Are you thinking of making jewelry, either for yourself or to sell? Here are a few basic tips I've learned over time.

1. Practice techniques on inexpensive wire and findings. By this I mean, buy some base metal wire and findings (findings are things like jump rings and earring wires - the things that usually hold your jewelry together)at your local craft store; you'll know what I mean because it will be cheap. Cheap in quality and cheap in price. Great for practicing, no matter how skilled you get.

2. Learn the lingo. Read about wire gauge and print or bookmark an online reference. The higher the number the smaller the wire. Learn about how beads sizes are described as well as the size and orientation of the hole (this can be critical). Find out what needle nose pliers are for as opposed to chain nose. Do this before you shop so you don't end up with items you don't need. You don't need to rush out and buy a whole bunch of tools at once. If you find an inexpensive set to start with, buy it. Then, once you begin working with quality components, consider upgrading your tools - it will make a difference in your work.

3. Set aside a place to work. Starting on the kitchen table may be fine, but, I like to have all my 'stuff' spread out because that's what I get most of my inspiration from. If I had to put everything away each night, I'd never get anything made!

4. Once you're ready to make the real thing, DON'T be cheap. Sterling silver wire isn't tremendously expensive. I really like a prostores shop called Twisted Jewels. I trust their quality, they have free shipping and their prices are extremely competitive. Buy just a little at first until you become familiar with gauges, hardness, etc. I personally like the square wire in dead soft. Because of my arthritis, it's fairly easy to work with and I find the square tends to hold its shape better. But be aware, some people find it uncomfortable for rings (not me!) I also love copper and it's very inexpensive. You can seal or not seal your finished copper items. Practice with various sealants (spray ones are good) until you find one that you like. I personally don't seal my copper as I want it to 'turn'.

5. Beads. Be careful with super cheap beads, even for 'practice' pieces. The reason is because many cheap beads are made in overseas sweatshops and arrive still containing the powdery bead release inside the hole. This stuff can be seriously TOXIC. Yes, with a set of bead reamers you can clean most of it out, but you'll be inhaling it unless you use a mask and you can never get it all out. So, look for beads that don't have any release in the holes. When you buy the sealed cases of colorful glass beads at many shops like Michaels, these generally have a lot of release in them. Sadly, many people buy them for their kids - a BAD idea. For finished pieces, buy quality beads. Many sites like Etsy have beadmakers that do amazing work. They aren't cheap, but buying one as a focal or central piece can make the difference between a run of the mill piece and a gorgeous piece of finished jewelry. Also, check out local art fairs, many lampworkers sell wonderful beads at good prices at them. And plastic beads may be fine for practice but, well, they will always look plastic so I don't recommend them for finished pieces except ones for children.

6. Speaking of Etsy, don't be afraid to shop online. But, and this is a BIG but, be cautious of overseas sellers. Many countries do not have consumer protection laws or they are weak and/or not enforced, especially on goods for export. You don't want to buy, for example, Tibetan silver charms at a few dollars for a bagful because there will undoubtedly be absolutely NO silver in them. And, they may actually contain harmful toxic metals like lead. Only one out of several hundred (some say thousands) containers of goods coming into this country are inspected and only a handful of items in inspected containers are tested in any way. Remember, most jewelry will come into contact with skin so stay away from 'mystery metal'. Shop smart!

7. Use online tutorials. Yes, I have a stack of jewelry and beading magazines and books but they all contain some information I paid for but will never use. I am not a beadweaver, yet most of my beading magazines have pages and pages of this. But, there's a whole lot of online information, including how-to videos online - for FREE! And seeing someone actually demonstrating a technique 'live', even if they are more talented than you or I, is still better than looking at photos.

You want the items you make to last and look good. Cheap products may give you a nice looking piece at first, but they won't stand the test of time (I speak from experience). Base metals discolor and cheap beads can crack or become dull.

The success or failure of your finished pieces begins when you shop for the items to construct them. I'll have more posts of this type in the coming months so stop by often!