StretchLearn Course

Make Jewelry That Survives Daily Wear

Wrap wire, string gemstones, solder silver, and finish pieces you are proud to wear and sell

Beginner9 hr 20 minSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

This course teaches the core skills of handmade jewelry for beginners: cold-connection wire work (wrapped loops, links, briolette wraps), bead and gemstone stringing on beading wire and cord, and entry-level metalsmithing (sawing, filing, soldering, and patina). You will learn how metal hardness and wire gauge affect every join, why pieces tarnish and break, and how to size, finish, and price work you intend to wear or sell. Each module pairs clear technique with the underlying material facts so your results are repeatable rather than lucky.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

Select the correct wire gauge, temper, and metal for clasps, wraps, and structural links

Form clean wrapped loops, eye pins, jump rings, and briolette wraps that resist pulling apart

String bead and gemstone designs on flexible beading wire and knotted silk with secure terminations

Saw, file, and sand a flat metal blank smooth using a jeweler's saw and graduated abrasives

Solder a simple sterling silver join with a butane or propane torch and pickle the result clean

Finish pieces with patina, polish, and sealing, then size rings and price work for sale

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: Materials, Tools, and Wire Foundations

Understand metals, wire gauge, and temper, set up a small bench, and form the wrapped loops and jump rings every piece depends on. This module is the difference between jewelry that pulls apart and jewelry that lasts.

3 lessons

Metals, Wire Gauge, and TemperContent · 45 min

Preview Enabled

Setting Up a Bench and Core ToolsContent · 40 min

LMS Access

The Wrapped Loop and the Jump RingContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Module 2

Module 2: Beading and Gemstone Stringing

Design with color and proportion, then string and terminate bead and gemstone pieces securely on flexible wire and knotted silk so they never spill.

3 lessons

Beads, Gemstones, and Stringing MaterialsContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Stringing and Crimping a BraceletContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Knotting Pearls and Designing with ColorContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 3

Module 3: Metalsmithing Basics: Sawing, Filing, and Soldering

Move from cold connections to hot work: lay out and saw a metal blank, file and sand it smooth, and make your first soldered silver join safely.

3 lessons

Sawing and Filing MetalContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Soldering a Silver JoinContent · 55 min

LMS Access

Annealing, Hammering, and TexturingContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 4

Module 4: Finishing, Sizing, and Selling Your Work

Take pieces from raw to retail: patina and polish surfaces, size and assemble rings and clasps, photograph the work, and price it so you actually make money.

3 lessons

Patina, Polishing, and SealingContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Sizing Rings and Assembling FindingsContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Photographing and Pricing Your JewelryContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

wire wrappingbeadingmetalsmithing basicsjewelry for beginnerssoldering silvergemstone stringingjewelry findingsjewelry finishing