Comments on: Jewelry Making Class for Starters: Pros? Cons?

By: Warner

Warner — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:56:22 +0000

Val,
I can relate. In my area many of the bead stores that have quality products and quality displays of jewelry creations off basic classes that start at $75 and go up. Many of the higher priced classes require you buy the materials as well where I have noticed in other locations the materials are included. The lowest priced class is for $25 and you make one pair of earrings with basic materials and skills.

By: Ann Nolen

Ann Nolen — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 06:51:00 +0000

I started by taking classes at my local jewelry store. Fun and a cheap way to try it before buying a lot of stuff. I loved wire wrap classes, hated knotting class, etc. After a couple years I found my own thing no one else was doing. Great shortcut, and lots of fun in a group. Take your time and Enjoy!

By: Joan Kraus

Joan Kraus — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:17:31 +0000

Be careful of classes where the teacher has you copy her prototype. Look for ones that teach technique but encourage creativity.

By: Jeanine

Jeanine — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:58:07 +0000

Read all you can (your library is a great resource). Watch videos online. Try and then decide if you need more hands-on instruction or just more practice.
It depends on your personal learning style, the techniques you are interested in learning, and a critical eye. Compare your crimps and wire wraps to those in the pictures, and keep practicing. For something like metalsmithing, formal classroom instruction is invaluable because of the opportunity to try out the tools before you buy – it can get expensive.

By: Donna Davis

Donna Davis — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 02:12:08 +0000

I have recently taken a couple of beginner classes thru a local hobby store. My experience was, 1. I learned a few things. 2. I got discounts on everything I bought that day, including tools. 3. I got to try their tools before I bought my own, and found a few I liked better than what I had or wanted. 4. made friends with the ones teaching and others in the class and have been turned on to some great resources in the community. It was a win-win thing for me.

By: Fran Selinger

Fran Selinger — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 18:03:17 +0000

I took 2 classes: one for stringing and one for wire wrapping a cabochon. That’s all I wanted to spend my money on, except for buying a book on general jewelry making.

There are a lot of free tutorials on the internet to learn from. I’d say save your money for materials.

By: Barbara Jacquin

Barbara Jacquin — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:58:04 +0000

Hi
In my opinion and experience, it’s well worth the time and money to take an intensive beginning class. You should learn the right techniques at the start to avoid expensive mistakes later. I’ve been to the Holland School and the Campbell Folk School for classes, which are both near you. The instruction is good, you work hard, and the experience is positive.
Just an idea.
Barbara

By: Nancy Keane

Nancy Keane — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:27:01 +0000

Val, do check out your local bead shops. Their classes are inexpensive (normally $10 – $15 including supplies), and you’ll learn a lot! If you have wholesalers in your area you might also want to check with them, some offer inexpensive or even free classes from time to time.

By: Lisa Kewish

Lisa Kewish — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:14:44 +0000

Absolutely take classes! Local bead stores are a great place to start… ALSO… check out the class schedules at community colleges. Many ‘jewelry making’ classes are listed as ‘metal fabrication’… make sure it says something about small metal objects. A community college class will cost less and you would have access to many tools/machines that are costly to buy. Also…check into your local parks and recreation department. Many times all kinds of interesting jewelry classes are taught at a low fee (although sometimes materials can start to cost).

(this is usually what I say when I’m working my booth and people ask how to get started in making jewelry!)

Have fun!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:41:42 +0000

$100 for ALL types of courses? Good heavens, where on earth do you live? I’m shocked! Maybe for 10-week jewellery-making courses at night school, but there must be something available to learn a few basic skills for $10-$15. Only one-day PMC courses cost that much here, and once you back out all the PMC products and use of the tools and kiln that are included, the day-long course itself costs just $20. In fact, most courses I took at bead stores (basic Viking knit, chain maille, wire crochet, etc.) all ran about $15 to $20 and they usually include some beads/wire/jump rings, and use of the instructor’s tools. Our local library runs little 1-to-2-hour weekend workshops for $5 to $10. The biggest problem in my area is that it’s rural, and driving to the nearest town large enough to have a bead store in the first place makes it difficult especially for someone, especially kids, who may not have access to a car or have someone willing to drive them and pick them up afterwards. Sure, there are plenty of more advanced weekend seminars/courses that cost hundreds of dollars in all kinds of more time-intensive techniques taught by well-known artisans, but every bead store I’ve ever been to also offers inexpensive beginner classes in just about everything all year long — how else would they develop their customer base?

By: Val

Val — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:57:43 +0000

Hello,
Classes in my area cost over $100 so I am not sure how pricey they are in your area. Youtube has many fanastic free jewelry making tutorials for the basics and beyond! I would recommend taking classes when you want to try something trickier like fused glass or welding. Best of luck developing your skills!

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:03:47 +0000

I was just thinking… someone should make a video of typical mistakes absolute beginners make and show step-by-step how to correct them — you know, like those messy wraps we all started out making? It took me forever to learn how to do it correctly and yet, once I learned how to do it, it was so easy. I see people making messy sloppy wraps with bits of wire sticking out all the time — and they sell this stuff! Or they stick to stringing because they can’t seem to master such a simple technique.

By: Cheryl Dunham

Cheryl Dunham — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:40:02 +0000

Definately take a class. I’ve been making jewelry for over10 yrs. and I still take classes. Even if you know something about what is being taught, you’ll most likely learn more in a class. Usually you can get better ways of doing what your learning.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:35:05 +0000

Absolutely take classes! Why reinvent the wheel indeed? Plus, you will meet other beginners and it won’t be so frustrating for you seeing other people’s messes… I mean, work, while they learn, too, instead of trying to learn from a video where the instructor makes whatever technique look so easy and perfect the first time. Like, that’s really useful, eh? Plus, if you don’t understand something, the instructor can answer your questions immediately, or, even better, show you where you’re going wrong before you pick up some bad habits. Taking courses gives you the opportunity to learn different techniques without having to invest a lot of money in equipment or tools, and that gives you time and experience to decide whether you’re interested enough in that technique to then invest the money and time to go further or not. In the beginning I took courses in everything that was on offer at the local bead store and now I use maybe three main techniques most of the time. It’s also much easier for me to now to learn new and different or more advanced techniques from YouTube videos or 2D tutorials or books.

Also, you will make new friends who are also just as enthusiastic as you are about this business. I am still pals with one person who was also in that first PMC class I took. She’d been making jewellery for years, and at that point I didn’t even know what a jump ring was. (I had an art school background in sculpture and ceramics so in some ways I was way ahead in understanding the possibilities of and in using PMC itself, I just had no idea how to apply it to making jewellery.) Fast forward five years, we go together to big shows, sharing the gas and driving, and we buy good stones by going halfsies on strings, etc. I’ve learned a ton of stuff from her over the years about fine-tuning my wraps, for example, so they’re virtually invisible, etc.

By: Nancy Keane

Nancy Keane — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:04:23 +0000

Absolutely! Taking classes gives you a great start on the basics. Concerning these, there is no need to re-invent the wheel — i.e., no need to have to teach yourself things that are not in the creative realm but are necessary for all jewelry making. You may also pick up all sorts of helpful tricks and tips. Another possible result of classes is that online and book instructions will make more sense.

Best wishes in your new venture!

By: Lynne Clark

Lynne Clark — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 02:25:19 +0000

I think taking classes would be a great idea! It would help you with techniques and tips. I would suggest taking different types, to find your favorite area in jewelry, as there are SO many facets of this craft: beading, chain maille, mixed media, art bead making, smithing, enameling, wire sculpting, Wig Jig type of wire manipulating, etc.