably introduce "a nominal fee" in the future. You need a PayPal account.

Fee-Based Craft Malls for Selling Jewelry

Rubylane is a crafts, antiques, and collectibles mall. You pay monthly listing fees, maintenance fees, and advertising fees, and a one-time setup fee. There may be other associated fees, as well. Rubylane is relatively expensive for beginning jewelry sellers, but has the advantage of being a trusted brand. It has an easy-to-use interface and a lot of help resources.

Etsy has risen quickly since its 2005 beginning to become one of the world's largest online ecommerce platforms. The listing fee for each item covers four months of display. There is also a transaction fee per sale. One reason Etsy is so popular is that it has very clear help pages and is very easy to work with.

Artfire.com is a large ecommerce website that charges a monthly fee to create an online "studio" where you sell your jewelry. I'd never heard of it before researching this list. To me, it looks big and impressive and has a nice interface, if a little busy, with a lot of resources for jewellers. Judging by the comparison chart of free and pay features, there appears to be a free version, too, but I couldn't find out how to get there - the sign-up free link didn't work.

Link to Craftmall.com has been removed, as the link now routes to an online fabric shop.

Handmadecatalog.com is a smallish website that lets artisan jewelers sign up for a monthly fee plus a percentage of items sold. As I said, it's small, and it's humble. But it looks legitimate and is run by a crafter.

Yessy.com is an online gallery focused on arts more than crafts, but there's still a substantial section for jewelry. It's got an attractive, classy look and the items sold are anything but cheap looking. Jewelry sellers pay an annual fee plus an escrow fee on transactions.

DaWanda.com is an online marketplace that provides a shop for sellers of both handmade items and unique collectibles, jewellery included. It has a strong international presence - the primary platform is German, but there is an English and French version, too (I've linked to the English one here). Opening a shop is currently free; you pay them a commission on items sold.

Undertherainbow.us is a very community-oriented craft mall website with a cheerful appearance. They charge for listing by the number of items and a rather hefty commission on sales - currently it's 15%. Crafters are screened. Judging by the busy and somewhat confusing look of the website, I'm thinking this is not the best place for a newbie seller to start out. But check it out and see.

Misi is an elegant-looking UK based handmade shopping portal that provides jewellers with their own shops and subdomains. They charge a commission, plus listing fees, and listings last for 12 months. You use your PayPal account to accept payment, or you can accept payment by post.

Earthling.com is an attractive arts and crafts ecommerce site that charges both commission fees and monthly or annual subscription fees. They emphasize customer service and seem to have a lot of tools to help you build your store, send listings to auctions, and promote.

Glcmall.com is an international ecommerce site for crafters that offers a full service or very limited service plan. You need a PayPal account. You can get a free basic store if you have no more than 12 items, or pay a monthly fee for unlimited products.

Removed link to ArtisansMarket.com, which seems to no longer exist.

Artsefest.com is a craft mall with lots of options. There are three different tiers of monthly or yearly pricing, depending on features - Silver, Gold and Platinum. You can build a website, link to an existing website, or simply upload listings - it's your choice. (You can sell jewelry items through the Artsefest site using any of those three approaches.)

Hyenacart.com is a family-friendly shopping website for artisan jewelers and other crafters. They feature several"stocking" choices - in other words, a variety of ways you can offer your items for sale, including standard, holds, auctions, buy nows, and lotteries. They charge a one-time setup fee and then a low monthly fee. You need a PayPal account.

Sell Handcrafted Jewelry at Amazon.com

Pre-approval is needed to sell jewelry at Amazon.com. For jewelry, you have to apply as a professional merchant.

Amazon.com is more than a craft mall, of course - it is prime retail real estate and should seriously be considered as an option. But there are disadvantages to the size of its wide-ranging marketplace. You may find that building a loyal returning customer base is more challenging due to the vast size of Amazon.com.

Sell Jewelry at eBay

There are at least two ways to sell your jewelry on eBay. You can sell items individually on auction or through a Buy-it-Now listing. You can do this simply by listing items, or by opening an eBay store. There are listing fees either way.

EBay has the benefit of high traffic, a trusted brand name, and a professional interface. A good time to list jewelry on eBay is during listing fee promotions when discounts or specials are offered; however, keep in mind that at those times, there are more listings competing with yours.

Also, your jewelry is liable to command lower prices on eBay than in other locations that attract fixed-price retail buyers. The auction format means you may have to charge lower prices to attract eBay buyers, who are often looking for a bargain.

Sell Handcrafted Jewelry From Your Own Online Store Using Free Website Builders

Blogger
Google Sites

Two of my favorite places to build websites capable of selling jewelry are Google's own Blogger or Google Sites. I haven't done it myself yet, but I have used both websites for other purposes (this blog uses Blogger).

Although there are no storefront templates, you can use these platforms to build an ecommerce site to sell your craft. You can sign up for Google Checkout, PayPal, or another payment handling service that allows you to put a button on your site that lets your customers check out with a shopping cart on another site. (Those services do cost money - usually a portion of the transaction fee.)

It takes a lot of initial work to set up your own store and there's a lot to learn. But it can be well worth it.

What are the basic steps to start an ecommerce store to sell jewelry? On these platforms, you:

Register with a Google account.
Open a free blog or a website under that account.
Pick out a template you like.
Customize the template with a logo banner and custom colors and fonts.
Create the static content for the website, including a customer service policy, information about your store, and contact information.
Install shopping cart functionality with Google Checkout, PayPal or another service.
Start loading in your photos and jewelry descriptions as blog posts or static pages.
Promote the website.
Remove items or mark them as sold as they sell.
Add jewelry listings regularly to keep the interest of your customers.

Before You Start - Learn How to Sell Jewelery Online

Finally, you might find it helpful to read some books on online marketing to "mentor" you as you go.

101 Ways to Market Your Online Jewelry Shop: Free and Cheap Ways to Market, Promote, Advertise, and Increase Traffic to Your Online or Etsy Jewelry Shop and Sell Your Jewelry Now

Sell Your Jewelry: How to Start a Jewelry Business and Make Money Selling Jewelry at Boutiques, Fairs, Trunk Shows, and Etsy.

The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line

Etsy Exposed: 50 Ways to Start Making More Etsy Sales Than You Can Handle: Tips and Tricks for Selling on Etsy.com

Crafty Superstar: Make Crafts on the Side, Earn Extra Cash, and Basically Have It All

How to Start a Home-Based Jewelry Making Business

How to Start a Home-Based Jewelry Making Business

Selling Little Pieces Of Yourself - The Nice Lady's Guide To Learning Your Craft - Loving Your Art & Sharing Your Handcrafted Jewelry With The World

Selling Your Handcrafted Art Jewelry

64 Real World Marketing Tips for a Home Based Jewelry Business: How to Market, Advertise, Publicize and Profit From Your Online Jewelry Store Using Realistic Marketing Methods That Work

The Savvy Seller's Guide to Selling Jewelry Online

Hill Tribe Silver Jewelry Project Ideas and Photos

2010-06-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

I love the look and heft of Hill Tribe silver and use it in a lot of jewelry projects. Made by the Karen Hill Tribe in Thailand, these handcrafted silver pendants, charms and beads make truly beautiful rustic necklaces, anklets bracelets and earrings. I thought other jewelry makers might be interested in seeing some pictures of artisan jewelry I made with Thai Hill Tribe components. Perhaps these photos will stimulate project ideas and get your creative juices flowing as you decide how to use Thai Hill Tribe silver pendants, charms and beads in artisan jewelry projects.

Hill Tribe Silver Leaf Necklace With Sleeping Beauty Turquoise
This wire-wrapped necklace, earrings and bracelet set with faceted rectangular Sleeping Beauty turquoise beads was sold as a set. You can see the Hill Tribe leaf pendant and leaf charms in the necklace and earrings...but did you realize the wrapped tube beads in the bracelet were also Hill Tribe silver? I was so proud of this set, not only because of the beautiful components, but because I made all the findings myself out of 20 gauge sterling silver jewelry wire - from the earwires to the hook and eye clasp. I can't recall if I made the headpins myself, but I'll bet I did! If I had decided to make another set like this, I couldn't - it was a truly one-of-a-kind set, because each Hill Tribe silver pendant, charm and bead is different.

Wire-Wrapped Hill Tribe Silver Rose Pendant Necklace With Pearls
This blue green freshwater pearl necklace I wire-wrapped with fine gauge jewelry wire - probably 24 gauge sterling silver wire. The pearls are gorgeous, but the centerpiece is the masterpiece - a Hill Tribe silver rose pendant on a bail I handcrafted myself, flanked by two Thai Hill Tribe beads. This is a rustic yet very feminine necklace design. It's slightly more delicate than most of my other wire-wrapped jewelry because of the finenness of the sterling silver wire, which is necessary to use because of the tiny pearl drillholes.

Thai Hill Tribe Leaf Pendant Necklace With Leopardskin Jasper
This is another of my favorites. The necklace has three flat leaf charms by the Thai Karen Hill Tribe serving as pendants. They're medium size, not small - which might put those beautiful 20mm pillow rectangle leopardskin jasper beads in perspective!

I strung Bali sterling silver tube beads to space out the central pendant area, and turquoise rectangle tube beads along the strand for contrast. In this design, the simplicity of the silver leaf charms contrasts the complex, colorful matrix of the jasper and turquoise, while never departing from the organic look. The necklace was strung on soft but strong 49-strand beading wire.

