Lots of Free Jewelry Making Tutorials & Lessons

How to start Home Parties with Alecia Cardell

Jewelry making home parties is fun! I had attended a jewelry making party before when my Mom was still around. We were just starting with our craft store before and learning how to make jewelries when we use to attend home parties with her friends. I was the youngest in the group and I thought it wouldn’t be fun for me since most girls are way over my age but I was totally wrong. After several parties, we had hosted our own. It was one of the best parties I’ve ever experienced. Many have attended and many have bought so I was able to make some pocket money that time. Cool! I’m having fun, making friends and at the same time earning, just like Alecia Cardell of Iaborbeads.

These are just some of the many beautiful and unique creations of Alecia. You'll find more on here website, Iaborbeads. Alecia shared to me how she started the business of hosting jewelry making home parties and she’s given us some tips on how to start one. Read her article...

My Business with Home Parties

I love making jewelry. There is something so cool about creating a piece that someone will ultimately wear. My mom always liked having three-piece sets; necklace, bracelet and earrings so that everything matched whatever outfit she was wearing. Needless to say, I also make lots of sets.

A friend of mine offered to have a home jewelry party at her home several years ago. I was thrilled to be asked so I immediately said, “Yes!” Now, let me go back a bit. You have to remember that I was a novice with all the creating of the jewelry. I didn’t know anything about having a home jewelry show. Needless to say, my mind began to race. I began to make my plans for this show, so I consulted the Internet, yes, the Internet. As I read, it occurred to me that having a home party was not very tricky at all. Bring your jewelry and sell to whomever attends. It is a bit more involved than that.

My friend and I made up an invitation and we gave those to everyone we knew. Then we decided to have little snacks. That first party was from 11:00-2:00, so we had some brunch items as well coffee, tea, water and soft drinks. Her home is absolutely gorgeous, so setting up my jewelry was the easy part. It was fun using some of her china to highlight some of my pieces and the rest was displayed on my black felt stands. We stood back and thought, “Wow, this really looks like a jewelry store!” Once the show started, I was so busy that I couldn’t keep up with my sales. Many of my customers are co-workers, so they were very patient with me. I ended the show with $1300 in profits and 7 custom orders!

After that show, I decided to make a list of things that I will always remember. You may want to add some others.
• Always take your tools and a kit of findings(earwires, crimps, clasps, etc). You never know when something just decides to fall apart or break.
• Remember to create a custom order form, if you do custom orders. I ended up writing all my custom orders on napkins.
• Make a flyer of your upcoming shows so that your new customers will be able to come and purchase from you again.
• Take an extra pair of comfortable shoes and a change of clothes. You just never know.
• Have plenty of business cards available to pass out, or you can put them inside your customers’ bags.
• This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you don’t accept credit cards, try to get yourself set up to do so. I would have lost half my sales that day if I had not taken credit cards. There are many companies out there that will help you get started with little or no money up front.
• Promote your home-show program to this audience of customers and offer them an incentive to give you a date at this show. It doesn’t always work, but it did for me twice.

I love to do home shows. It gives me a more intimate relationship with people who love my jewelry and only my jewelry, if you get what I mean.

Until next time,
Iaborbeads.
Alecia Cardell

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Featured FREE tutorial for hair accessories

It’s been a year now since I’ve grown my hair. I always had my hair cut short like that of Sharon Stone (just not sure if she’s grown her hair long now LOL) Last Christmas I wanted to have a new look and so I had my hair re-bonded to make it smooth and straight. The new hairdo made me look younger friends and family say. I’m also getting used to it now, but sometimes the hair bangs get on my eyes and it’s irritating, especially when I’m working, writing or beading. Since this is my first time to have my hair long I don’t have any hair accessories. I only have plain hair barrettes so I went out yesterday and thought of buying some classy hair pins to keep the bangs away from my eyes. I went to a hair accessory store and there are lots of beautiful stuffs available. I picked one that I like and whoa...I didn’t know that it would cost more than $5 to buy a hairpin. I checked the design and looking at it, I could easily make one, and maybe, even more beautiful than what they’re selling. So, I ended up not buying any hair accessory and just bought myself a McDonald’s meal LOL! It made me happier instead.

When I got home yesterday I forgot about the hairpin mission, but as soon as I turned on my laptop today, I remembered to check my friend’s blogs if they have free tutorials for hair accessories. I found one from I Am Momma Hear Me Roar How to make hairpins blog. I kind of like Cheri’s tutorial so I decided to share it on here before making one for myself. You’ll love her ideas. They’re cute!

