Free Jewelry Making Lessons Archives - Page 2 of 3

20Apr

By filigreebeNo Comments

Tiny Rhinestones

Earrings with tiny rhinestones add just the right touch of sparkle near your face. These earrings feature some of our items which hold tiny pointed back rhinestones. I used stones measuring about 1.6mm up to 2.5mm in this example. They are pp10 and pp18 size stones (pp stands for pearl plate and ss means stone size. This is how rhinestones are measured.) Connector #B11 was cut off as shown and used under #W138X to create the earring top. I glued our post back #A10 to the back. I used our fan #A729 to create the dangle area. I first added #B11 turned upward to create the hanging loop. Next I layered #CC13X, #T126X and #C91X.The beads and dangles include other items from our site. This same layering method can be u...

22Feb

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons

Create Unique Settings

When you find a beautiful cabochon in a non standard size, you may reject it knowing how hard it is to find settings for those stones. The lesson below shows you how to create a setting for any size or shape stone. #F81, #A724, #A566, #G34 Step 1Choose a flat stamping with openwork or a filigree as the base, which will allow lots of open areas from which to attach strands of beads or chain. Step 2Glue the cabochon in the center. Let the glue set up according to the instructions on the tube. (More about this on our page "E6000 Glue Tips".) Step 3Add chain, beads, stones, trim or other stampings to rim the cabochon so that it appears to be in a setting. In this picture you se...

18Jan

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons, Ideas

Filigree Wrapping

I'm often asked, "How do I set those odd shaped vintage stones?" One way is to wrap them in filigree and stampings to create a cage effect. Filigree always has lots of openings from which to attach chain and beaded strands. Please use great caution when folding, bending and otherwise manipulating filigrees and stampings. We do not guarantee that they will hold up to manipulation. Here I used a half round peach colored vintage glass stones. I placed it inside a partially folded together filigree (Item #A727) and then continued to fold it closed..In the image below you can see how I folded #B208 around from the opposite side so that the ends overlap. I used flat nose pliers I found in the tool section of Sears. They are smaller for craf...

17Jan

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons, Ideas

Earrings = A Facelift?

Have you ever thought about why you tend to wear your favorite pair of earrings with so many different looks? Earrings and necklaces can light up your face and make you look thinner. A few years ago, I was a guest on a TV show in Virginia. The interviewer asked me, with doubt in his voice, how I could possibly make a woman look ten pounds thinner instantly. With the help of the female co-host of the show it was easy to demonstrate. I had already staged for her to be wearing small round button earrings and a choker style necklace with yet another round shaped pendant hanging from it. Her sleeves were long and her collar was flat… so was her hair. First I lifted the crown of her hair just a bit, flipped up her collar, took off all that round jewelry and replaced it with small dangle earri...

5Dec

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons

Pendant Lesson

Functional elements such as bails and clasps are required for every project to make the piece wearable. Consider a pendant without a bail for example. The pendant would not face forward if you simply threaded a ribbon or chain through it's loop. Standard loops are attached to the top of the setting or stamping with the hole facing the same way as the setting, so a bail is needed to join the chain to the pendant loop. A bail is often the least attractive component in an otherwise fabulous design. A pretty pendant is missing something if only a simple large rather ugly jump ring is used as a bail. Failing to consider the style of these elements can ruin the balance of an otherwise beautiful piece of jewelry. Every part should complement the main focal point. As in architecture and ...

1Dec

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons

Classic Design

The classic style of mixed metal jewelry will allow you to wear the items for years to come and with a variety of looks. These earrings are from my personal collection of items I've made and kept to wear. I'm showing them to you for several reasons. I made these earrings in about 1991. I've worn them hundreds of times and I still reach for them at least once a week. Note how the plating has not changed even after all this time. I combined antique gold, oxidized brass and antique silver in layers with no stones included. Also note the placement of the earring posts near the top third of the settings and the use of backs with stabilizer discs. This allows the earring to stay in place without tilting forward. When you create classic style jewelry from qua...

27Nov

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons, Ideas

Designer Hand Bags

This is an evening bag I decorated for a book being published about embellished accessories. The bag measures about five and a half inches tall and six inches wide. I used a pink glass opal cabochon #B726 with lace edge setting #A539 18x13mm mounted on one of the brass stampings #K09. The whole thing was glued to a purchased beaded and sequined evening bag with a long woven silk strap. Then I glued (E6000 glue) Austrian crystal Swarovski 20ss stones here and there for the bling. The bag sold at auction for $80.00 Visit our store web site VintageJewelrySupplies.com to shop for these and thousands more items.(NOTE: our website best viewed on desktop or tablet)

13Nov

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons

The Cameo Lesson

A cameo or stone which measures 40x30 can be used in many ways when you first give it a dramatic setting. Glue the back of the cameo to front of brass frame #F79. Let the glue dry according to the directions on the tube.Then gently bend and wrap filigree piece #B33 around the first two items so that the ends of the filigree look like prongs holding the cameo in place.Lastly glue frame #A511 to the back of the above items to create the effect of a large dramatic setting. You could add a pin back or use this piece to embellish other items such as furniture, a journal or a jewelry box. Visit our store web site VintageJewelrySupplies.com to shop for these and thousands more items.(NOTE: our website best viewed on desktop or tablet)

2Nov

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons

Step by Step

Mixing natural gemstone beads and cabochons with vintage glass beads and the oxidized findings lends importance to your art. The colors are rich and the markings are always interesting. The stones are very earthy and flattering to your face. Look for natural, not dyed stones, since the dye will change and fade over time. Steps to a Project... Here's the evolution of a necklace as it is being created. The focal pendant chosen for this piece is a Chrysocolla oblong gemstone bead with the hole passing vertically across the top. In my travels, I never pass up a bead store, rock shop or bead show. I want to see gemstones in person before I spend big money for something special like this bead. I threaded a heavy beading wire (#W01) through the hole and then added ...

27Mar

By filigreebeNo Comments

Free Jewelry Making Lessons, Ideas

Focal Pendants

Components can be glued, wired or soldered if you will be adding your own patina. Note that there are loops and several openings from which you can attach strands of beads and chain. Our items #CC69, #H116, #M66 and #B723 were used in this example but you could use this idea to create many more pendant styles. To fit a fully faceted stone into a flat back setting you can often set it pointed side out if it is unfoiled. This general idea can be used with many different elements to create different designs. Visit our store web site VintageJewelrySupplies.com to shop for these and thousands more items.(NOTE: our website best viewed on desktop or tablet)