Men's Hill Tribe Silver and Black Onyx Necklace
This is a men's black onyx and faceted Hill Tribe silver bead necklace. The contrast with the shiny silver beads and the glossy black onyx beads makes it look very dramatic. I love these faceted Hill Tribe beads and bought a bunch of them when they were available. Unfortunately, except for some of the more common spacer beads, you have to get Hill Tribe beads when you find someone selling them, because you don't know if you'll ever find them again. So when I used up my stock, that was it.

Hill Tribe Silver Charms and Beads Anklet With Garnet
This is a cute red garnet coin anklet with a rather exotic goth or emo look. The Hill Tribe silver beds and charms include a Thai silver fish, a geometrical spiral charm, and two sunflower charms. Irregular shaped beads go well with a lot of Thai silver jewelry designs - they seem to emphasize the organic uniqueness of the components. Organic, because every Hill Tribe silver piece is handcrafted and different in subtle ways from each other, even when they're made using a mold. (See Hill Tribe Silver Pendants for more information on how these pieces are made.)

Hill Tribe Silver Charm Bracelet With Carnelian
Here is a Hill Tribe silver charm bracelet made with red carnelian square beads and folded Hill Tribe cube beads. Each bead is mounted on a head pin and attached to the sterling silver curb chain. Note that its length is adjustable - you just fasten the lobster claw clasp on any link in the chain. I imagine this could work as an anklet or necklace, as well.

If you ever get a chance to pick up Hill Tribe folded beads - I've seen them in bicone, cube, and rectangle shape - go for it - they're really unusual and lovely. The only problem is, their hole size varies a lot, since it's formed by the merging of the folds. So you'll either need smaller spacer beads to flank them to disguise any gaps, larger beading wire, or to wire wrap them as I like to do.

These are just some of the projects I made with Hill Tribe sterling silver pendants, beads and charms. I really loved working with them and have just a few pieces stashed away for future jewelry designs. I hope you like them and are inspired to try your own rustic necklaces, bracelets, anklets and earrings with Thai Hill Tribe components.

Buy Hill Tribe Silver

The owner of this text may be compensated for this article. Read the author's disclosure.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.

How to Buy Beads Online: Tips for Getting Quality Beads at Low Prices

2009-10-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

The convenience when you buy beads online is unmatched. Many jewelry makers don't have access to local outlets to get good wholesale prices on semi-precious gemstone beads or pearls. If they can't get to a gem show or jewelry supply store, they lack the selection of, say, lampwork or artisan glass beads (such as the exquisite vintage Japanese millefiori glass beads I snagged off of eBay years ago) and the variety of wooden, shell, bone, and seed beads available when you buy beads online.

Yet a wide variety means that the quality of the beads varies from stellar to very poor. Buying beads online can be incredibly convenient and allow you to get great discounts, but since you are not there to select the strands and specimens yourself, there are a number of things you should watch out for.

Not all sellers disclose everything about the beads they're selling in their product descriptions. I've encountered many sellers of beads who don't mention that their turquoise is stabilized, their coral is dyed, their smoky quartz is heat-treated, their gold coral is chemically altered, their silver is plated rather than sterling, their yellow turquoise is really jasper, and their pearls are cultured in freshwater - although they are supposed to. If the wording is vague, assume a lower-end, cheap product rather than a higher-end, expensive product.

An expensive price is not necessarily an indicator of quality. Most inexpensive freshwater pearls on the market today have a very thin layer of nacre...and the more expensive Biwa pearls, stick pearls and coin pearls are not necessarily any better. The only way to test the quality and authenticity of some beads (such as amber) is to take a sample and put it through tests.
Pay close attention to the number of beads that come in the lot. Most beads are sold in 16" strands, but many are sold in longer or shorter strands. Others offer many beads in exact quantities or, in the case of seed beads, occasionally in weight. When you go to buy beads online and see that great, irresistible deal, make sure it's for the number of beads you think it is. And if you pay a high price for high-end beads, like quality lapis lazuli, then measure the length of the strand that comes - if it's short, then send it back.
Know the size of beads you are buying. Photos of beads and jewelry online can be extremely (and unintentionally) deceptive when it comes to size. Small beads may look large; large beads may look small. Bead sizes typically come in millimeters, and there are 25 millimeters, or 2.5 centimeters, per inch.
Look for sharp, high-resolution photos. Photos that are blurry, overexposed, or obviously enhanced by photo editing software will often hide surprises such as flaws and enhancements. While it may be worth the risk to buy such beads cheaply - occasionally, I was pleasantly surprised - when they're expensive, it's best to stay away from large purchases if the picture isn't clear.
Place a small order as your first order to any new store. That way, you get a good sense of the quality they offer before you take the plunge and place that huge bulk order that may save you money, but leave you disappointed. Once you know what you want and have identified a reliable store, make a bulk or wholesale purchase, if bulk prices are available.
Get a business license if you don't have one already. This will enable you to buy beads wholesale from certain online stores that require a wholesale license before they offer wholesale prices.
Don't buy all your beads or jewelry supply products from the same online store. This is key, or you'll spend way more than you need to and not get the best quality or selection in everything. I bought beads from 10 to 15 different online sources when I had my online jewelry selling business. You may buy gorgeous Bali silver beads and quality amethyst at one store, a wide variety of Thai silver at another, cheap garnet at another, Swarovski crystal at another, wholesale and bulk pearls at another, the right size of crimp beads at another, super large toggle clasps at another, and natural turquoise at yet another online store. Learn what supplies stores stock great deals for the beads you need.
Even in the most reputable jewelry supply stores, there will be some dud products. Check every strand when your order comes. Know the store's return policy before you buy beads online. Don't be afraid to place returns - a reputable store is usually happy to work with you.
Finally, choose a reputable jewelry supply store or beading retailer when you buy beads online. I find Amazon.com to be a reliable seller, and many of the links here take you to products there. I offer beads in association with Amazon.com through the Ornatia Jewelry-Supply A-Store, which uses many third-party sellers. When I was in the jewelry-selling business, before Amazon started selling beads through their interface, I bought many beads through auction from third-party sellers on eBay. Due to my positive experiences, as well as the fact that I was one, myself, I have a lot of trust in third-party sellers.

It boils down to: Pay attention to the details. Compare prices. Don't hesitate to return items. Get wholesale prices whenever possible. In the end, I found it easier and cheaper to buy beads online than to attend gem shows across the country or buy from overpriced local bead retailers.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

How to Write a Jewelry Description to Sell Your Handcrafted Jewelry Online: 11 Tips for Selling Success

2009-09-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Here are 11 essential tips for writing descriptive copy for handmade jewelry that can successfully sell on Internet craft mall, auction, and store listing websites. If you make and sell jewelry and find writing effective jewelry descriptions to be challenging, these guidelines should help get you on track.

When selling your jewelry online - maybe through Etsy, eBay or a store on your own website - you'll find yourself called on to write a description of the jewelry for sale. Many jewelry sellers consider this a difficult but necessary part of the job.

Why is it necessary to create descriptions of your jewelry for sale? Great jewelry descriptions sell. But the purpose of good jewelry descriptions is not just to sell your work successfully - it's also to tell your customers essential information about the jewelry so they know what they're buying.

You'll probably find, as I did when I began, that you don't know where to start. When I started, I had trouble thinking of good descriptive terms. Or I simply didn't know what to say. I was overwhelmed by not knowing how to write search-engine-optimized copy that would get my ad listing for an artisan necklace, bracelet, anklet or earrings found by potential customers in the search engines.

I've since learned exactly what I needed to include to make a sale and leave a customer satisfied. Here's what I learned, plus some extra tips for writing great handmade jewelry ad copy.

Specify the Products Included
List exactly what is included in the listing. Don't rely on your images. This is especially important when you are selling pieces that are part of a set, or the entire set itself.

Make sure your customers know whether the product listing is for just a necklace (and the other pieces are listed separately), or if it includes the entire necklace-earrings-bracelet set.

Also include any extras that you'll send, such as extension chains, polishing cloths, and the kind of bag or box it comes in.

Include the Size of the Handmade Jewelry in the Description
Include the dimensions to let your customers know the size of the jewelry, which - trust me - is impossible to gauge from online pictures alone.

Every handmade jewelry listing must include:

the size of the pendant
information about the major beads, and
general length of the bracelet or necklace strand or earrings (and you should mention whether the earwire is included in the length).

If your market is mostly in the U.S., make the measurement in inches. If your market is in the UK, Canada, India, Australia, or any other non-U.S. country, include both inches and metric measurements. The exception is beads, which should always be noted in millimeters (mm), no matter what country your customers reside in.

Specify the Composition of the Artisan Jewelry in the Description
Include the major materials that make up the body of the jewelry: stones, glass, wood, shell. Include the metal(s) used for the findings.

Specify all plated pieces, both in the decoration and in the findings. For example, 14K gold fill, sterling silver, silver plated clasp, pewter charms, etc. Some people have allergies to metals and need to know how much base metal is included in the jewelry.

Specify the Clasp in the Jewelry Description
Describe what kind, and size, of clasp or fastener is used. This is important to those customers who are concerned about how securely the necklace fastens and also those buyers who have limitations about what kinds of clasps their hands can open (such as people with arthritis).

Use the Origin of the Materials as a Selling Point
Add as much information as you can about the provenance of the materials - that is, where beads, pendants or other material came from.