I also found this beaded headband tutorial from Pretty Ditty.

Sometimes I like to pull my hair up using rubber bands. This time I can pull my hair up with fashion. I can’t wait to make them!

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FREE Oval Shape Turquoise Earrings Jewelry Making Tutorial Blogpost PART 2

Hey, hey, hey everyone! Remember this?

Well, on this post, we’re going to continue and finish creating our Oval Shaped Turquoise Earrings.

On Part 1, we already have shaped the earring frame into an oval and half wrapped the frame with clear seed beads. We set the frame aside and created a double spiral. Now, we’re going to attach the double spiral onto the earring frame. Continue wrapping the wire and sliding in the seed beads following Step 6 & 7 until you finish wrapping the earring frame. Cut off excess wire.

Step 10: Pick up your earring frame and ay the double spiral at the center of the frame. To attach the double spirals continue to wrap your 0.3mm (28ga) wire 3 times between the spirals then onto the earring frame until you get passed the double spirals. Continue wrapping the wire and sliding in the seed beads until you finish wrapping the earring frame. Cut off excess wire.

Step 11: Cut approximately 10cm (4 inches) 0.3mm (28ga) wire. Wrap one end of the wire onto the upper part on one side of the earring frame. Slide in the oval shape turquoise and pull it to the centre of the earring frame. Wrap the wire 2 times onto the opposite side of the earring frame. Cut excess wire.

Step 12: Finish the earring frame by making a spiral at the other end of the wire. Pull the spirals and adjust the position to your liking.

Step 13: To finish it off, fit in the earring stud into the spirals and adjust a little bit to your liking and you're done!

You can follow Part 1 with this link. If you like to have a PDF copy that you can keep and compile you can download it from this link. The PDF copy is a more detailed step-by-step tutorial with complete pictures that you can follow easily. Hope you like this little tutorial and watch out for more FREE jewelry making tutorials on future posts. Ciao!

FREE Kate’s Lace Bracelet Beading Jewelry Making Tutorial

Okay, let’s make this official. Since Handmade Jewelry Club has become an affiliate member of Jewelry Making Professor we continue to feature beading/jewelry making video tutorials every Monday. So, why don’t we call Monday our Jewelry Making Professor Online Jewelry Making Video Tutorial Day! What do you think?

Well, let’s get on with our online jewelry lesson for today. We’ve finished with our heart series beading tutorials and so now we’re going to learn how to make a bracelet, Kate’s Lace Bracelet

If in the past video tutorials we’ve used mainly RAW or right angle weaving technique, this time we’re going to learn how to weave a wave design. The technique would be going in circles and around the larger bead and as you weave around the around the larger bead, you’ll also weave picot weaving style with seed beads. We’ve featured Picot earrings before and if you still remember, the picot is the edge’s design that resembles a lace’s edges. From start to finish you’ll create several groups of beads and seed beads that are arched and then create another set of beads arched in the opposite direction. With this weaving pattern, you can also create a necklace and weave as many waves as you like.

Prepare a FireLine beading thread or any beading thread you’re comfortable working with and cut it about arms length. Use size 10 or 12 beading needle. Size 10 would be the best choice as it fits almost all size of beading holes. Prepare 2 sizes of beads, 4mm and size 11/0 seed beads. For the clasp, we suggest a snap clasp as you can easily just snap the lock with your thumb. You can also use a crab clasp.

To get the latest update on video lessons from Jewelry Making Professor visit this link.

What a cool way to create a wavy beadwork, isn’t it? I’m sure you’ll have fun with this video. Don’t forget, this video will only be available for 7 days. By next Monday another video will featured. So, learn and watch the video now and we can’t wait to see how you did your Kate’s Lace Bracelet. Share it with us and show it off on this blog.

Round-Up Free Tutorial and Jewelry Making News

Hello Handmade Jewelry Club readers,

Have you missed a post? Here's a compilation of articles for you...

Cheers!
Jane

FREE Heart Shape Ring Beading Tutorial

We started off our week learning beadweaving and creating beautiful jewelry pieces and charms with Jewelry Making Professor for our online jewelry lesson. Read more...

Wire Jewelry - Beginner: How to make a hook for your bracelet

For this Wire Jewelry - Beginner Online Jewelry Lessons we’ll teach you a simple finishing technique that’ll make your bracelets and necklaces special and handmade. We’ll teach you how to make a hook made from copper wires using simple looping and wrapping technique. Read more...

FREE Oval Turquoise Earrings Jewelry Making Tutorial Blogpost

Since turquoise is rare, why don’t we learn this unique jewelry making idea on how to use your turquoise beads/stones and create unique earrings. Read more...

