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What Are the Different Types of Jewelry Making Kits?

Tara Barnett
Tara Barnett

There are jewelry making kits available for almost all kinds of jewelry, although kits that rely mainly on putting pieces together rather than using large equipment are more common. As such, beaded jewelry and woven jewelry kits are very popular. There are also kits for resin jewelry, leather jewelry, and knotted jewelry. Some of these products are designed for children, but many are made for adults. Not all kits are equivalent, and some are of much higher quality than others, so it is important to look not only at the type of jewelry being made but the quality of the components as well.

Beaded jewelry making kits are some of the most common kits available. These items usually include everything needed to make beaded jewelry, including needles, string or thread, and beads. Often, small kits of this type include clasps as well, although some beaded jewelry is made to stretch so that no clasp is necessary. Although some kits include tools like pliers that may be necessary when using wire with beads, others leave out larger components.

Bead kits allow crafters to sew or weave with beads.
Bead kits allow crafters to sew or weave with beads.

There are also beaded jewelry making kits that are designed for weaving or sewing with beads. These kits always include seed beads, but they also include bead looms. A bead loom can be used creatively with different materials to make other types of jewelry, although the supplies for other types of woven jewelry may not be included.

Many kits include a small number of supplies but focus primarily on the instruction booklet. Kits for making knotted jewelry with embroidery thread are very popular, but these require a very small amount of supplies, so kits focus primarily on directions. These kits often turn the instruction book into a tool and storage case for the supplies needed to make this type of jewelry.

Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.
Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.

Resin jewelry making kits include chemicals and are therefore not usually made for children. Leather jewelry making kits are often sold in small packages with leather that has already been cut into the desired shape, which reduces the need for tools. These kits are designed for people who primarily enjoy assembling jewelry according to directions rather than designing the items themselves. A large portion of the craft is already made, so very few variations can be applied.

Not all jewelry making kits are equivalent, and some are of much higher quality than others.
Not all jewelry making kits are equivalent, and some are of much higher quality than others.

In addition to jewelry kits that are designed to create a particular piece or set of pieces, there are also those that include only the tools a person will need to make a specific kind of jewelry. This kind of kit is excellent for dedicated crafters because the actual materials a person will use are purchased separately, allowing a wide range of variation in the finished product. These kits can also be more difficult to use because they often rely on the artistic skill of the individual rather than a person's ability to follow directions.

Discussion Comments

KoiwiGal

@browncoat - One thing to consider is that buying a kit means that you have everything you need and nothing you don't. We have stacks of different craft materials at my house, stored in the attic because various people at different times decided they would try their hand at something and bought way too many supplies.

With jewelry making kits, at least you know the stuff in the kit will convert into an actual piece of jewelry with nothing left over to kick around the house for years on end. If you're planning on making this a long term hobby, that's different, but it's a lot easier to dream about making jewelry than to actually sit down and make it.

browncoat

@Fa5t3r - I would also make sure that the kit is worth buying in the first place. If you are really hoping to get into jewelry making, it's probably cheaper to just buy jewelry supplies and get a book out from the library, or even look up instructions on the internet.

You will have much more flexibility and it's really not that difficult to make simple pieces.

Fa5t3r

You will want to look for quality but also for how advanced the kit happens to be. There's a big difference between a kit where you are supposed to stick a few things together on a cord and a kit where you're messing around with chemicals and tools. Some people will feel much more comfortable with a step-by-step easy kit where they can add a little bit of personality and some people might really be looking to get into jewelry making and will want something more advanced.

If you really want to learn a range of techniques you can get a book of lessons or one of those magazine subscriptions that comes with new tools for a particular hobby every week.

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    • Bead kits allow crafters to sew or weave with beads.
      By: monamakela.com
      Bead kits allow crafters to sew or weave with beads.
    • Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.
      By: Sergey Goruppa
      Jewelry making kits might focus on the creation of specific items, such as bracelets.
    • Not all jewelry making kits are equivalent, and some are of much higher quality than others.
      By: Monkey Business
      Not all jewelry making kits are equivalent, and some are of much higher quality than others.