Do It Yourself

We use 2 hammers in my classes: a sharp texturing hammer + a ball peen hammer

We use a sharp texturing hammer on almost every flower I make. 

While a butter knife will get the job done, I like this Beadsmith hammer for about $15. This is the hammer I provide to students, and I really paid full price for every single one.

* You can find a black version for about $10, but the quality is noticeably inferior. (If you took a class in The Palmyra Business Center you will have seen both types. I took them for a test run for you, and i absolutely have a preference!)

 I provide my students with a 4oz ball peen hammer. we use the round end for texture and the flat end for flattening.
I provide my students with this hammer from Bead Landing (sold by Michaels for ~$7)

We use 2 types of pliers in my classes: round nose pliers + flat nose pliers. Of the two, the round nose pliers are used more often. Avoid mini pliers (aim for 5") for comfort.

While there are all different makes and models of pliers with ergonomic design and hefty price tags, this 5pc set has everything you need for $15

(individual pliers typically cost $4-$8 which makes that set a great deal)

We use 2 types of awls in my classes for making holes: one for piercing the pilot hole and the other for making the hole big enough for the stem. If you only buy one, I recommend a large awl. If you'd prefer to buy neither, a nail of a similar size to your stem(5/32") should do the trick!

The Dritz ergonomic awl (sold at Joanns for ~$6) and the Prym ergonomic awl are exactly the same save for the colors (Dritz is green, Prym is purple). These are the awls I purchase and use in classes.

We use a cheap pintool style awl for pilot holes (this keeps the metal from distorting or cracking). They generally come in multi-packs for $5-$10

When you purchase a kit, I provide the raw materials, but perhaps you want to make more than one- maybe you've caught the copper bug. I'm linking some of my suppliers below:

Basic Copper

i buy 32g copper sheet from them. You can buy it in pretty much any quantity. They also sell other gauges, sizes, patinas, sealants, and even cookie cutter strips.

MSC Industrial Direct

I buy brass shim stock for daffodils and sunflowers here. .01"-.015" works great. Their ebay store is always cheaper than their website.

Online Metals

If you're looking for large sheets, this is where i buy the big brass sheets for bulk cutting

5/32" Tubing

Honestly, finding this at a decent pricepoint can be really hit or miss. It's 4mmOD 3mmID refrigeration tubing. I can consistently find it on ebay, but it's cheaper on amazon. This is what i use for stems

RioGrande

Rio is a jewelry supply store and where i buy wire. Specifically, it's a great place for buying square, half-round, and silver wire.

People ask me often about jewelry cleaner, and yes- I DO have a favorite!

Goddard's Silver Dip is like magic and works fast on all non-ferrous (no steel!) jewelry.

In some of my classes- especially silver classes- you've seen me clean your piece with a caustic acid that i keep hot on a warmer. In full disclosure, this acid can eat clothes, irritate skin, ruin crockpots, and should be neutralized with baking soda before disposal. I use Sparex No. 2 pickling compound to strip heavy oxidation. I use mine in a fully glass jar with a mug warmer hot plate and copper tongs (because again- no steel!). Vintage pyrex on a cheap hotplate works great too!

What about ADDING color?

The two most popular colors we add in my workshops are red and black. We add black patina with Liver of Sulfur, and I prefer the xl gel version, but it comes in powder form too. I prefer to use this with hot water and no- once mixed it does not store well for later.

For red, we do a heat quench in borax solution. While the technique can take some practice, the powder can be found in the laundry section.

There are lots of ways to achieve different colors (like green and purple)  with different chemicals like salt, ammonia, and sodium bisuphite. Some of those processes are safer than other but you can find recipes and descriptions all over the web.

You'll also need:

-a pen or pencil

-a permanent or dry erase marker

-scissors (any scissors should do)

-a hard surface to work on that you don't mind possibly marring 

(currently my students receive a steel disk that cost ~$10 after shipping) I've used random hunks of scrap metal, squashed ball bearings, heavy plastic cutting boards, and even just layered up skid rubber

I've begun to offer wire wrapped jewelry classes at my studio in Hershey. At this time, I do not intend to sell kits, and I do not intend to ever offer online tutorials- there is an abundance of tutorials available on youtube- and i taught myself using them! I'm going to link some of my favorite tutorial channels here:

-OxanaCrafts: excellent for beginners; gives you a really firm foundation for pendants

-Lan Anh Handmade: when you're ready to branch out from basics, these tutorials are really great and still very user friendly. i especially love the bracelet and ring tutorials here

-Kelly Jones Jewelry: I would call this one for moderate skill. Ive used her earring tutorials

-Imbali Crafts: This one is a little more experienced. She sells kits and tutorials, but also has a lot of free tutorials available.

-RaftArk Jewelry is often on the experienced side and they do sell tutorials, but there's a decent amount of basic skill tutorials available for free.

-I used these tutorials to learn braided band rings and fishtail braid bracelets