Featured Design: FREE Origami Stars Earrings Tutorial

There’s numerous ways what you can do with the paper stars but I never thought of using it the way Sarah of Step Thru Crazy used her paper stars. I was also creating handmade jewelries when we were selling paper stars but it never came to mind to use it and create earrings. Read more...

An elegant jewelry set: Elegant Pearl White Bracelet and Necklace Jewelry Making Tutorial

This is a necklace created from Swarovski pearls and Japanese seed beads. It is weaved by connecting motifs from start to finish and constructed like a collar necklace. With this tutorial, once you learn how to weave the motif you can create your own variation of the necklace and construct it the way how you like to position the motifs. You can wear this piece at formal parties and events, especially at weddings that it would evenly look good on a bride. Read more...

DIY Lessons.org recommended video tutorial for jewelry making ideas

How to Construct Elegant Double Spiral Earrings by Ross Barbera
Watch here...

Wire Wrapped Necklace Tutorial
Watch here...

Basic Woven Ring - Tutorial 2
Watch here...

DIY Lessons.org recommended tutorial from nwbead

Beautiful open heart design can be worn as a pendant or displayed as a window or wedding ornament. Beginner to Intermediate Level - some beadwork experience recommended. Visit store here...

An elegant jewelry set: Elegant Pearl White Bracelet and Necklace Jewelry Making Tutorial

This is a necklace created from Swarovski pearls and Japanese seed beads. It is weaved by connecting motifs from start to finish and constructed like a collar necklace. With this tutorial, once you learn how to weave the motif you can create your own variation of the necklace and construct it the way how you like to position the motifs. You can wear this piece at formal parties and events, especially at weddings that it would evenly look good on a bride.

Intentionally, we have created the Elegant Pearl White Necklace to match the Elegant Pearl White Bracelet

Now, that you have a bracelet and a necklace, again, learning the motif technique you could easily create a pair of earrings to complete your elegant pearl jewelry set.

We have already included the Elegant Pearl White Bridal Necklace Jewelry Making Tutorial on our DIY Beading Club Third Month Lesson Plan. And surely, we’ll include the Elegant Pearl White Bracelet on future Monthly Lesson Plans.

If you like to avail of these two tutorials, along with other tutorials from our monthly lesson plans join DIY Beading Club Membership Package and exclusively receive various techniques for jewelry making tutorial every month; however, if you‘re excited to create your pearl necklace and bracelet now you can visit them here: Elegant Pearl White Bridal Necklace Tutorial and Elegant Pearl White Bracelet Tutorial

If you like to check out what you can enjoy for first 2 DIY Beading Club Monthly Lesson Plans visit them with these links: LINK 1 - First Month Lesson Plan and LINK 2 - Second Month Lesson Plan.

Featured Design: FREE Origami Stars Earrings Tutorial

Step Thru Crazy
I had lots of these paper stars before when we still had our craft store but I can’t remember now what they were called. The supplier was from Japan and we had the strips of paper in different colors and textures. Some are glossy with prints and some are just plain. The glossy ones are more expensive but the plain strips are just as beautiful as the glossy strips. The supplier whom later on became our friend taught us how to fold the strips of paper to form a star and we then teach our teenage clients and they loved it so much.

by Maca37

We showcased the stars inside small bottles with tags of sweet and loving messages that can be given as a gift. They’re very saleable to men who love showing affection to their partners.

Paper Reverie

We also had lots of stars inside a big bottle just for display. They’re very colorful, fun to look at and attractive. One of the staff even created a curtain of star similar to beads that’s stringed and hanged like a curtain. We hung it on the window display.

There’s numerous ways what you can do with the paper stars but I never thought of using it the way Sarah of Step Thru Crazy used her paper stars. I was also creating handmade jewelries when we were selling paper stars but it never came to mind to use it and create earrings.

Very clever Sarah! I love your jewelry making idea how to use the paper stars. The truth is, after this post, I'll be going over our old stocks inside their boxes which I have kept and look for the strips if I still have some left LOL!

But for our dear Handmade Jewelry Club readers, find out on Sarah's tutorial how she did her Origami Stars Earrings!

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FREE Oval Turquoise Earrings Jewelry Making Tutorial Blogpost PART 1

This is a turquoise stone. Dating back to 16th century, this mineral stone is known to the Aztecs as "chalchihuitl" and to Iranians as "pirouzeh." The word turquoise was derived from the French word “Turkish” Turkey, where the mineral “callais” was first found and then brought to Europe. It is a rare stone and is valued as a gem and ornamental stone since then, owing to its unique hue, its bluish-to-greenish color.