Include interesting facts about the gemstones - where they come from, how they're formed. Learn your gemstones and become an expert, which impresses your customers and shows them that you take care in selecting your materials.

If you use high quality beading wire, then tell them that and what it is. They'll want to know that the jewelry is made of quality components.

You can also indicate whether the components were made by the designer (you or someone else - such as silver pendants from the Thai Karen Tribe or Bali silver), what country produced them, or their special origin (for example, "this was salvaged from old costume jewelry").

Explain the Creation Process in the Description
You have a choice here. You can explain what you did physically to make the jewelry, if it's a process your customer might not know or might be interested in, such as with precious metal clay.

Many jewelers find their customers love it when they include an anecdote about creating the piece. Talk about what inspired you in the creation of the jewelry, or about a mishap, or anything that makes the handmade jewelry come alive with personal details. This kind of backstory enhances the value of handmade jewelry for the customer.

Disclose All Jewelry Treatments
You must tell your customers how the stones you use in your jewelry were treated to change their appearance. Disclose whether or not the precious or semi-precious stones were treated, heated, colored, enhanced, etc.

You must disclose whether it is authentic (natural) or not. In the U.S., you must do all this for legal reasons, and you must not mislead even by omission. Never say "natural" when it has been treated with heat, dyes, chemical agents, etc. You must also not say that something is "Native American made" unless it truly is.

So, for example...

Dyed red coral must be listed as dyed red coral, and not just "coral."
Heat-treated citrine or amethyst must be listed as heat-treated, and not just listed as "citrine" or "amethyst."
Cultured, freshwater pearls must not just be called "pearls"--you must specify that a pearl is both cultured and freshwater somewhere in the listing.
Stabilized turquoise you must label as stabilized. If you don't know whether or not it's stabilized, assume it is and label it as such. If it was very cheap and looks perfect, and was not specifically sold as "natural turquoise," it's probably reconstituted turquoise, which must also be revealed.

And yes, many artisan jewelry sellers don't disclose all this information, but yes, if you care about your reputation at all, you should.

Write an Artistic Statement as a Selling Point in the Jewelry Description
It's a great idea to include a brief artistic statement with your handcrafted necklace, bracelet or other item of jewelry you're selling. An artistic statement describes your vision and intentions in creating the jewelry. It adds depth to the work and impresses customers with your professionalism. Even better, it can add value (for that, read cost) to your jewelry. Some sample artistic statements for jewelry listings include:

"I wanted to create a mixture of natural and salvaged mediums in this food-themed charm bracelet."
"I wanted to create frothy, light earrings that had elements of darkness."
"This necklace was my attempt to explore the intellectual as well as aesthetic side of pearls."

Don't, however, write any old high-falutin' nonsense just because it sounds good. Be sincere. An honest, "I didn't know what I wanted to accomplish with this piece; it just came to me in a fever" sounds more authentic than "My vision was to create a superlative apotheosis of desire" or some such silliness. Your customers are not that gullible.

Make Your Jewelry Description Search-Engine Friendly
This is very important: include words in your description that accurately describe your jewelry and that customers would search for. When they are shopping for jewelry, you want your handcrafted jewelry listing to come up if it meets their criteria. This is one reason to be as detailed as possible in all descriptions. You'd be surprised what your customers search for. For example, they might search for:

"Navajo squash blossom necklace antique"
"Toggle clasp bracelet"
"Authentic diamond pendant"
"Coral artisan necklace"
"8 inch charm bracelet"
"Handmade 4" earrings"

Write a Catchy Title
The picture will attract their eyes, but the title or header of the product listing is a selling point many people miss. Don't be boring. Make your title stand out. Ideas include giving your pieces names and creating a sense of intrigue (for example, "Rock Around the Clock Choker"). At least part of the title should also should be keyworded for search engines, if possible (for example, "Rock Around the Clock Bracelet in Jasper Nuggets with Toggle Clasp")

Keep Your Jewellery Description Brief
Be concise. Don't write a book. It's better to write a complete description of the artisan jewelry than to leave something out. But if your description is long, make sure it's organized. Use headings like "Size" and "Clasp" to set off the information so it's easy for your customers to see the specs they're looking for. Your customer will be far more likely to notice that the artisan glass lampwork beads are 6mm rather than 30mm long if the information is set out in its own section - which means a satisfied customer that doesn't end up disappointed.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Wire Wrapping Supplies You Need (and Don't Need) to Get Started

2009-09-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

When I began wire wrapping jewelry, I scoured books and the Internet to figure out what tools and supplies I needed. Which, of all the expensive supplies everyone said I needed, did I really need? For someone who might not know how much to invest - even if you'll like jewelry making - knowing what you really need to get started is critical. The inessential stuff can wait. But if you don't have the essential tools and materials, this could make or break your experience with the craft.

I do highly recommend learning wire wrapping as a way to get started, whether you're working with precious metal clay, beading, wire sculpture, or another. It's a basic skill you'll need to learn. It's also a mode of jewelry making in and of itself. Even though I make more jewelry with beads and beading wire, wire wrapping with precious metals is still my first love. I love how strong a wire-wrapped earring, necklace or bracelet is. I love that I can make my own findings, like clasps and ear wires.

And most of all, I love the rustic look of wire-wrapped sterling silver jewelry - and the delicate, elegant look of gold wire-wrapped jewelry. (Consider making a chain of freshwater pearls wire-wrapped in gold. It's the height of luxury for a fraction of the price you'd pay retail. Fine 24 gauge gold fill wire is fine enough for most pearl drill holes and is still workable.)

My suggestions includes the basic pliers you'll need, as well as my personal favorite types and brands. You'll learn what you can't do without and what you most definitely can do without (namely, a crimp tool for crimping beads - in my experience, they're next to useless). You'll learn the best brand of jewelry wire flush cutters. You'll also discover which tools you should shell out good money for and those for which you don't have to pay exorbitant amounts to get the best value.

If you're in a hurry, here's a quick list of basic supplies for wire wrapping every beginning jeweler should start with. (Or you can read my full recommendations for essential wire-wrapping supplies.)

Lindstrom Flush Cutters
A set of quality flush cutters is super important in making jewelry, when rough edges make or break a piece - and no, it's not time effective to always file down the edges every cut. Lindstrom is the best flush cutter for jewelry makers I know. I have this flush cutter and highly recommend it to beginners, plus intermediates and advanced wire wrappers.

Round Nose Pliers

Quality round nose pliers are essential for gaining control of the wire as you loop it and making loops small enough to work with - the cheap round nose pliers are much larger and don't do the job remotely as well, and might even discourage you from continuing on with wire wrapping. Again, I love the Lindstrom round nose pliers.

Flat Nose Pliers
Either a flat nose plier or chain nose plier is essential for making perfect loops, since its slim profile allows you to make clean bends. I also use it to flatten crimp beads. Because that's all it does, I don't think you need the top-of-the-line plier when you start out. Just a cheap flat nose plier should work, though expect to replace them over time if you use them for flattening crimps, as this requires some heavy-duty squeezing and strain on the tool. (And please don't waste your money on a cheap crimping tool. I did, and I don't recommend them at all, nor does the customer who sent back a bracelet because it wasn't securely crimped.)

Bent Nose Pliers
Bent nose pliers are the "secret" to getting into fine corners and achieving easy wire bends and manipulation at odd angles. Many jewelers use chain nose pliers - I don't - I just use my trusty bent nose plier and flat nose pliers.

Chain Nose Pliers
Most jewelery makers would tell you you're insane if you don't have a good pair of chain nose pliers. They assist both in fine control work and in making perfect loops. As I said, I don't have one. I'm addicted to my trusty bent-nose pliers and flat nose, above. But if your budget isn't super-tight, you'd probably find it useful.

22 Gauge Half Hard Silver Jewelry Wire
I normally recommend 20 gauge sterling silver jewelry wire as the standard, but the cost of silver is going up, and for most purposes, 22 gauge sterling silver wire, which is slightly finer than 20 gauge, will do the job. (The exception is ear wires, which really are sturdier with 20 gauge wire, although some people do use 22 gauge.) While you're still mastering the basic techniques, you probably want to get 20 gauge copper wire to start out and learn with, then graduate to 22 or 20 gauge sterling silver when you've practiced a bit.

Be warned, though - it's harder to learn to manipulate the softer copper wire than the half-hard sterling silver wire. But if you can master it with copper wire, sterling silver will seem much easier.

To understand the basics of jewelry wire gauges, see Sterling Silver Jewelry Wire for Crafters.

Books on Wire Wrapping

I found All Wired Up to be an invaluable resource for my wire wrapping. It was very clear to read, with easy to understand diagrams. Especially it taught me how to make wonderful clasps and findings from wire. I highly recommend it to beginning wire wrappers for learning the basic techniques.

Wire Wrapping: The Basics and Beyond is not an aesthetically gorgeous book - it's not even in color - but it tells you in words and shows you in pictures all the steps you need to take to wire wrap a pendant, which is one of the most basic skills in wire wrapping. It allows you to teach yourself how to wire wrap and is essentially a "tutorial in a book." It's highly recommended by those who reviewed it, and had I owned it, I probably would have mastered the art of wire wrapping a pendant - but unfortunately I never did. Note that this book is appropriate once you already know the basic skills of wire wrapping, such as how to create a perfect loop or loop beads together with wire.

