Fashion Accessories Making Tools & Materials

Study Notes

Tools, Equipment, & Materials for Making Fashion Accessories

Lesson Objectives:
- Identify materials, tools, and equipment used in fashion accessory making.
- Describe each material, tool, and piece of equipment used in fashion accessory making.
- Discuss the functions and uses of each material, tool, and piece of equipment.
- Demonstrate techniques and procedures in using the tools for fashion accessory making.

Lesson Outline

Tools and Equipment for Making Fashion Accessories
Materials in Making Fashion Accessories

Pliers

Used to hold, shape, and manipulate jewelry findings.
Some pliers are designed not to scratch metal findings.
Types:
- Needle-nose Plier: Flat jaws, basic pliers for most jewelry techniques.
- Round-nose Plier: Round jaws that taper to a point, used for making loops.
- Crimp Plier: Special pliers for closing and creating a professional look for crimp beads.

Flush Wire Cutter

Used to cut or trim wires, headpins, and eye pins.

Mandrels or Bamboo Skewers

Used for rolling beads.
Commonly made of metal, used to make lampwork beads.
Can be purchased from glassworks supply stores or use bamboo skewers if mandrels are unavailable.

Paintbrushes

Perfect for applying acrylic mediums, adhesives, and decorative elements to jewelry.
A variety of small brushes is necessary for jewelry work.

Beading Mat

Used to keep beads from rolling around on a work surface.

Awl

A long metal tool that tapers to a point.
Used for poking holes and holding tiny pieces in place during work.

Tapestry Needles

Designed for use with thicker materials like embroidery floss or pearl cotton.
Also suitable for ribbons and smaller cords.

Collapsible Eye Needle

Ideal for stringing beads with very small holes.
Flexible eye of the needle can squeeze flat through bead holes.

Felting Needles

Not needles, but thin pieces of barbed metal.
Used to push wool roving fibers into another piece of wool or fabric to felt them together.

Materials in Making Fashion Accessories

Fabrics:
- Suitable for making accessories when solid in color or have small-scale prints.
- Offers the most predictable results.
Ribbons:
- A narrow material with finished edges that do not fray.
- Many specialty ribbons are available for varied creations.
Beading Threads:
- Come in a variety of colors and are made of synthetic materials like polyethylene or nylon.
Sewing Machine Threads:
- Used for sewing machine projects.
Cords and Yarns:
- Offer a variety of uses in fabric jewelry.
- Available in many varieties in knitting and needlepoint stores.
Metal Washers:
- Used to create doughnut-shaped beads.
- Available in an assortment of sizes at hardware stores.
Buttons:
- Useful for creating bead cores.
Crimp Beads:
- Used to add clasps to the end of beading wire or to secure beads on the beading wire.
Flexible Beading Wire:
- Available in many diameters and finishes.
Wire:
- Can be bent into different shapes.
- Made from various metals and gauges; higher gauge numbers mean thinner wire.
Jump Rings:
- Used to connect jewelry elements like beads, charms, and chains.
- Come in assorted sizes; use the smallest jump ring for optimal results.
Headpins:
- Pieces of wire with a stopper at one end (plain or decorative).
- Come in varying lengths and metals.
Eye Pins:
- Pieces of wire with a loop at one end.
- Connect jewelry components.
Terminators:
- Used at a cord or chain end to cover knots and closures.
- Can be plain to avoid drawing attention or fancy as a design element.
Sequins:
- Come in a variety of colors, sizes, shapes, and finishes.
Beads:
- Decorative objects made of glass, plastic, or wood.
- Available in various shapes (e.g., European doughnut, Japanese tubular, cut-out).
- Common finishes include matte, opaque, transparent, translucent, iridescent, galvanized, metallic, and silver-lined.
Bracelet Sizer:
- Used to precisely measure bracelet size.
Necklace Planning Board:
- Used for assembling the materials needed to plan a bracelet or necklace design.
- Guides users to develop a detailed image of the final product before beginning.