When many people think about jewelry making for pleasure, they often think about beads, beads and more beads, but if you spend a little more time considering the pastime, you will realize that beads for jewelry making are not the only component that you will need. Although beads for the making are very important, there are plenty of other components that you will need if you are planning on making an item of jewelry which is both fashionable and functional. Here are some of the additional components that you will need to buy if you want to make the simplest pieces of jewelry which can be worn over and over again.
Cord (or wire) for threading
If you have already purchased beads for jewelry making, then you will need to buy something to thread the beads onto. This threading material will help to keep your beads together, and will help you to make sure that they go where you want them to go. There are a lot of different types of cord or wire available for threading, and the type that you choose to use will usually be affected by your final aims and objectives. Leather cord, elastic cord and thick wool are all popular items to make casual bracelets out of, whereas you can thread beads onto thin, flexible wire or chain if you want to make a necklace. Thicker, less flexible pieces of wire are ideal for any pieces of jewelry which require more structure.
Jewelry Findings
Jewelry findings can refer to a wide range of different items, which are all very important for the jewelry making process. These items, such as eye loops or jewelry fastenings, are the functional parts of the jewelry making process. They can help to keep things together, or help to keep things apart; they can prevent things from opening, or they can allow things to open with ease; and they can be used as part of the final design, or hidden from view. As you can tell, jewelry findings play a very important and varied role in the jewelry making process.
Cleaning Supplies
Because beads for jewelry making often come in large bags, and travel a long way to reach you, they can sometimes look a little dirty by the time they have been made into a piece of jewelry. They may also get dirty if you use any advanced making techniques of jewelry during your creative process. Make sure that you have cleaning supplies on hand so that you can give the whole piece a quick clean once it has been completed. This is a good way to make sure that your jewelry looks its best. Make sure that the cleaning products that you are using are suitable for the type of beads that you are using, as unsuitable cleaning products can end up damaging some types of beads for jewelry making. If you are planning on selling the jewelry that you have made, you will have to make sure that you clean it properly.