Finish Strong: Enhance Your Jewelry Designs with New Handcrafted Metal Findings

Does this sound familiar? You’re in your groove, making a bezel pendant or gorgeous earrings, or maybe handmade chain for a necklace. When everything falls into place and your masterpiece is ready, you reach for a clasp or ear wire to finish it off, and then . . .

What happens?

A, you add a mass-produced clasp or ear wire to your design.

B, you have no clasp or ear wire to use at all and have to wait to buy one.

C, the piece sits on your worktable indefinitely, waiting to be finished with just the right findings.

If you answered any of those options, then you need option D! That’s D for Denise Peck’s and Jane Dickerson’s oh-so-handy book, Handcrafted Metal Findings.

Make Your Own Clasps, Ear Wires, and Other Findings

When you find yourself without clasps and ear wires, it’s a great feeling to know you can make your own handcrafted metal findings instead of waiting for an order or going to a store to find one, if such a store is near you. Plus handcrafted findings elevate handmade jewelry to its maximum potential as a completely unique piece of jewelry.

But findings don’t have to be just the pretty back-up dancers–they can be the stars of the show, too. Even a river rock or simple gemstone can stand out with a special bail. A gorgeous strand of gemstone beads or pearls can shine even brighter when finished with a beautiful clasp.

Well-designed findings can also cut down your work time when you’re in a rush, as well. The fresh, unique ear wire designs in Handcrafted Metal Findings need very little work or embellishment to turn them into quick but fashionable handmade earrings, perfect for last-minute gifts or affordable designs to fill out your craft show inventory. These ear wires are so pretty that adding a simple wire-wrapped briolette or other bead is all they need. Make a bunch in one afternoon and they’ll be nearly finished but still completely handmade earrings when you need them.

Alternatively, if you have a stash of purchased charms or gemstone beads that you want to use in earring designs, hanging them from these handcrafted ear wires will make them your own special creations. Denise’s textured ear wires, below, are possibly my favorite project in the entire book. The idea is so simple but brilliant, and I can’t wait to make ear wires just like them! The textured design looks so pretty on the ear.

Make Your Own Handcrafted Metal Findings with Expert Help

Add the perfect finishing touches to perfectly finish your jewelry designs! You’ll love these handcrafted metal findings from jewelry artists like Denise Peck, Jane Dickerson, Cassie Donlen, Cindy Wimmer, and Keirsten Giles. Using basic tools and skills you probably already have, including stamping, cutting metal, cold connections, wire wrapping, and texturing metal, you’ll learn to make handcrafted metal findings such as bead caps, bails, ear wires (including ones featuring special design elements that make your earrings halfway done before you even begin), a variety of toggles and clasps, spacer beads and bars, and fancy head pins.

Instantly download the eBook and you’ll have a table full of handcrafted findings by bedtime! If you prefer print, Handcrafted Metal Findings is available in traditional book format as well.

See which findings you should make and which you should buy.