Beads and Jewelry Making Findings
Supplies for beading and jewelry construction include lockets, crystals, stones, spacers, extenders, findings, and attachment components. Crafting and beading supplies allow you to use a variety of findings to create one-of-a-kind jewelry. Findings are available in a range of sizes, colors, and materials for constructing jewelry for your neck, wrists, or ears.
What materials are findings and beads for jewelry made from?- Stainless steel: This type of metal for findings is durable and strong, making it a good choice for heavy earrings and bracelets with a lot of beads, a lot stones, or a big pendant. The steel is hypoallergenic and resists corrosion if it is exposed to your sweat, perfume, hairspray, lotion, or other body products.
- Sterling silver: Sterling silver is a durable material that offers an attractive and shiny finish to jewelry. It is often used as jewelry findings for clasps, bracelets, necklaces, bails, and earrings.
- Rhodium: Rhodium is a low-cost alternative to silver for jewelry supplies. It is a type of hypo-allergenic beading material that is also used in jewelry findings that touch the skin, such as hooks or posts that go through the ears.
- Plated metals: Plated silver, gold, or nickel may be used as jewelry supplies. These materials are typically applied to jewelry findings with a steel core.
- Jump rings, bales, and separated rings: Jump rings and split rings are jewelry findings that are used to attach decorative elements such as beads or charms to cords, hooks, split rings, or clasps. Bails are used to attach a stone or a pendant to a chain. These components are made of plated metal, silver, or stainless steel.
- Clasps: Clasps are a type of findings that attach the two ends of a jewelry cord. These supplies are available as ring or lobster claw clasps. Clasps may be made of sterling silver, gold, or steel.
- Eye pins and head pins:Eye pins and head pins are jewelry findings used for attaching beads that will hang down from a chain, earring hook, or necklace. These supplies come in a range of sizes and are made of metal.
A jump ring is used to attach a charm or a bead to a chain or a split ring. Jump rings have a split in the circle where they can be opened and attached to beads, charms, or chains when making bracelets, necklaces, earrings, stitch markers, and other types of jewelry. To open the jump ring, use a pair of needle-nose pliers. Hold one side of the jump ring between your thumb and pointer finger and hold the other side with the pliers. Create a twisting motion with the pliers to open the jewelry findings enough to slide it onto the chain or beads. Once you have made the attachment between the jewelry findings and chain or beads, use the needle-nose pliers to push the sides of the ring together. This keeps the beads, charm, or chain securely attached to the chain.