This one's not for beginners, and it seems to be more for inspiration than instruction. Wirework: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping is appropriate after you've had some experience and know the basic techniques. It's not essential for starting out.

Bead Storage Containers

Plastic bead storage container boxes are not absolutely essential until you get yourself more than 20 or so strands of beads. When you have hundreds or thousands (yes, it can happen!), they're vital. You can use storage designed for jewelry crafts, or if you're not too concerned about aesthetics, get a storage container with lots of pockets from the hardware department.

There are many other supplies and tools that make life easier, but for those starting out, these are enough to start with so that you should know whether or not you want to go on and invest more money and time in your enterprise.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Bisbee Arizona Turquoise Beads and Jewelry: My New Discovery

2009-09-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm ashamed to confess I'd never heard of Bisbee, Arizona, before recently, let alone the fact that it's famous for its turquoise. Being an urbanite from the American midwest and having mostly worked on my bracelets, earrings and necklaces with my precious stock of faceted rondelle and pillow-shaped Sleeping Beauty turquoise beads (see the design for my Sleeping Beauty turquoise bracelet ) for the last several years, I naively never quite realized that Arizona turquoise didn't all come from the Sleeping Beauty mine or the Kingman turquoise mine.

As it is, Arizona is famous worldwide for its gem-quality turquoise, oft used by the Navajo people, for jewelry making. And there are more turquoise mines than I had any notion of.

There's Morenci turquoise with its silvery pyrite matrix, and now I've recently discovered Bisbee, Arizona turquoise beads.

Bisbee turquoise has no new stock - it's apparently all been mined long ago - at least, all the rock that's accessible. It's not all flawless, hard and gem quality, but each grade has its own absolutely gorgeous beauty. Much of it is gem quality and natural, though some of the lower grades have been stabilized.

Read my article about the fascinating history of Bisbee turquoise, as the turquoise itself was never "mined" in the traditional sense, but rather scavenged from copper mines by the miners.

Bisbee turquoise is another beautiful and rather rare Arizona gemstone to integrate into both rustic and elegant designs.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.

Clasp Styles and Types: Pick the Right Clasp for a Necklace or Bracelet Project

2009-05-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

I love choosing clasps for jewelry projects. Fasteners, closures, findings - whatever you call them, they can make or break the jewelry - literally. Here is a list of the different types of clasps available and what kinds of projects they're best for.

Clasp Styles and Types

Spring Ring Clasp and Lobster Claw Clasp

Lobsterclaw clasps and springring clasps secure a necklace or bracelet by a ring on one end and a loop or gap on another that closes by spring action. To release the clasp of a spring ring clasp or a lobster claw clasp, lift the small lever that compresses the spring. Lobster claws are a bit easier to manipulate than spring rings, and spring rings are somewhat less expensive. Both come in sterling silver, silver plated, gold filled, and even, though it may be hard to find, copper.The spring type of clasp is very popular.

Hook Clasp

A hook clasp works on the principle that the tension or weight on the strand keeps the hooks fastened together. While they are easy to fasten and unfasten, they can slip out and so are not all that secure. Types of hook jewelry clasps include fish hook, hook-and-eye, and S-hook clasps.

Magnetic Clasp

Magnetic clasps use magnets to keep a bracelet or necklace secure. They are appealing because of their ease of use - the two magnets just stick to each other. Some of them are beautifully ornate. But they're best suited to lightweight bracelets and necklaces, since they unfasten easily.

Barrel Clasp

Barrel clasps are cylinder-shaped screw clasps and come in various sizes, from almost too small to handle to very large and sturdy.

For very elegant designs, choose narrow styles rather than sturdy, thick barrels. You may have trouble finding this clasp in a precious metal, but I did find some that are gold plated and silver plated.

Toggle Clasp or Bar and Ring Clasp

One of the best types of clasp for looks, ease of use and security, the toggle or bar-and-ring clasp has a bar on one end that secures into a ring on the other. When twisted, the bar locks into place. Toggle clasps aren't only my favorite type of clasp ; they were a favorite with my customers with rheumatic or arthritic hands and my male customers buying men's necklaces. The clasp is easy to use and rarely comes undone. It does tend to have a bulky look. For more elegant midweight or heavyweight pieces, you can use some of the fancy, ornate Bali silver clasps as focal points.

Box Clasp

Use a box clasp by pressing the lever to open it or clicking it into place to close it. Box clasps are often elegant-looking with filigree.

A box clasp may accidentally come undone and so is not suited for heavyweight pieces.The finer box clasp styles may be suitable for fine pearls.

Multi-Strand Clasp

Multi strand clasps are designed with two or more loops on each side in order to secure multi-strand bracelets, necklaces and anklets. The closing mechanism may be a hook, toggle, slide locking or box design.

But Which Clasp to Use?

Picking the right clasp style for your necklace or bracelet means taking into account several things as you decide what jewelry closure works best for your project:

The Right Clasp for the Degree of Wear and Tear

Because of their location on the wrists, bracelets should have sturdy clasps that don't come open or break when bumped, wet, or snagged. Lobster claw or well-made toggle clasps are ideal for bracelets taking a lot of wear. Anklets get damaged less than bracelets, and necklaces least of all, making the less secure spring clasp or magnetic clasps appropriate for very light necklaces.

The Right Clasp for the Right Style, Material and Size
Both for aesthetic and practical reasons, make sure the clasp and your other findings look right for the piece.

Don't use large and heavy clasps for light pieces that would get dragged backward or to the side by the closure.
Avoid using "clunky" looking clasps for elegant pieces, unless the aesthetic contrast is what you're going for.
Similarly, avoid using elegant clasps for clunky looking jewelry.
Match materials. Using a silver plated clasp on a necklace strand that has sterling silver beads both brings down the value of the necklace and means the clasp will almost certainly get the silver coating polished right off, under the assumption it's sterling silver.

The Clasp Should Be Easy to Use
You'd think all clasps were easy to figure out, but some can be real puzzles, not to mention challenges to finger dexterity. How easy the bracelet clasp or necklace clasp is to operate depends on:

the size of the beads where the clasp attaches to the strand - big beads may dwarf the bar end of a toggle clasp and make it almost impossible to grasp and operate
the wearer's needs and preferences - large or arthritic hands may have trouble with certain types of delicate clasps such as small lobster claw or box clasps.

Aesthetics Always Matter

Jewelry clasps don't just have a utilitarian function - they have an aesthetic function, too. Decide whether you want the clasp to be a focal point in and of itself or discreetly blend into the design.

All told, the best jewelry clasps are those that

are easy to unfasten and fasten
remain secured when fastened
match the necklace / bracelet / anklet's style
are sturdy enough to handle repeated use.

Buy Clasps Now
Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.

Jewelry Making Anvil, Bent Nose Pliers and Other Hard-to-Get Supplies

2009-03-03T14:39:00.001-08:00

The challenge every beginning jewelry maker has is not only to get jewelry making supplies at a wholesale price, but even finding the supplies in the first place. When I wanted to buy supplies like a jewelry making anvil, a ball and peen hammer, and a bent-nose pliers - yes, not a chain nose pliers, which I actually don't use, but one with a bent nose that allows you to manipulate jewelry wire easily - it was a challenge to find them. Round nose pliers you can find - and good quality ones like Lindstrom, too - but some of the more specialized jeweler's tools were hard. Back then.

Now it's a slightly different matter. I did a search and found that there's a virtual explosion of jewelry making anvils, bent nose pliers and ball peen hammers around - not to mention other hard-to-find jewelry making supplies.

As far as finding a jewelry making anvil, you have several options. Jewelers' anvils are small and can be as simple as a square block a few inches long to a bench anvil that secures onto a jeweler's bench (or you can get a clamp tool to do it). A bench block anvil that's square in shape doesn't have any horns for shaping, so is simply used for hammering sterling silver wire and other jewelry wire.

Some "double horn" bench anvils come with a horn on each end for shaping rings, bracelets, and other jewelry projects using metal sheet. Other jewelery making anvils have just a single horn.

There are many stores that carry these out-of-the-ordinary supplies, including Santa Fe Jeweler's Supply, Fire Mountain Gems, and JewelrySupply.com. I've found that Amazon.com has a tremendous selection of jeweler's anvils, ball pein hammers, and even some chasing hammers and other more obscure supplies like rawhide mallets, a jeweller's loupe 30X, and more.

If all these relatively obscure jeweler's supplies are now available so many places, then there must be a growing market of those who make and sell jewelry. And if that market is growing, then despite the economic downturn, this suggests there are still people buying artisan jewelry...although I'd venture to say they're buying the more low-ticket items. Which is still good news if it's true.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Buy Bali Silver Beads Wholesale When You're in Business, For Goodness' Sake

2009-01-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

When you start a jewelry business, there's a certain point when you realize you're no longer just doing this for a hobby. You're in it for the long term and you're serious about wanting to make money off of your craft. If you use Bali silver beads, either spacer beads, caps, or focal beads, you're going to want to get them wholesale rather than run down to the nearest crafting store and pay retail.

It's hard to avoid buying jewelry making tools and supplies retail, unless you have a large business. But beads are a different matter, and sterling silver is expensive. You want to purchase high cost supplies like sterling silver wire, precious metal chain, and Bali silver beads wholesale, in bulk.

