Jewelry Making

Inspiration & Exploration

Jewelry making is one of those crafts where the range goes from simple beaded bracelets to intricate metalwork you'd find in a museum — and you can start anywhere on that spectrum. Spend some time on Pinterest searching "beginner jewelry making" and "wire wrapped jewelry" to get a feel for the landscape. Check out the YouTube channel "Wire Jewelry by Wendi" for beautiful, achievable projects. Etsy is also a great place to study what makers are selling and what catches people's attention. Utah has a strong craft community — check out the Utah Handmade Collective and local makers markets like the Craft Lake City DIY Festival in Salt Lake each August. Visit a local bead shop if there's one near you; Artisan Beads in Salt Lake is worth a trip. Notice what materials draw you in. You're ready for the next step when you can describe three different jewelry-making techniques and say which one you want to try first.

Tools & Techniques

Start with wire wrapping — it needs almost no special tools and creates beautiful results fast. You'll need jewelry wire (26- and 20-gauge are great starters), round-nose pliers, chain-nose pliers, and wire cutters. Watch "Jewelry Making Journal" on YouTube and the free tutorials at wirejewelry.com to understand how to make loops, spirals, and wrapped connections. If you want to try beadwork, Creativebug offers beginner jewelry courses (some libraries give you free access). The subreddit r/jewelry is helpful for technique questions and gear advice. Michaels and JoAnn Fabrics carry starter supplies locally in Salt Lake, or order from Fire Mountain Gems online for a much wider selection. You're ready for the next step when you can make a clean, tight wrapped loop with wire and explain why loop size matters for connecting components.

First Creations

Make your first five pieces, and don't worry about whether you'd actually wear them. Start with a simple wire-wrapped pendant: take a stone or bead, wrap wire around it, make a loop at the top, add a chain. Then try a pair of earrings — symmetry is harder than it looks, and getting the two sides to match is genuinely satisfying when it clicks. The YouTube channel "HoneyBeeBeading" has beginner-friendly step-by-step tutorials. Pay attention to the finish on your wire ends — sharp ends can scratch skin, so tucking them carefully is a real safety and quality issue. Utah's rock shops (like the one in Ogden's 25th Street area) carry interesting local stones perfect for pendants. Show your pieces to friends and ask which one they'd actually want to wear. You're ready for the next step when you've made at least five finished pieces and given away at least one.

Style Development

Now develop a point of view. Do you love minimalist geometric shapes, or do you prefer organic, nature-inspired forms? Try mixing metals — copper and sterling silver together — or combining unexpected materials like leather cord with metal components. Pick a theme (desert geology, geometric, botanical) and make three pieces in a row that share it. Watch "Bethany Shipley Jewelry" on YouTube for design thinking in jewelry. Start photographing your work — good jewelry photos require good lighting and a clean background, and learning to photograph your work well is a real skill that pays off if you ever sell. Browse r/jewelry for community feedback on your style direction. You're ready for the next step when you can describe your jewelry style in three words and point to pieces you've made that back it up.

Refine Your Craft

Level up with a new technique: try simple metalsmithing with a butane torch (check YouTube for "beginning torch soldering jewelry"), or learn basic macrame and incorporate it into your wire pieces. Study how professional jewelers talk about quality — look at the difference between a clean solder joint and a messy one on YouTube. The community at r/metalworking and r/jewelry will critique your work honestly if you post and ask. If you're in Salt Lake, check whether Saltgrass Printmakers or similar arts centers offer jewelry workshops. Start keeping a design sketchbook where you draw pieces before making them — that planning step will speed up your actual making time dramatically. You're ready for the next step when you can look at a finished piece, identify its weakest technical point, and explain exactly how you'd fix it.

Portfolio Piece

Design and make a cohesive three-piece collection — think earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet that belong together. They should share a material, a technique, and a visual theme. Photograph all three together and individually against a clean background (white foam board from a dollar store works great). Post the collection to Instagram with hashtags like #utahmaker and #handmadejewelry, or list it on Etsy even if you're not sure you want to sell. Consider applying to the Craft Lake City DIY Festival or another local makers market — the application process alone will teach you how to present your work professionally. Write a short "maker statement" explaining your collection's inspiration. You're ready for the next step when your three-piece collection is photographed, shared publicly, and you can speak confidently about why each design decision was made.