Alright, everyone! Jewelry is a common accessory that adds finishing touches, and can give an outfit the character that describes you. What’s even more satisfying than buying a piece of perfect jewelry is creating a piece that you like enough to wear yourself. Before you go to the craft store and buy all the glass beads you can see (like I did in the beginning), you’ll need a few tools.

Tool List:

• Round-nosed pliers
• Jewelry wire cutters
• Flat-nosed pliers
• Ruler
• Ring mandolin (optional)
• Small file

Now, on all the pliers and cutters, there are small ones made for jewelry making. So, don’t think about the hardware store when going out to collect your tools. Also, don’t be fooled by the tiny pliers. They might seem like a clever idea, but they are almost impossible to use without them stabbing you in the palm of your hand. I suggest getting the pliers that fit inside your hand. I use the Bead Smith, which you can purchase at Hobby Lobby or Amazon. While the miniature ones are cute, they are extremely difficult to use.

Round-nosed pliers are one of my favorite pliers to work with. They help to curl the wire you’re working with, as well as round something out that might have become flattened in the process of making your project.

Wire cutters have an obvious use—you cut wire with them. Just like all the other jewelry tools we’re discussing, though, the wire cutters are smaller, and can get in the spaces of jewelry to trim off excess.

Flat-nosed pliers are going to help you make bends in the wire. Where the round-nosed pliers make circles, the flat-nosed pliers will make sharper bends. I also like to use my flat-nose to hold my project sometimes, especially when my fingers seem unusually large and in the way, or when my hands feel unsteady.

A ruler is a necessity, especially when you want to make something again, or when you have specific measurements you need to follow. A simple twelve inch ruler will do fine. Nothing fancy.

A ring mandolin has been a life-saver for me. It isn’t necessary, but it is extremely handy. It helps a lot when trying to shape something into a perfect circle. You can use anything round that you have around the house, such as a marker or lip gloss tube, but I find that the mandolin helps because of its size, and when I’m making a ring, it has the correct sizes marked on the side.

A small file is good to use when working with wire so that you can round the cut edges. After trimming wire to the correct size, or when you’re just trimming off a little excess, the raw edge left can snag on clothing or it can scrape against your skin, which isn’t my idea of wearing a comfortable piece of jewelry. So, using a ruler to round out the edges, you can lessen the amount of sharp edges your piece has.

Some other handy things to have when making jewelry, whether it’s out of string or wire, is a pair of scissors and a roll of painter’s tape (doesn’t leave residue). It all depends on what you’re making, how you’re making it, and what works for you.

The best thing to do is to come to the realization that you won’t be a pro at first, and even after lots of experience, there’ll be times when your project turns into a complete flop. That’s okay, though, we’re all human. Just keep trying over and over and over until you’re a master of your art.