About This Quiz
The world of jewelry making is fascinating. After all, with so many supplies and methods to choose from, it's possible to make jewelry out of your wildest dreams. This is especially true if you know multiple techniques, such as beading, wire wrapping and metalsmithing. But how good is your jewelry making knowledge, really? You can find out with this gem of a quiz.
Maybe you love making necklaces with wire-wrapped gemstone pendants. Or, perhaps you love sitting at a jeweler's bench and soldering different metals together. Regardless of your jewelry making style, you can be sure that this quiz will challenge your know-how. There's a little bit of everything in this challenging test.
We'll ask you questions about different types of jewelry making methods, tools, and equipment. We'll also cover topics like shapes and styles of wire, beads and charms. You might even learn some new facts along the way. Most importantly, you no longer have to wonder about your jewelry making expertise. After taking this quiz, the answer will be crystal clear. Let's get started!
The gauge is the thickness, or diameter, of wire. The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the wire. For example, 10 gauge wire is thicker than 20 gauge wire.
Jump rings are metal circles that bend open and closed. They're available in a wide range of sizes and metals, like copper, silver, and gold. You can even make your own jump rings with wire.
Stopper beads are tiny rubber beads that help other beads stay put. They also prevent delicate beads from scratching each other. Because they're made of rubber, stopper beads are less likely to move around on cord or wire.
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Once you've added beads to memory wire, you'll need to bend the wire into a loop. This will stop the beads from sliding off. You can also glue the last bead in place.
A cabochon is usually made of gemstone, but it can be made of glass or synthetic material, too. To use a cabochon, you have to place it in a metal piece called a cabochon setting.
A clasp allows you to put on and take off necklaces and bracelets. There are many types of clasps, including box clasps, lobster clasps, magnetic clasps and toggle clasps.
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Tiger tail wire is flexible yet strong, so it's great for making jewelry that will be worn often. Usually, tiger tail made of seven strands of wire, but different brands might use more or less.
If you like to work with delicate silk or nylon cord, a beading awl will be very useful. This handy tool is used to make and adjust small knots. It's useful for undoing knots, too.
Earnuts are available in metal, plastic and rubber. These tiny pieces, which are also known as earring backs, keep earrings in your ears. It's easy to lose earnuts, but luckily, they're also very inexpensive.
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Tweezers aren't just for your brows! Jewelry tweezers have shaped ends that make it easy to pick up tiny pieces. The ends might be pointy, bent, or curved.
If you're adding beads to wire, you won't be able to tie a knot. A crimp bead will save the day! This soft metal bead can be easily squeezed, or crimped, with flat-nosed pliers.
Memory wire is coiled wire that holds a round or oval shape. It's often used for rings, bracelets, choker necklaces and wine charms. Memory wire is available in different sizes and types of metal.
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Ball chain is unique because it isn't made of open links. Instead, it's made of tiny metal balls that are attached to each other. Sometimes, ball chain is called bead chain.
Briolette is a type of bead shape. Briolette beads are sometimes called faceted teardrop or faceted pear beads. Usually, the hole is drilled across the top.
When you cast a mold with wax, you form the wax into a certain shape. This forms an indent in the wax. After the wax is heated and set, you can pour metal into the indent and make pieces that all look the same.
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A toggle clasp is a finding that's used to join the ends of bracelets and earrings. So, you won't need it for a pair of earrings. However, you can add beads to a head pin then attached it an earring hook with a jump ring.
Filigree beads are usually made with metal or plastic. The beads are hollow and have a unique pattern that looks like lace. Like other beads, filigree beads are available in different types of colors.
Solder is a metal with a low melting point. It's used to "glue" metal pieces together, such as jump rings to pendants. When you use solder to connect metal components, the technique is called soldering.
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A wire jig is a flat board with pegs. You can position the pegs based on a pattern. When you wrap the wire around the pegs, you'll end up with a fun shape. It's useful for making wire shapes that are consistent in shape and size.
Generally, a cameo pendant has a carved portrait against a different-colored background. Cameos are usually oval and are placed in a metal setting. They have a delicate, vintage look.
A toggle clasp is a two-piece finding that's used to connect the ends of necklaces and bracelets. It consists of a T-shaped bar that's inserted into an open loop.
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A doughnut bead looks like, well, a doughnut! It's usually made of wood, glass, or stone, but you can find it in another materials as well. Doughnut beads are often used as focal points in necklaces.
A third hand has fixtures that look like pliers. You can put an item in this hand, so it's useful if you need both hands to work on your project. Third hands are often used during soldering.
Snake chain, or Brazilian chain, is smooth chain that's made of links that are tightly connected. The surface of snake chain is smooth and looks similar to snakeskin.
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A headband magnifier is worn like a visor. It has an adjustable magnifier that's positioned right in front of your eyes. This device is useful for protecting your eyesight!
A buffing wheel, or a polishing wheel, is used during the final step of polishing. It gives the finished piece a beautiful surface that's shiny and sparkling.
Usually, memory wire is made of stainless steel, which is why it can hold its shape. Sometimes, memory wire is made of carbon steel and coated with silver, gold or brass.
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An extension chain, or chain extender, is a short length of chain that's added to the end of a necklace or bracelet. This makes a piece adjustable and suitable for many sizes.
Round nose pliers have round ends that are wide at the bottom and narrow at top. You can wrap wire around each tip to create a loop. If you have wire and a pair of round nose pliers, you can even make your own eye pins.
An eye pin, or an eyepin, is a short piece of wire with a loop can be opened and closed. You can add beads to the eye pin and connect the loop to other components.
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When it comes to wire gauge, the lower the number, the thicker the wire. In this case, 12 gauge is the thickest and the 26 gauge wire is the thinnest.
A head pin is a short length of wire with a flat round piece of metal at the end. However, if you want something with more flair, you can buy or make head pins with decorative ends.
A bezel is a metal piece that has a raised outer border. It acts like a "frame" for a cabochon. Depending on the type of bezel, you fold over the border to secure the cabochon or simply glue the cabochon to the metal.
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A caliper has two tiny arms. One slides up, and the other slides down. This tool comes in handy when you need to measure small items like gemstones and metal findings.
Safety goggles will shield your eyes from bits and pieces of metal parts. It's especially important when you use techniques like soldering, hammering or cutting metal.