Wringing Bling: The Shiny World of DIY Jewelry

All signs pointed me towards jewelry-making. For one, I wear it all the time. Plus, I have tiny childlike hands – all the better for fitting gems and twisting wires, right?

But my main motive was finally being able to design pieces that subscribed to my (very specific) vision. And Stephanie Baker, one of Shou Designers’ Jewelry Academy’s more practiced graduates, had graciously agreed to initiate me into the world of DIY jewelry.

First, I had to choose my materials. As I pawed through the drawers of her giant cabinet, brimming with multi-hued stones and crystals, I found myself unexpectedly overwhelmed by the selection. What was even feasible to make? What colors actually paired well together?

Suddenly, the full weight of my amateurism hit me. It was much easier to browse other people’s designs than to create your own.

In the end I settled on turquoise and silver, to keep things simple. Once I began arranging them into the shape of a necklace, though, new questions arose. I grew increasingly befuddled about the spacing between the beads and the symmetry.

“Many newbies aren’t sure how to keep the sides balanced,” Baker reassured me. I guess it was a learned intuition, one that I could only hone with more practice.

The process might appear as simple as stringing stuff onto a wire. Sure, much of it was just that. But it was also about wrapping the wire, crimping the beads to act as stoppers and … well, you try to keep your hands on all those microscopic pieces. I developed a hand cramp from concentrating so hard.

The trickiest part was the wirewrapping, which I attempted when attaching the jump ring, split ring and clasp. Baker showed me an old bracelet she had made that relied predominantly on this technique – an intricate web of gems and wire. When it came time to make the earrings, I discovered that wirewrapping made up the bulk of the process. She taught me to snip thewire downwards – essential in order to avoid taking out an eyeball – and to angle my pliers at the right slant. This I had trouble mastering until the very end.

I let out a squeal of triumph when I managed to curve my wire into the perfect “O” for the first time. My neck and back ached, my hands were quaking and my eyes felt strained, but when I held up my necklace and earrings to the light, there wasn’t a thing I’d change about them.

To sign up for a class at Shou Designers’ Jewelry Academy, email Janice@shoudesigners.com. To check out Stephanie Baker’s jewelry line, Little Gems, visit LMC.

Click here to see the January issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photos: Judy Zhou