Analyze the Person
Whenever I create a piece of jewelry for a gift, I first think about who I’m making it for and analyze that person. Here are some of the questions I ask myself:
Does she wear a lot of jewelry, a little, or none at all?
If she does wear jewelry, does she tend to wear large or small pieces?
What colors does she wear most often?
What is her birthstone?
Does she wear gold or silver?
These questions are a good place to start in order to determine what type of jewelry a person prefers.
Pick an Item
Once I’ve answered these questions, I start to think about the type of item I’ll make. If it’s someone I know pretty well like one of my sisters, I feel comfortable making them a bracelet, for example, because I know they have about the same size wrist as I do. However, if it’s someone I don’t know as well, I usually find it safer to make earrings, a memory wire bracelet, or a Y necklace. If it’s a man’s gift, and he doesn't wear jewelry (which often seems to be the case), then there are always key chains or tie clips.
Sketch an Idea
If it a very special gift and I don’t have some lightening bolt of inspiration hit me, I’ll often take a few minutes to sketch out my design ideas on paper. This way I can add or erase parts and pieces as I think out the design. Also, this allows me to put it down and look at it the next day to see what I think about it. If I’m making a gift that someone else is giving, I show him/her the sketches and work with him/her on incorporating what he/she likes about the different ideas into one design.
Make a Prototype
If the design is new to me and I’ve never done anything like it before, I make a prototype. I may not use the best materials to create this example. I’m just trying to get an idea of how I should make the piece and how it will look when it’s finished. If it’s a piece I’ve made before (such as a wire and bead necklace) and I’m just using a different color scheme for example, then I will take the materials I plan to use and simulate the piece or even just set the materials up next to each other to see how they look together. I do this a lot when working with beads and find a bead board very helpful.
I hope these tips help you create the perfect gift for your friends and family. Though most people appreciate your jewelry making efforts, it’s always nice to feel that you’ve matched the gift to the person.