The problem is finding the places who offer not just retail prices on precious metal supplies, but true bulk wholesale prices. Years ago, I bought my beads in bulk at Zeelver.com and The Jewelweaver. Luckily, wholesale silver jewelry wire, sheet blanks, and bead prices require that you buy in quantity, but still not an unreasonable quantity for the small business owner.

When looking for suppliers who offer Bali silver beads wholesale to the general public - that is, without requiring you to show evidence of a business license - look for those who allow you to mix and match, ideally. If they don't explicitly say they allow you to combine styles to reach your quantity quota, then look for a cash minimum. For example, you might need to spend $100 (or another amount) to get wholesale prices on your order.

When the wholesale prices for beads and findings are based on buying several of one particular design - like all Bali bead caps - then pick a Bali bead, clasp, eyepin, and other finding design that's likely to be a staple in your jewelry making, such as sterling silver spacer beads, sterling silver clasps, or sterling silver bead caps.

Get the other stuff at other vendors, as there's a good chance you may not need bulk Balinese focal beads.

Buy from jewelry supply stores that adjust their prices to the current market prices for silver, unless you can find a wholesaler with old stock that bases its Bali silver bead wholesale prices on their cost when silver was running lower - I know The Jewelweaver did this in the past. I don't know if they're still doing this.

Don't be fooled by jewelry supply stores that offer wholesale prices, yet with prices that are actually comparable to those you can find elsewhere, retail. Shop around. And don't just choose one suppliers. Choose the best Bali silver bead supplies or jewelry supplies store or stores for each product type.

Lastly, don't buy more than you're likely to need in the next year or two. Especially if you're buying a new Bali bead style or a new gauge of jewelry wire that you've never used before - because unloading silver jewelry supplies is not as easy as finding them in bulk.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Create a Handcrafted Jewelry Website: 10 Design Tips for Better Sales

2009-01-28T22:15:00.000-08:00

Once you have a jewelry selling website, your troubles aren't over. It's now time to make the design perfect. The website design you select for your Internet handcrafted jewelry business is critical to your success.

Not only must the visuals on your site beautifully display the necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings, they must also give an overall impression to your website visitors and customers. Your site design signifies your artistic taste. If your customers don't like the colors, visuals, and artistic taste represented by your website design, they won't linger, they won't browse, they won't buy, and they won't return.

Here are ten essential tips to help you create a website design that pulls in your customers.

1) Study the competition. Look at other websites of jewelry crafters who are selling their jewelry designs. Note what works and what doesn't. Your critical eye is likely to be more objective when it's turned on another's work. You can then apply what you've learned to your own jewelry website.

2) Choose neutral background colors that draw the eye to the jewellery instead of upstaging it. Very bright colors are to be avoided, as are contrasting hues that compete for attention. Never forget the power of a white background. Your product descriptions text should ideally be dark on light, which is easier on the eyes for most customers than light text on a dark background. For the jewelry photos themselves, a black background can be attractive but is not necessary, and can lend a moody feel to the shopping experience.

3) Choose a theme for your handcrafted jewelry web site, not merely a bunch of colors that look nice together. The theme should reflect the jewelry. Whether it's flowers, eco-friendly green jewelry, elegant fine jewelry, or rustic artisan jewelry, when your visitors land on your site, what they're looking at should evoke the right images in their mind. Perhaps of nature, perhaps of trendy hipness, perhaps of wild attitude, perhaps of discreet quality, perhaps of glittering glamour - whatever theme you want associated with your pieces.

4) Add quality photos. Your visitor's eye won't stay on the website visuals, at least, not for long. Bring the focus to the jewelry. Give the jewelry center stage. Post great photos of your handcrafted creations. Letting the website design upstage the photos themselves is one of the most common mistakes I see on new jewelry selling sites. It's all too tempting to look at your site with your artist's eye - but try to look at it with a seller's eye.

5) Make navigation easy. Give your visitors multiple ways to reach your jewelry. Categories are a good thing. Each jewelry product should have several routes to reach it. Some ideas for different categories are type (necklaces, bracelets, etc.), color (reds, blues, etc.), newest designs, featured designs, gender (men's, women's, unisex), and materials (gemstones, lampwork, pearls, coral, turquoise, lapis lazuli, etc.)

6) The term website design really covers not just the artistic visual choices, but the every choice related to the user's website experience. Make your website fast--quick to load. Internet visitors are impatient. Don't try their patience. They might not come back.

7) Limit photos primarily to the jewelry you're selling. Set off any other photos as distinct from the jewelry. You want your visitors to know that what they see, they can buy. For example, at the bottom of this website are photos I took of my own designs, yet not offered for sale. This is another version of the advice above: don't make your products compete with your design.

8) Display no more than six photos of jewelry products on a screen view at once. This isn't a hard and fast number, but an estimate, and varies depending on the size of your photos. When you display too many photos, either they're thumbnails and they're too small to see, or they're too cluttered and you don't really see enough of each product image to be tempted or to click on the jewelry.

9) Take any feedback offered by your website visitors seriously. Don't be offended. Be grateful for the feedback. The wonderful thing about running a website to sell your jewelry is that, like everything else on the Internet, it's highly adaptable. While redecorating the inside of a bricks-and-mortar handcrafted jewelry store could cost thousands of dollars and take weeks, changing your colors and layout can cost nothing and take only minutes or hours.

If you're working with a website designer who shares your vision for your website and understands the jewelry business, trust their instincts when they offer recommendations. Avoid insisting on fulfilling your artistic vision at the expense of a site that encourages visitors to linger and to buy. Good website designers know what works.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Where to Sell Your Artisan Jewelry: Exploring the Internet Craft Mall

2009-01-25T21:52:00.001-08:00

Choosing where to begin selling your jewelry has more to do with your own comfort zone than any single right path. If you feel overwhelmed by the possibilities, you're not alone. Even marketing experts are undecided as to the best way to make a new small home business succeed in today's marketplace. How to market handcrafted jewelry as a niche product in a fiercely competitive, recession economy?

The intuitive answer is to market your jewelry on the Internet. The cost of startup is minimal for an online business. You risk far less than if you open a bricks and mortar store. You can operate the business from your home. You can choose your own hours. You can respond to changes in the market in a relatively short time. You can attract customers in every nook and cranny of the world that like your style of jewelry. The reasons go on and on.

While opening a bricks-and-mortar store involves the limitations of your local retail spots, you have almost too many choices of places to sell your jewelry online.

You can open your own online handcrafted jewelry store. If you're a do-it-yourself type, then design your own web pages, buy a domain name, get your website hosted, get oscommerce (free open source shopping cart software), write jewelry descriptions, take pictures, launch your website, get a business license, and you're ready to start selling.

If web design isn't your thing, then hire a web designer. This needs cash, but relative to start-up costs if you were opening your own corner artisan jewelry store, the cost is minimal.

If you're less interested in the business end and prefer to focus on the art, go the craft mall circuit. Craft malls like Etsy and Rubylane are easy to use and relatively inexpensive and feature storefronts that are often customizable. They handle the payments, you handle making jewelry, listing your work, and shipping. I had a shop with Rubylane years ago, before I retired my jewelry business, and I loved it. Today, though, I'd probably start with Etsy, which wasn't around at that time.

Or list your jewelry on eBay. That's right, old fashioned eBay. Don't expect to get a lot of money at first, but do expect to get a lot of hits. EBay is great for getting a base of customers who will gladly come to see you in your store when you get it running.

Unconventional routes? Start a blog. Add a shopping cart function, put up a store policy, photos and descriptions, and voila! Instant online store.

Or think big. Form your own artisan jewelry mall. Draw in other handcrafted jewelry makers to sell jewelry in a centralized place.

When considering which route to go, consider the following:

How much time do you want to devote to the business?
How much do you know about web design?
How much do you know about web marketing?
Are you willing to wait a year or two before your personal online jewelry store attracts enough visitors to start selling in numbers big enough to make your pocketbook happy? The rewards promise to be higher if your jewelry takes off, but lower if you never do attract the Web traffic.
Do you prefer instant gratification? A centralized location that already attracts shoppers galore? Don 't mind competition right next door? Then become one seller in many and list your jewelry in a store in an artisan craft mall.

Your decision isn't irreversible. That's the other great thing about the Internet. It's constantly changing. If you can change with it, then you're more likely to succeed, wherever you decide to sell your jewelry.

For a more extensive list of places to sell jewellery items, read this list I compiled of websites where you can sell handmade jewelry online.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Make Money at Home Selling Handcrafted Jewelry Online

2009-01-22T11:41:00.001-08:00

Can a person really make money selling handcrafted jewelry online? I did, and until I quit because I couldn't handle the workload with my pregnancy, I was loving it. Here's what I think about the opportunity for jewelry makers on the Internet. Every day we read about more layoffs, more recession related economic troubles. One day it's Microsoft laying off 5,000 workers. The next day it's another bank closing. And yet there's something promising going on for jewelry designers and crafters.

In the January 2009 Fire Mountain Gems print catalog, you may have seen a note to jewelry supply buyers about the economy. The note says that although the financial times are hard, the jewelry supply business is still up, and sales haven't dropped. Why?

Their theory is right on the money. They say that their customers are still buying beads, jewelry wire, cabochons, silver and gold, jewelry tools, and jewelry display supplies because they are jewelry makers who are taking their economic success into their own hands.

In other words, people have begun to learn that they can make money from home by making and selling jewelry. Fewer and fewer jewelry makers are going into business exclusively by doing craft fairs and art fairs. And few can afford to open bricks-and-mortar retail stores.

