Jewelry Making

DIY Jewelry, Beads And Patterns

Jewelry Artist Mini Interview with Jill Lawrence of Twisted Sisters Art

by

This weeks Jewelry Artist Mini Interview is with Jill Lawrence of Twisted Sisters Art.  She creates some of the most amazing,  jaw dropping, intricate and drop dead gorgeous wire work I have ever seen. 

How did you start doing jewelry (or bead making) as a business?

I had a booth at the local Farmers Market, selling silk scarves that I had dyed, and needed scarf rings. I had wire that I had at work, and designed scarf rings with buttons, beads and wire. They were rudimentary, but they sold. After a year, I found smaller and higher quality wire, and started making designs with it.

Do you remember the first piece of jewelry you ever made?

I took jewelry classes my junior year in high school, I learned how to enamel copper. I remember a series of 1/2 inch squares that I kept, but didn’t do anything with…but I do have under the couch, a bag of those tacky scarf rings. I keep them to keep me humble. There are other beginners out there.

You are stuck on a desert island for a year and can only take 5 things to make jewelry with-what would you take?
Oh, the 5 things I would take if on an island? Easy, my needlenose pliers, my blunt cutter and my flat nose pliers. I’d need 20 gauge and 28 gauge wire. With that I could find pebbles, glass, metal, seeds, anything small could be fashioned into jewelry. What color wire, would be the hard part.

What material would you like to work with/or what skill would you like to learn that you haven’t yet?
I have two things I want to do. One, I’m really wanting to upgrade my wire into silver and gold fill. I love using the parawire I’m using now, I buy it by the designer bolt. The cost is what keeps me from doing it. The retail price would have to go up to cover my expenses, and I’m not sure the customer will pay it. This summer will tell me, because I’ll have more feedback.
The second thing I want to do, is to use brass filigree, cubic zirconia and wire, and create corsages in metal. I have a floral background, and I can see an approach in designing a piece like a corsage.

What do you do when you aren’t making jewelry?
My day job is a buyer for a large floral shop chain in the Midwest US. I buy all the blooming and green plants, and work with flowers and plants all day. At night, I spin wire, and spend time on my etsy website and I just started a blog. My dream is to become proficient enough in this to support myself to quit my day job.

You can find my work at:
www.twistedsisterarts.etsy.com
http://twistedsisterarts.blogspot.com/

Thanks Jill for your interview!

Comments

  4. It’s the first time I commented here and I should say you give genuine, and quality information for other bloggers! Good job.
    p.s. You have a very good template for your blog. Where have you got it from?

Have you read?

Book Review Wednesday: Bead Jewelry Making For Beginners

There is something very satisfying about bead jewelry making. It is one of those crafts that feels easy to start, but still gives you that lovely “I actually made this” moment when you finish a bracelet, necklace, or pair of earrings.

This week’s Book Review Wednesday pick is Bead Jewelry Making for Beginners, and unlike the trinket dish book where I was torn between our polymer clay and jewelry sections, this one sits very neatly here on Jewelry Making. Beads, findings, clasps, wire, earrings — no category confusion this time.

This looks like a useful beginner-friendly book for anyone wanting to move beyond simply stringing beads and start understanding how handmade jewelry actually comes together. Things like choosing beads, adding clasps, using findings properly, and making pieces that sit nicely are the little details that can make a beginner project feel much more polished.

I always think bead jewelry is a lovely craft for quick handmade gifts too. A simple bracelet, pair of earrings, or beaded necklace can be made fairly quickly, and it is easy to personalise with favourite colours, birthstones, charms, or leftover beads from the stash. And yes, if you have ever tipped a packet of seed beads across the table, you already know this craft comes with its own tiny chaos.

This book would suit new jewelry makers, teens, handmade gift makers, or anyone who has a bead stash tucked away and wants a little guidance getting started. Pair it with a basic set of jewelry pliers, beading wire or stretch cord, clasps, jump rings, and a bead mat, and you are ready to go.

My Shellie-style take? Bead Jewelry Making for Beginners looks like a practical, approachable starting point for anyone wanting to learn simple beaded jewelry techniques without feeling overwhelmed.