How to Make Teen Jewelry

To make teen jewelry, know teen fashion. Narrow down the style. Bubble gum pop or hard rock? Punk or goth? Expand to materials. Symbols such as peace, heart and "Om" are popular. Work in leather or metals. Think spikes and rivets. Ask the teen questions about her style. Once you have established her likes and dislikes, you are ready to begin making teen jewelry.

Things You'll Need

• Fashion magazine(s) or teen fashion catalog(s) Computer Mix of charms, beads, and sterling silver or brass findings (according to personal style) Head pins Fish hook earring wires, choice metal Clasps: barrel, lobster, spring ring, or lanyard Memory wire, 9 inches Recycled guitar wire, 9 inches Bead stringing wire, .46mm Wire cutters Round nose pliers Flat nose pliers

Instructions

How to Make Teen Jewelry

1. Find a good selection of trendy and seasonal pictures of jewelry for ideas. Collect an eclectic selection of beads, crystals, charms, tribal or colorful beads. For stringing materials, select wires, chain, cords, ribbon or thread. Look for discarded or broken jewelry pieces. Mix and match colors. Make a personal statement. Create a design or pattern to make earrings, necklaces and bracelets.

2. 

   Start with earrings. Put together a simple pattern by choosing three parts: one or two beads and a small spacer or charm between the two focus beads. Place the beads and/or charm onto the head pin exactly like your design. Bend top of the head pin 90 degrees with flat nose pliers. Make a loop with the round nose pliers. Loop the head pin onto the wire loop. Close open loop. Repeat with other wire.

3. 

   Make a bracelet from recycled guitar string or memory wire. Cut guitar string or wire 9 inches. Create a design with approximately 50 beads and spacers/charms. For string, secure with crimp tube. For wire, make loop at the end of wire using round nose pliers. String bead design. For string, squeeze end of crimp tube and attach to barrel clasp. For wire, make a loop at other end of the wire, using round nose pliers.

4. 

   Cut 19 inches of wire, hemp or cord. Attach crimp bead or cord coil to secure one end. Place crimp bead at the wire's end. Add clasp. Loop wire back through the crimp bead. Squeeze with flat nose pliers. For cord, slip cord into coil, compress two coils to secure. String bead design. For wire, crimp again. Then, use lobster claw. For cord, flatten one to two coil rings. Use lanyard hook or a spring ring for closure.

Tips & Warnings

• Cord choices include elastic, leather or suede, hemp, satin, silk or plastic. Wire options include memory or craft. Metals available are copper, precious metal, color coated, beading and flexible When using cord, secure end further with a little jeweler's cement inside the coil or crimp tube. Go to garage or estate sales. Look for old jewelry to recycle parts and reinvent a new design.

Resources

• Jewelry making designs
• The Artful Crafter
• DIY Network