Instead they're joining the vast art fair online. They're joining one of the numerous online craft malls such as Etsy and Craftmall. They're opening jewelry stores on Rubylane to sell their earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

My story is an essentially modern one, as far from the traditional apprenticeship model of craftsmanship as you can get. I taught myself how to make jewelry online. I bought all my beads online. I purchased all my jewelry supplies online. I made the necklaces, bracelets and earrings and anklets at home. I took photos with my digital camera and designed my own business cards online. I paid for an ecommerce store at Rubylane and promoted my business online. I sold to customers all over the world. Pretty much the only thing I did on paper were my taxes. These days, if I were to do it again, I'd do my taxes online, too.

These days, jewelry makers scorn the aches and pains of early set-up and late take-down at weekend craft fairs. Craft fairs enjoy only a local market for the most part. Artisan jewelers forego letting their necklace masterpieces sit on consignment inside artisan stores only tourists wander into.

They instead list their jewelry and sell 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to the entire world on Etsy and eBay or an ecommerce jewelry store.

It costs so little money. Their capital output when they start to sell jewelry online is so small it's almost negligible. This levels the playing field for new jewelry makers looking for new ways to make money selling their artisan designs.

It's the wave of the future, and it's riding in now. In future articles, I'll be discussing how you can ride this profit wave and sell your jewelry online to make money on your road to becoming more self-sufficient.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

The Toggle Clasp, or Bar and Ring Clasps in Jewelry Making

2009-01-20T23:51:00.000-08:00

I love toggle clasps. Toggle clasps, or bar and ring clasps as they're sometimes called, are one of the easiest types of clasps to put on, secure (at least, from falling off), sturdy, and did I mention easy to put on?

Why is easy important? Think of the men and women who wear your designs who have arthritic hands.

With so many desk jockeys typing away all day, more people suffer from joint and repetitive stress pain conditions than you think. For them, the only thing better than a toggle clasp is a long necklace that can go over the head without needing to fiddle with a clasp at all.

And since I specialized in necklaces for men, I encountered male customers who really a clasp easy for their large hands to manage.

What are other benefits of toggle clasps? They look great and can be antiqued, patterned, and ornate. My absolute favorite toggle clasp is a Bali sterling silver version that is square, with twisted silver wire. They can be fancy or plain. The bigger the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Toggle clasps are a decorative detail in necklaces, adding beauty to function. And toggle clasps are about the only easy clasp to use in bracelets. If you've ever tried to fasten a lobster claw clasp one-handed, you know what I mean.

The one caution I'd give when using toggle clasps is to avoid flanking the bar side with large beads. Let about an inch of your strand have small beads that don't interfere with the backward bending of the bar as it slides into the ring.

So while lobster claw clasps are great for being secure and almost unnoticeable and box clasps are terrific for being discreet and hiding their hardware, toggles are everything you could ever want in a clasp. Toggles are in-your-face, primitive, sturdy, function, and gorgeous...the studliest of clasps.

Learn about other types of jewelry clasps.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

How to Buy Wholesale Sterling Silver Wire Online: Tips for Smart Buying

2009-01-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

Sterling silver jewelry wire is incredibly versatile for the jewelry maker. You can make your own clasps and jump rings, use very fine gauge wire for knitting, make your own eyepins, do wire sculpture, and wire wrap using silver wire. (See my tutorial for wire wrapping a sterling silver bracelet.)

Some of you may be able to buy sterling silver wire locally, but for most jewelry makers, there are no wholesale distributors in your area. Even if there are, you never know if you're getting the best price for wholesale sterling silver wire until you check online.

The first advantage to checking online when you shop for jewelry wire is being able to check the metal markets. The price of silver moves gradually. You can watch it go down and up over the course of days. Do that. Time your silver wire purchase for the times the prices is headed downward. Don't wait for it to start on an upsurge, or by the time you get the order shipped, the prices may have gone up significantly.

Wholesale sterling silver jewelry wire is hard to find locally, but I'm always surprised by how easy it is to find in the Internet. And it's one of those purchases that you might as well make online.

Why? We're not talking about a product that varies widely from source to source. Sterling silver wire is basically sterling silver wire, no matter where you find it. It's .925 by definition - an alloy of at least 92.5% pure silver, the rest being another metal or metals, like copper. It will almost always be sold in reels that you'll have to straighten as you use it. (Use your fingers or a flat nose pliers.)

Sterling silver wire is sold in gauges. The lower the gauge, the thicker the wire. For earwires, wire wrapping, pendants and wire sculpture, choose 18-24 gauge sterling silver wire. 20 gauge round half-hard wire is a standard width for making earwires, wire-wrapping beads, and most uses. For knitting, chose 26 gauge and higher.

Sterling silver wire is either dead soft or half hard. Dead soft means soft, but that doesn't translate to "easy to work." Half hard is easier to work with for the beginner. Half hard jewelry wire holds its shape better, which means you're less likely to mess it up. Learn more about jewelry wire gauges, shapes and hardness.

You may find online sources of wholesale sterling silver jewelry wire to be more or less equal in quality. Check the prices; they, not the quality of the drawn wire, are what differs from store to store.

As an Amazon.com Associate, I now offer sterling silver jewelry wire in my A-Store. I've bought wholesale sterling silver jewelry wire from Artbeads, Rio Grande, Fire Mountain Gems, Santa Fe Jeweler's Supply, and more sources I can't even remember now. I don't have a favorite - wire is pretty much wire. (Now, check with me later about turquoise. I can definitely point you to sources for fine turquoise beads.)

If you are going to be purchasing jewelry wire repeatedly, get yourself a wire gauge. A wire gauge allows you to measure the wire you receive to make sure it's the right thickness. Usually it's correct. But every once in a while...

Once - and luckily only once, out of many satisfactory orders - I placed an order at Santa Fe Jeweler's Supply for several sizes of wholesale sterling silver wire and ended up with - I was pretty sure - one reel the wrong gauge - 22 instead of 20 gauge. But since I didn't have a wire gauge, I couldn't confirm it, and I didn't ask for a return. I may have been wrong, I may have been right.

But a wire gauge is really necessary for peace of mind if you've got a suspicious nature like I do. It's all too easy to make mistakes.

Aside from that cautionary tale, I've never had a problem ordering wire online. It came in good condition, never kinked or work hardened, and the quality was great.

Buy Sterling Silver Jewelry Wire

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

The Start of Ornatia

2009-01-14T02:12:00.000-08:00

I'm excited about my new blog featuring jewelry projects, jewelry book reviews, instructions and how-to articles for making jewelry, and pictures of my Ornatia jewelry designs.

For three years I designed and made jewelry, mostly necklaces, for men and women. I sold my jewelry online at Rubylane and on eBay. I specialized in rustic necklaces, anklets, bracelets and earrings.

My big surprise? My most avid customers were men. I sold so many men's necklaces, I was stunned. Guys really liked my designs. Although some of my designs are indisputably feminine, others are gender neutral...and others really are for men, and only men. Maybe that's what they liked about them.

And then my personal life intruded. I got married, got a full-time day job, got pregnant, and I no longer had time or opportunity to make jewelry anymore. I closed my small business selling jewelry online, and the jewelry I made is stored away, waiting for the chance to be seen again...someday.

My first love is writing. But I still love doing what I did a few years ago. My husband suggested just the other day that I revisit my hobby. And that's what I'm doing, through this blog.

I hope you'll join me as I post jewelry projects and how-tos. The jewelry I make is simple. Almost literally, anyone can do it. If you have an interest in crafts, in design, in beading, and especially in turning that interest into cash, I hope to provide valuable information for you. If you want to make money selling jewelry online or in the crafts circuit, there are so many opportunities now, even in our challenging economy.

Of course, if you're in it for the hobby, for the art, or just to put something gorgeous around your neck and dangle on your ears, I think you'll find a lot here, too.

Join me and have fun. And let me know what you think about the blog. I can always use your feedback!

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 1

2009-01-11T03:17:00.000-08:00

Here are basic, simple step-by-step instructions for making your own wire-wrapped bracelet, necklace or anklet. Whether you're a beginner or you've learned a few things about jewelry making already, my tutorial should offer some tips to help you learn the amazingly versatile skill of wire wrapping.

Wire wrapping is a technique used in both elaborate wire sculpture jewelry and regular plain old jewelry making. The wire wrapped bracelet in this tutorial is essentially a chain made of wire and linked by beads. The tutorial covers the skills, materials and techniques needed to make this bracelet "chain," which is also adaptable as a necklace or anklet.

Many people think their first do-it-yourself jewelry project has to be small and simple, like earrings. That's not true. Wire wrapping is easy - or at least, easier than it looks.

Once you've gathered all your materials together and mastered a few techniques through the exercises shown here, you'll have gained the skills you need to make your own original, unique custom jewelry that's perfect just for you—or for starting a hobby or making money with a jewelry-selling business.

Making jewelry is easy and fun, doesn't have to be that expensive, and is remarkably rewarding!

Ready for the next post? Learn what you need to get started.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 2

2009-01-10T03:16:00.000-08:00

This is the second lesson in a tutorial for how to make a sterling silver wire wrapped bracelet. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Getting Started

You don't need a lot of equipment to make wire wrapped jewelry—with surprisingly little, even a novice can create a beautiful handcrafted bracelet that's wearable, fashionable, custom-sized, and exactly what you want.

