Jewellery Making
By Elizabeth Clarke and Ciara McDermott
Most jewellery worn by people today was bought in a shop, and mass produced in large factories. These factories cause a severe amount of damage to the world by emitting harmful gasees and using electricity and fossil fuels. Also, a lot of this jewellery was made in other countries, and would have had to travel thousands of miles by plane to get to the shops they are bought in. This causes even more damage to the world, because planes are extremely harmful to the environment. Most people don't realise it, but just by wearing a necklace around your neck you may be causing tonnes of serious permanent damage to the world. However, there is a way you can help! There are many different techniques for making beautiful jewellery out of cheaply bought supplies. Recycling old bracelets and necklaces is also a very eco-friendly way of updating your jewellery collection. Everyone has old bracelets hanging around their house, gathering dust and destined for a life in the ‘bits and bobs drawer’, which is only ever opened when another meaningless piece of nothing is to be added to the collection. So why not rid yourself of clutter and gain a new space which can be used for storing your beautiful, creative jewellery designs? By recycling your old jewellery, you are saving yourself money, and believe it or not, helping the environment!
How to Make Beautiful Beads From Recycled Newspaper:
1. Gather a small pile of newspaper from the recycling basket.
2. Rip the paper into small pieces.
3. Put the pieces of newspaper in a large stock pot.
4. Pour enough boiling water over the paper to cover it all.
5. Allow to sit for an hour or so.
6. Stir the paper to help break it down a bit.
7. Drain as much water out of the paper as you can.
8. Add glue to the paper to help it hold together in a ball shape ( PVA glue is best!).
9. Roll the paper into round balls being sure to squeeze out as much moisture as you can while rolling.
10. Let them dry for a few days. Be sure to roll them every couple of hours until they are completely dry.
11. Sand each bead down with a bit of sandpaper to remove rough edges.
12. Drill a hole in each bead that is big enough for string to go through.
13. Paint them with left over paint.
14. Give them a coat of varnish.
Friendship Bracelet
These bracelets are very easy to make. The end result is beautiful and they are the perfect gift to give your friends. They are an eco- friendly way of producing jewellery!
To make the bracelets you will need:
-7 pieces of thread ( your choice of colours) about 35 cm long.
- an octagonal piece of cardboard about 8cm in diameter.
-a pair of scissors.
1. Using the scissors cut 8 slits in the cardboard between the corners, on the straight edges of the octagon. Each slit needs to be about 5 mm long. also, cut a hole in the middle of the cardboard.
2.Gather all of your threads and tie them together using a tight knot. Push the knot through the hole in the cardboard.
3. Place 1 thread into each slit leaving one slit empty. Pull each thread tightly into place.
4. Pick up the third thread on the right of the empty slit and place it into the empty slit. Use the thumb of your left hand to hold the knot on the other side of the cardboard securely. The tighter you pull the threads and the knot, the nicer your finished bracelet will look. The bracelet will begin to appear down through the hole in the cardboard.
5. Continue to repeat step 4 until the bracelet is long enough to fit whoever you are giving it to, making sure to leave extra length to tie the ends of the bracelet together.
6. Remove the threads from the cardboard and tie a secure knot where the threads are loose. The bracelet is now ready to be worn; put it around your friends wrist and tie the ends together.
How to Make Beautiful Beads From Recycled Newspaper:
1. Gather a small pile of newspaper from the recycling basket.
2. Rip the paper into small pieces.
3. Put the pieces of newspaper in a large stock pot.
4. Pour enough boiling water over the paper to cover it all.
5. Allow to sit for an hour or so.
6. Stir the paper to help break it down a bit.
7. Drain as much water out of the paper as you can.
8. Add glue to the paper to help it hold together in a ball shape ( PVA glue is best!).
9. Roll the paper into round balls being sure to squeeze out as much moisture as you can while rolling.
10. Let them dry for a few days. Be sure to roll them every couple of hours until they are completely dry.
11. Sand each bead down with a bit of sandpaper to remove rough edges.
12. Drill a hole in each bead that is big enough for string to go through.
13. Paint them with left over paint.
14. Give them a coat of varnish.
Friendship Bracelet
These bracelets are very easy to make. The end result is beautiful and they are the perfect gift to give your friends. They are an eco- friendly way of producing jewellery!
To make the bracelets you will need:
-7 pieces of thread ( your choice of colours) about 35 cm long.
- an octagonal piece of cardboard about 8cm in diameter.
-a pair of scissors.
1. Using the scissors cut 8 slits in the cardboard between the corners, on the straight edges of the octagon. Each slit needs to be about 5 mm long. also, cut a hole in the middle of the cardboard.
2.Gather all of your threads and tie them together using a tight knot. Push the knot through the hole in the cardboard.
3. Place 1 thread into each slit leaving one slit empty. Pull each thread tightly into place.
4. Pick up the third thread on the right of the empty slit and place it into the empty slit. Use the thumb of your left hand to hold the knot on the other side of the cardboard securely. The tighter you pull the threads and the knot, the nicer your finished bracelet will look. The bracelet will begin to appear down through the hole in the cardboard.
5. Continue to repeat step 4 until the bracelet is long enough to fit whoever you are giving it to, making sure to leave extra length to tie the ends of the bracelet together.
6. Remove the threads from the cardboard and tie a secure knot where the threads are loose. The bracelet is now ready to be worn; put it around your friends wrist and tie the ends together.