In my experience sometimes it’s hard to tell whether a turquoise bead, or stone, or gem is real. As years passed and like most opaque gems, sadly, imitations and synthetics of this prized stone have been sold in the market. But then how do you tell if a gem like turquoise is real? Since we were selling back in 2004 - 2007 gemstones of different kinds my mother taught me a cool tip how to tell if a gem is real. She said that all gems have a cool feeling when touched and placed on our skin. I’ve tested it on other gems I bought from other stores and yes, a real gem does feel cold on the skin! And it feels much colder when placed on the skin for longer times. Amazing! Now, you try when you buy precious stones. And since turquoise is rare, why don’t we learn this unique jewelry making idea on how to use your turquoise beads/stones and create unique earrings.

Let's prepare these materials and tools:
2 oval shaped turquoise beads 0.8mm (20ga) silver plated copper wire, 0.3mm (28ga) silver plated copper wire Some clear seed beads 2 ear studs Round nose pliers Flat nose pliers Wire cutter

Step 1: Cut approximately 13cm (5 inches) 0.8mm (20ga) copper wire. Bend to 90 degrees 0.6cm (0.24 inches) from the edge of the wire.

Step 2: Using your round nose pliers, hold the wire at the curve where you bent the wire to 90 degrees. Wrap the wire around the round nose pliers to create a loop.

Step 3: Using the tip of your flat nose pliers, grip the loop and with your other holding the extended wire make a spiral by turning the wire around the circle. Make at least 3-4 turns.

Step 4: Take your oval shape bead and wrap the wire around it to form the wire into an oval shape like shown in this picture.

Step 4: Remove the bead and now you have your earring frame. Then cut approximately 30cm (12 inches) 0.3mm (28ga) copper wire. Attach one end of the thin wire by wrapping it around the oval shape wire 3 times.

Step 6: Slide in a seed bead. Push the seed bead towards the end and continue to wrap the wire onto the oval shape wire 2 times.

Step 7: Repeat Step 6 until you have 9 to 10 seed beads wrapped onto the earring frame or when you’re nearing the middle part of the frame. Then wrap the wire without a seed bead a few more times and set aside.

Step 8: Cut approximately 6cm (2 inches) 0.8mm (20ga) wire. At one end make a small loop using your round nose pliers. Continue to turn the wire to make a spiral.

Step 9: Roll both ends to the centre and adjust the shape to make a double spiral

It’s getting pretty exciting isn’t it? Little by little you’re earring frame is starting to have a form, but why don’t we set this aside for now and I promise, we’ll continue the tutorial on our next posts; however, in case you’re really excited to finish your turquoise earrings and can’t wait to show them off, you can download a complete, detailed, step-by-step and follow the tutorial with this PDF COPY.

Ciao for now and happy jewelry making! READ PART 2 HERE

Wire Jewelry - Beginner: How to make a hook for your bracelet

Are you having a great time learning how to create beaded hearts? I’m sure you are LOL! But for those who wanted to explore other jewelry making techniques here’s a continuation of our Wire Jewelry - Beginner Online Jewelry Lessons Series.

Just a recap, in the past weeks we’ve tackled the eye pins, head pins and jump rings. We've combined these findings and created dangling earrings and bracelets. We also had an introduction to chain maille and come across using bead caps. Since you know how to use these findings you can now create your own jewelry pieces, but not just like any other jewelry pieces. How do we do that?

For this Wire Jewelry - Beginner Online Jewelry Lessons we’ll teach you a simple finishing technique that’ll make your bracelets and necklaces special and handmade. We’ll teach you how to make a hook made from copper wires using simple looping and wrapping technique.

Woohoo! Exciting! Instead of using the ordinary and ready-made clasps you'll learn how to make your own clasps. Let’s prepare a 1mm (18 ga) copper wire. You can also use 16 ga and 14 ga, but since you’re still getting used to handling copper wires I advise you use 18 ga so that the wire is more pliable and easier to handle than the 16 and 14 gauges.

With this tutorial from Jane Chew, aka XQDesigns, you’ll again come across making loops so you will need your round nose pliers. You’ll also get introduced to wire wrapping technique so you’ll need your flat nose pliers. Get hold of a wire cutter and a ruler.

READY! HEAD OVER TO XQDESIGN'S HOW TO MAKE A HOOK FOR A BRACELET TUTORIAL.

You could also try this similar piece with a twist with an additional eye clasp tutorial from Andrea of Beadholique How to make a wire loop hook and eye clasp video tutorial.