That said, having the necessary tools and materials ready to go when you're ready to go makes it much easier. The last thing you want is to sit down to start creating your jewelry masterpiece, only to find you don't have the right pliers. It doesn't matter how strong you may be or how great your fine motor skills are—turning a wire loop with your fingers is not an option!

Visit local beading stores or, for the best deals and selection, try the many online jewelry supply stores to buy beads, findings, tools and equipment. When I was in business selling my artisan jewelry, I bought everything I needed to make jewelry on the Internet.

I've labeled each post in this tutorial with a lesson number. Just go sequentially from lesson to lesson to follow the tutorial.

The next post in the tutorial discusses reasons to make wire wrapped jewelry and begins to list the supplies needed for making a sterling silver wire wrapped bracelet.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 3

2009-01-09T03:14:00.000-08:00

This is lesson 3 in the tutorial on making sterling silver bracelets. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Why Learn to Wire Wrap?

Wire wrapping teaches you important jewelry-making techniques that you can apply to other jewelry types.
Wire wrapped jewelry is beautiful.
Wire-wrapped jewelry looks professional.
Wire-wrapped jewelry goes with every kind of outfit—casual, formal, business.
Wire-wrapped jewelry is sturdy and long lasting.
Wire-wrapped jewelry looks much harder to make than it actually is.

Supplies:

Tool: Round nose pliers
Tool: Flat nose pliers, chain nose pliers, or bent nose pliers
Tool: Flush cutter

Use jeweler's pliers and cutters, which are small enough for detail work and available from most jewelry supply stores. Avoid standard sized tools, which can mar the wire.

German- or Swiss-made tools—I highly recommend the Lindstrom brand—are the best quality. If you must choose the cheap brands, know that they tend to break more easily and they don't do the job the precision brands do.

How much do the tools cost?

Prices for the tools vary from $7 per tool to $80 per tool.

Round-nose pliers: Don't stint on jeweler's round nosed pliers designed for making loops. Buy the best. The cheap round nose pliers are 1) too large (even those specifically made for jewelry) and 2) mar the wire visibly.

Flat-nose pliers, chain-nose pliers, or bent-nose pliers: Depending on how concerned you are about marring the surface of your wire slightly, you might be able to get away with cheap pliers because of the way these are used in jewelry making. Since these pliers are used to bend and flatten the jewelry wire, careful use can keep the wire marring to a minimum. You can probably buy a cheap, serviceable chain nose pliers, bent nose pliers, or flat nose pliers for under $15 that will do the trick. However, for the best results, buy the best.

Flush cutters: Don't stint. Buy quality flush cutters to cut the wire completely flush. When you make a wire cut, one end gets a burr. The other end should be completely flat. This is vital not just for aesthetic reasons, but to be able to close loops completely as well as to minimize sharp edges (something jewelry should never have).

Next, the tutorial covers the supplies needed to make a wire wrapped bracelet. You might also want to read more about wire wrapping supplies you need to keep in stock if you're beginning to make jewelery.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 4

2009-01-08T03:13:00.000-08:00

This is lesson 4 in the tutorial for how to make a sterling silver wire wrapped bracelet. You can also start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Supplies (continued):

Newspaper

Laying out your working surface with newspaper helps contain the damage when scraps of sterling silver wire go flying and offers a quick clean-up option.

Safety Goggles

When those scraps go flying, you don't want them flying in your eyes. Goggles are advisable. Learn to cut wire safely as a basic precaution.

Towel

A towel or other napped cloth is great for laying out your beads so they don't roll around.

Ruler with metric and standard increments
Calculator

Although off-the-cuff measurements can work, a ruler and calculator are handy for calculating how many beads to use for the finished length that you want.

Working surface

A comfortable working surface helps prevent hunching and the dreaded "jeweler's neck."

20 gauge half-hard round sterling silver wire (also called sterling silver jewelry wire)

This wire-wrapped bracelet project uses sterling silver wire. Sterling silver is an alloy of pure silver and other metals such as copper that are mixed together to make silver more workable and durable. Sterling silver must contain .925 silver in order to be consider sterling. Thus, sterling silver jewelry will often be labeled .925 or .925 sterling silver.

Sterling silver jewelry wire is sold in reels in both dead soft and half-hard states. Half-hard is recommended for beginners as it holds its shape better.

20 gauge refers to the thickness of the wire. The higher the number, the thinner the wire.

Copper Wire

The first few times you practice your loops, use copper wire. It is a cheap way to learn the basics of working metal.

Read on to learn more about supplies and the beads needed to make a wire wrapped bracelet.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 5

2009-01-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

You've reached lesson 5 in a tutorial with instructions for how to make a sterling silver wire-wrapped bracelet. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Supplies (continued):

Beads

Choosing beads for your wire wrapped bracelet may be the best part! The beads you choose may be made of semiprecious gemstone, glass, plastic, terra cotta clay, Swarovski crystal, polymer clay, wood, or almost any material you can think of. You can choose beads of any size greater than 6mm, though I'd advise you to start with beads from 10mm to 25mm long.

Natural looking beads like abalone shell, turquoise and red coral make beautiful jewelry even when the design is very simple.

Semiprecious gemstone beads come in a wide variety. Interesting matrix patterns can be found in stones such as picture jasper, ocean jasper, and carnelian. Semi-precious gemstones such as lapis lazuli, amethyst, peridot, black onyx and garnet look stunning next to precious metals like sterling silver and gold.

You can even make your own beads, if you're game. The only requirement is that the drilled holes be large enough for your wire to pass through – especially a concern if you're using freshwater pearls, which are generally drilled with small holes to be strung on fine silk string.

If you don't have beads in stock and don't know where to buy beads, you may be surprised to learn you can buy beads online. I'll be posting details about the best ways to buy beads online, with recommendations for what beads to buy and how to choose quality beads when you don't have them right in front of you.

Toggle Clasp

The "bar-and-ring" toggle clasp can be fastened one-handed and so is ideal for bracelets. Get a large toggle clasp if you're fumble-fingered so it will be easy to put on. A toggle clasp is also suitable for necklaces and anklets.

All right! The first hurdle is done! You've gotten your jewelry supplies together. Now it's time to start jewelry designing and practicing.

Next in the tutorial, learn tips for designing your sterling silver wire-wrapped bracelet.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-Wrapped Bracelet Lesson 6

2009-01-06T03:12:00.000-08:00

This is lesson 6 in my step-by-step tutorial for making a sterling silver wire wrapped bracelet. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Design

In case you haven't already noticed, this project is not a paint-by-numbers project. It's a jewelry making project designed to teach you to think about your piece from start to finish, learn the basic skills you need, and then apply them to any design you wish, learning more as you go along. I think design is an important part of making jewelry, and so I'm taking a moment here to talk about design.

Before you begin to make the bracelet, take the time to think about your jewelry design. Look at your beads and try to imagine what they would look like arranged in different patterns. There is no law that says the entire bracelet must be made of beads of one color or one size.

Lay out the beads on a piece of napped cloth or a towel and see what tickles your fancy. Have fun visualizing your designs—the only limits, besides the beads themselves, are those of your creativity. Browse books on wire-wrapped jewelry for ideas.

For your first design, choose a simple pattern with one approximate size of bead.

Think about color and texture and, most of all, contrast.

Shiny surfaces complement dull. Vivid tones captivate alongside muted tints and shades. Complex patterns stand out against simple. Rough surfaces make you want to touch them when alternated with smooth.
Small spacer beads set off big beads.

Use contrast to create irresistible designs guaranteed to impress.

Be practical. Coral and freshwater pearls can be damaged by water. So don't use coral and pearls on bracelets that you're likely to wear when doing the dishes. And be sure that you have enough beads to finish. It's awfully frustrating - and expensive - to come up a few beads short in making wire-wrapped jewelry.

Be flexible. Don't commit to one design until you're sure it can work.

Next, we'll get started on the basic techniques you need to know to make wire-wrapped jewelry.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 7

2009-01-05T03:11:00.000-08:00

You've found lesson 7 in my tutorial on making sterling silver bracelets. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Techniques

Before you actually begin to make the wire-wrapped bracelet, there are a few basic techniques to master that are essential to creating a professional-looking finished piece.

Cutting Jewelry Wire Flush

Your flush cutter has two sides—one that cuts flush, or straight, and the other that cuts on a sharp diagonal. Be sure to place the side that cuts flush toward the side of the wire you want to be flush (that is, the finished side that must come straight in contact with a jewelry surface, rather than leave a gap).

For safety's sake, cup your hand around the wire as you're cutting to contain any flying scraps.

Creating the Perfect Wrapped Loop

Use the following technique to achieve a perfectly round, neatly wrapped loop. Note: I don't have photographs, but if these instructions are confusing, I'd refer you to the excellent illustrations for making the perfect loop in All Wired Up: Wire Techniques for the Beadworker and Jewelry Maker.

It is worth the time to practice over and over.
Copper wire is recommended for practicing so you don't waste precious sterling silver wire.

Cut a 4" piece of 20 gauge half hard sterling silver wire (round) or, for practice, copper wire. Snip the ends so both sides are flush.

Holding one end securely in your flat-nose pliers, pull your fingers along the wire a couple of times to straighten it.

Move the flat nose pliers 1 1/2" from the end, and bend sharply at a 90-degree angle to form an "L."

