Interweave’s Favorite Free Jewelry Projects

The Interweave site has dozens of free jewelry projects in our archives. With so many to sort through, it is difficult to decide which projects to add to your list. We’ve compiled some of our favorites and hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Above: Components from Vintage Illusion Pendant by Eleanore Macnish

Bodactious Copper Bangle

Cold connection projects do not use heat to join pieces together. Instead, pieces are joined together with rivets or screws, among other things. The Bodacious Copper Bangle, made by Kim St. Jean, combines sterling silver and copper to create a lovely final product. Kim uses 6-gauge copper grounding wire and discovered that cable cutters make the job of cutting it to your size much easier. Both the copper wire and cable cutter are easily found at hardware stores. This project is easily modified for larger wrists; Kim recommends that you skip Steps 5-10 and don’t attach the ends together.

Vintage Illusion Pendant

I collect a lot of vintage pieces ranging from clothing and jewelry all the way to advertisements and Valentine’s Day cards. My love of old pieces makes it very appealing to create something new from found objects. The creator of the Vintage Illusion Pendant, Eleanore Macnish, says that “to make this pendant, you need to go on a scavenger hunt.” How fun! Whether you choose vintage illustrations, like the cake she chose, or vintage costume jewelry, your piece will be one of a kind. Eleanore recommends hitting up a local flea market or tag or yard sale for your pendant ingredients.

Inlaid Cuff

For an eye-catching project utilizing stones, the Inlaid Cuff, designed by Jeff Fulkerson, is the project for you. This cuff is made up of inlaid stones that give it a unique look. Jeff loves making inlaid jewelry, explaining that “when you cut and inlay your own stones . . . you not only make the metal conform to your will but also the stones.” Jeff calls this bracelet Carthiamou, meaning “My Heart” in Greek, for his wife who is his inspiration. As Jeff says, “I hope it will inspire you to stretch yourself and expand your skills.”

Souvenir Bracelet

Don’t toss your penny souvenirs! The Souvenir bracelet by Bonnie Lee gives you a project to put them to use. Bonnie found inspiration after visiting the Intrepid Museum in New York City, where she found a machine that squished pennies into elongated discs with impressions of your choice. She chose a plane. These machines can be found in many museums and tourist attractions and are simple ways to create elements for your one-of-a-kind bracelets.

Wired Steampunk Earrings

Beautiful jewelry does not always have to be dainty. The Wired Steampunk Earrings, made by Leslie Rogalski, proves that edgy pieces are stunning. Steampunk jewelry can be created by combining mechanical pieces such as gears, and other parts like chains, extra points if they are found or recycled objects! Leslie explains, “the mostly metal ephemera of a steampunk aesthetic include such things as gears, cogs, washers, screws, watch parts, keys and locks, wire, and chain.” She continues, noting that you can also include stones or crystals.

In order to create these earrings in the steampunk style while using simple wire techniques, Leslie chose pieces with holes and spaces that allowed for her to thread and wrap her wire. For a fun twist, Leslie says to “string other gears on the chain before attaching it, or dangle them with jump rings.” This will give the earrings a different feel.

There’s more—dozens more, in fact—where these came from. All of these free jewelry projects have their own unique elements that allow you to make the project your own. Take yourself on a trip to a museum, hardware store, or antique shop to spark your inspiration.

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