Jewelry Making Ideas: Necklaces

Welcome to jewelry making ideas for necklaces, where you will find inspiration and ideas for creating your own line of fantastically creative necklaces.

Most of the projects on this page are easy to make and include various jewelry making techniques such as wire wrapping and beading.

The following tutorials were written with the intent of jump starting your own creativity.

Full instructions are given to make each project, but you should infuse these ideas with your own, and have fun creating things that are unique to you.

Making Money Selling Jewelry

And in an effort to help you profit in your business, at the end of each tutorial there is a two part section on pricing. The first part is about figuring out what to charge when wholesale jewelry making, and the second part is how to price handmade jewelry for retail sales.

It’s important to figure out your business selling strategy in two steps, as they each involve different time consuming activities (see the learning time management skills section for more information).

I’ll also give you two retail pricing examples, one for an average store, and one for a store located in a higher rent district, usually found in major metropolitan areas where the monthly rent can be in the 5 figure range.

You shouldn’t worry too much what markup a store takes on your handmade jewelry because you should be setting your wholesale price to cover all of your efforts.

And besides, you aren’t risking your mortgage, life savings, and time to open a store, fill it with employees, and stocking the place, so be glad for that!

Jewelry Making Ideas

Easy Sterling Silver Chain Lariat

Perfect for showcasing two focal beads, matched…or not!

This lariat necklace making tutorial features two mismatched focals, but you can adapt the design with your favorite chain or stringing material, and your choice of beads, pendants, or gemstone settings, or any other ideas!

Eight Auspicious Symbols Necklace

A mysterious carved pendant reveals its secrets and is illuminated by the soft sparkle of faceted sunstone.

This necklace making tutorial explores the stories behind jewelry making ideas.

Pink Orphan Beaded Necklace

Orphan beads (you know you have piles of leftover beads all over the house!) are used in this jewelry making instruction featuring a carved mother of pearl flower pendant.

Find out the easy secret to making mixed bead necklaces work….

Vintage Inspired Butterfly Necklace

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found this sterling silver filigree pendant!

The simple beauty of this vintage inspired necklace will take your breath away!

Buddha & Labradorite Necklace

“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”

-Buddha

Ain’t Yo Momma’s Pearl Jewelry

I’ll be honest.

Pearls used to freak me out. I thought they were old fashioned, curmudgeonly things old ladies wore around their necks.

Fortunately for me, I discovered two things....

Wire Wrap Sea Glass Pendant

Lin from Odyssey Sea Glass says, "When visiting my Mom, an artist, I saw that she had picked up gem-like pieces of glass on her local beach. Since I'm a beach person, I began looking while walking on the shore and got hooked after finding my first few pieces! Now making sea glass jewelry has become an occupation, adding to the satisfaction I get from the actual treasure hunt."

Asymmetrical Simplicity

Pairing simple gold links with the strong graphical design of the flower, this necklace making idea makes a bold statement without being bulky.

Nuclear Yet Organic Coin Pearl Necklace

Normally, I steer clear of dyed pearls, but when I saw this strand at a show…I couldn't resist! The strand was ready to wear as is, but wasn't quite long enough.

A simple jewelry making trick saves the day!

Gemstone Charm Necklace Idea

A green garnet briolette, a checkboard cut amazonite bead, and a smoky quartz bead combine with a simple gold circle.

Dollar Store Treasure Necklace

When I first moved to New York, I was trying to save money by living in a skeezy neighborhood.

One of the few advantages of living in said neighborhood were the dollar stores where you could occasionally find a diamond in the rough, like this printed capiz shell pendant....