Place the round part of your round nose pliers on short leg of the "L" about ½" from the bend. Curl your wrist in a smooth motion so that a loop begins to form around the round part. As you do so, keep the palm holding the pliers facing away from you.

Adjust your wrist to its original position, keeping the pliers within the loop. Then curl it again, closing the gap and completing the loop. Guide the wire end around with your hand if necessary to close the loop.

To wrap and finish the loop, remove the round nose pliers. Clasp the loop securely between the heads of the flat nose pliers in your non-primary hand.

With your other hand, wind, or wrap, the remainder of the wire tail around the stem.

Make the wraps close and tight.
Use a pulling motion rather than a pushing motion.

After you have wound the tail end around the stem twice, snip it off carefully. Make sure the remaining bit is flush. Tuck that bit in using your flat-nose pliers.

You've finished making a wrapped loop! If this is your first time, the results may look a little strange. But don't worry. With a little practice, you'll make perfect loops every time.

Next, we'll start making the bracelet, beginning with cutting the wire —using a quick-and-dirty method, or using precise measurements and calculations.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 8

2009-01-04T03:10:00.000-08:00

This is the 8th lesson in my step-by-step tutorial on how to make sterling silver bracelets in wire. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Make the Bracelet

Now that you have the tools, design plan, and techniques, you're ready to begin fashioning the bracelet itself. The first step in making your bracelet is cutting the wire into pieces that will hold the beads.

Cutting the Wire

Before cutting the pieces of wire that will be "wrapped" around the beads, you must know how long the wire pieces should be and how many pieces to cut.

Determining how long the wire pieces should be

This measurement depends on the size of the beads.

Seat of Your Pants Method

Try to visualize how long the pieces need to be. Make them several inches long. Don't forget, much of the wire ends up wrapped around itself and forming the loop. It's better to have extra wire than to come up short.

The disadvantage to going by the "seat of your pants" is that you will end up wasting precious sterling silver wire. If you are going to use this method, practice first with copper wire.

Exact Method

There is an easy formula that will allow you to measure exactly how long each piece needs to be.

Quick Formula

3" (1 ½" for each end of the wire)
plus
enough wire to span the length of the bead.

Example

Your bead is 10mm from hole to hole.
3 inches are needed for the "wrapping" part.
Your wire must be 10mm + 3 inches.

How to convert inches into millimeters

One inch is the same as 25mm. So, the total length of your wire is 3 inches x 25mm, plus 10mm, which comes to 85mm, or 8.5 cm.

How long the wire needs to be is 8.5 cm. You will use the metric side of your ruler to cut pieces of wire to this length.

Determining how many pieces to cut

This measurement depends on

the length of the wrapped bead
the number of wrapped beads you will need for the bracelet length

You can figure out the length of the wrapped bead by wrapping your first bead.

Next, the tutorial will cover how to wrap your first bead.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 9

2009-01-03T03:09:00.000-08:00

You've landed on lesson 9 of the tutorial for how to make a sterling silver wire wrapped bracelet. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Wrapping a Bead

Begin by making a perfect wrapped loop as described in the previous lesson.

After you have a single wrapped loop, string a bead onto the wire. Then make a second wrapped loop on the other end.

Make your 90-degree bend at the same distance from the bead as the first loop. You should only have enough room to wrap the tail around twice.

Be patient. It will take practice before your wraps are perfectly symmetrical.

Once you have your finished wrap, measure it from end to end. This is the length of the wrapped bead.

Next, you'll learn how to determine the number of wrapped beads you will need.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 10

2009-01-02T03:08:00.000-08:00

Here's the 10th lesson in this instruction tutorial for making a sterling silver wire wrapped bracelet. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Determining the number of wrapped beads you will need

Seat of Your Pants Method

You can simply cut a lot of pieces of wire, then start making the bracelet, and stop when you're done. I do this a lot. It's simplest.

The disadvantage is that in the beginning, you will almost certainly end up wasting precious sterling silver. There's a good chance your bracelet will be the wrong size for your wrist, too. That's no disaster. But it will mean adjustment and waste - or giving the bracelet to someone else as a gift!

Exact Method

Using basic arithmetic (don't be afraid if you're not a math person - this is really basic stuff), you can use a simple formula to end up with a perfectly fitting wire-wrapped bracelet.

There are 3 measurements you will need to know.

1) The length of the wrapped bead

This is the length you determined earlier. Let us pretend this is 18mm.

2) The bracelet length.

A standard-sized finished bracelet is 7 ½", or 187mm. You can also measure the length of an existing bracelet that you own, or measure around your wrist and add an inch to get the total bracelet length you desire.

3) The length of the fastened toggle clasp.

Close the clasp by slipping the bar into the ring and laying out the toggle so the looped ends are in a line. Measure from loop to loop in millimeters. Let us pretend this length comes to 26mm.

Quick Formula

Divide the finished length, minus the length of the fastened toggle clasp, by the length of the wrapped bead. Feel free to use a calculator.

Example

Length of finished bracelet 187mm
minus
Length of closed toggle clasp 26mm
divided by
Length of wrapped bead 18mm

187 minus 26 equals 161
161 divided by 18 equals 8.94.

8.94 is the number of wrapped beads you will need. Since beads are in whole numbers, round that up to 9.

So in this example you will need about 9 wrapped beads to make your bracelet.

The number of wrapped beads you will need is equal to the number of pieces of wire to cut.

Do your measurements and calculations as shown in the example. Once you know how long the sterling silver wire needs to be and how many pieces to cut, go ahead and cut your wire.

Next, you'll learn how to wrap all the beads together and finish off the bracelet.

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Jewelry Tutorial: Make a Wire-wrapped Bracelet Lesson 11

2009-01-01T03:07:00.000-08:00

This is the 11th and final lesson in my tutorial describing how to make a sterling silver wire wrapped bracelet. Start the tutorial from lesson 1.

Finish the Bracelet

Now that your sterling silver wire is cut into pieces, and you have one wrapped bead to start, you're ready to wrap all the beads and finish off the bracelet. This last post in the tutorial tells you how.

Linking the wrapped beads together

Once you have a wrapped bead, you can begin to link it to other beads and the clasp.

Start a new bead wrap by starting to make a perfect wrapped loop. If you forgot how, here's the lesson once again.

Before you wrap the wire around the stem, slip the loop into one of the loops created in your first wrapped bead. With the loops linked together, hold the new loop with your flat nose pliers.

Then wrap your new loop carefully and finish it off as instructed in the earlier instructions on finishing the loop. When finishing, be careful not to distort the original loop.

Attach a bead and form the opposite loop. Before you wrap that loop, slip the end of the wire into the loop of one end of the toggle clasp. Then wrap it carefully and finish it off.

You should now have two linked beads, making a beaded chain, with a toggle clasp at one end.

Continue to link wrapped beads to the chain.

When you have formed your last loop, do not finish it off right away. First, slip the end of the wire into the loop of the other end of the toggle clasp. Then wrap it carefully and finish it off.

And finally....You're done! You made it through the last lesson! It wasn't easy, but you did it, and you can be proud. You now have a beautiful, secure, and professional-looking sterling silver bracelet that you wire wrapped yourself - and made from start to finish!

Note: The blog owner may be compensated for the content of this article. See the full disclosure statement regarding compensation in compliance with FTC guidelines.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure About Compensation

2008-01-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

The author of this blog gives honest opinions and attempts to accurately convey information based on either

1. first-hand experience
2. authoritative research, or
3. a combination thereof.

However, the content discussed by the author in any given article in this blog, including information on and/or opinions about products or services, may result in compensation for the blog owner and may be influenced by that compensation.

To maintain the quality of the reading experience, in-text advertising may not always be identified directly as an advertisement. Some affiliations or partnerships resulting in compensation on this blog include those with ArtBeads, DollarDays and Amazon.com.

This article, including this disclosure, is the sole copyright of the owner. All rights reserved.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009. All Rights Reserved.

About Us

2007-12-31T17:26:00.000-08:00

Ornatia Rustic Jewelry: Learn to Make and Sell Artisan Jewelry is the brainchild of "Ornatia," a jewelry maker and former jewelry seller.

The website's mission is to share lessons about selling jewelry online with aspiring entrepreneurs. "Ornatia" believes the world's economy is unfolding to reveal lasting new economic opportunities for individual entrepreneurs starting out in small business - opportunities of a quantity and quality not seen in many decades.

Before ending the business rather abruptly to take care of her growing family and focus on her writing, Ornatia made quality handcrafted sterling silver jewelry for women and and men. The designs were rustic and earthy, as witnessed by the photo samplings on this website.

Ornatia is proud to be a self-taught artisan jewelry designer. Her business started off as a hobby when she taught herself jewelry making on the Internet. It quickly evolved into an online business. Ornatia designs have been sold to a wide range of customers, from North America to Europe to Asia to Africa.

All Images and Text Copyright Ornatia 2009-2010. All Rights Reserved.

Contact Us

2007-12-09T17:20:00.000-08:00

Privacy Policy

1990-04-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

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Furthermore, all personal information collected by Ornatia Rustic Jewelry and/or by the statistical or advertising companies and services with which we are associated - including Google Blogger, Google Analytics, Google AdSense, Amazon Associates, Amazon Associates UK, Commission Junction, LinkShare, and ShareASale - will be used only for the purposes for which its collection is intended - to serve ads, for analysis and to track commercial activity.

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