How to Make Jewelry With Stones
So you have a stockpile of polished stones fresh from the rock tumbler or the crystal section of your favorite bead store, and you're wondering how to turn them into a piece of jewelry. Use inexpensive jewelry findings to fashion one-of-a-kind jewelry of your own. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Polished or unpolished stones or crystals
- Metal headpins
- Metal bead caps
- Metal jump rings
- Round-nose pliers
- Flathead pliers
- G-S Hypo-Cement or comparable glue
- Seed beads (optional)
- French ear wires, posts or lever backs
Instructions
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1
Choose your stones. Stones or crystals for a charm bracelet should be about the same size. For earrings, use two stones of equal size. A pendant on a necklace can be any size or shape you desire.
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Decide on the type of jewelry you want to make. You can buy chains for necklaces or bracelets in different metals at your local craft store. Make sure your chains match your findings. You can also buy jewelry chains and findings online. Once you know how to attach the stones, you can make any jewelry item you wish.
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Choose a headpin. A headpin is a jewelry finding that looks like a common pin, but without the sharp end. Headpins come in different lengths: 1-inch, 2-inch and 3-inch lengths. When choosing the headpin size, choose the one that will give you at least 1/4 inch of free space on the pin above the bead cap. This will allow you to make the loop for the pendant and hang it with a jump ring.
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Buy the coordinating metal findings for your project. Headpins, as well as bead caps, eye pins and jump rings can also be found in silver and gold tone base metal. You can also buy nickel-free, hypoallergenic alloys, 14K gold plated or sterling silver.
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Run a headpin through the hole in the center of the bead cap so the head of the pin is against the underside of the cap. If the headpin comes through the hole in the bead cap, you can string a seed bead onto the headpin, then string the bead cap onto it. Once that is done, use the hypo-cement (or any glue that will adhere metal to stone; superglue tends to be too runny) to glue the bead cap to the stone. If you have chosen a bead cap that will spread apart (optional), spread the cap over the stone like the prongs would be for a ring, then glue. Allow the glue to dry.
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Take the wire cutters, and cut the headpin to about 1/2 inch long above the bead cap. Then, string a jump ring big enough to accommodate your chain onto the headpin. Take your round-nose pliers and turn down the headpin towards the top of the bead cap, actually turning the pliers enough to put the end of the headpin into the hole of the bead cap make a complete circle. Close the circle enough so that the jump ring will not fall off.
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Attach the stone to a matching chain for a pendant, string multiple stones on a chain for a charm bracelet or open up the end of a earring finding and attach stones to it via the jump ring
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Try an advanced technique. Leave the headpin long, and turn it with the round-nose pliers so that it makes a circle and meets the headpin at the bead cap. Then, twist the uncut end of the headpin around the base of itself a couple of times, finally trimming the extra wire at the end off. It is harder to do this technique, but with a little practice, you can make a consistent twist that looks nicely finished.
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Tips & Warnings
A little dab of glue goes a long way. If you use too much glue it will ooze over your stone. Once dry, glue cleanup is hard, and detracts from the finished piece.
