How can I make necklace charms?
I’d like to find a tutorial for handmade necklace charms. But, I don’t know exactly what I want to make or what options there are for jewelry making so I don’t know what to look for. I’d like to make silhouettes of my pets to wear around my neck so maybe cut copper or something? I’ve never made my own jewelry so I’m not familiar but I’m sure I could teach myself. Any suggestions of what I could search for or helpful links? I’d like to know what options there are out there for necklace crafts.
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If you want to make metal charms you might investigate metalsmithing:
http://metalsmithinghowto.com/index.php?option=com_contact&Itemid=3
An easier and less expensive way would be to make charms out of polymer clay, which comes in metallic colors. Here’s a site that sells molds to form the charms.
http://www.kraftylady.com.au/design_team/projects/fcmisc_jewel.html
And here’s some how to’s on working with polymer clay.http://www.sculpey.com/tutorials.asp
Have fun!
You can make silhouettes from various kinds of clays, but polymer clay is probably best.
You can read all about making “cutout shapes” from sheets of polymer clay on this page at my polymer clay “encyclopedia” website if you want lots of info on doing that (in various ways):
http://glassattic.com/polymer/cutters-blades.htm
(…the first half of that page has to do with this topic)
If you want to make a hole in the flat silhouette to add a jump ring for dangling it with, or if the piece is thick enough to add an eye pin, or if you want to create other kinds of connectors, also check out some other pages at the site (click on the names below from inside the alphabetical navigation bar on the left side of any page):
PENDANTS (Loops & Holes for Cording)
WIRE (Basic Shapes)
For more on all kinds of “necklace” type things that can be made with polymer clay, you might also want to check out these pages at least:
Jewelry
Beads
…Beads-Holes
Miniatures
And there are also pages on “the basics” of working with polymer clay:
Baking
Conditioning
Characteristics (of the different brands of polymer clay)… you may also want to read the section of this page called “Strength–Rigidity & Flexibility” before making things like cutout shapes
Finishes
Tools
Supply Sources
Books, Videos, free online videos, etc.
TIP: Don’t use the brands/lines of polymer clay called plain Sculpey, SuperSculpey, or Sculpey III for cutouts like these because those particular ones will be weak after baking in any thin areas and can break if stressed.
FimoClassic, Kato Polyclay, Premo, Cernit, or FimoSoft would be fine, and SuperSculpey-Firm would be good if you only want gray clay.
HTH,
Diane B.