To make any craft project significant you must enjoy the topic thoroughly and understand the historical significance of the pieces you are working on. Celtic jewelry making is no exception, so let’s go through a couple historical facts before we get to the how to portion.
Celtic jewelry making has been known to exist since the first century B.C. The Celts strongly believed in reincarnation and so these influences have been incorporated into their jewelry making. Celtic symbolism is all about the immortal as well as the priceless gift to human civilization.
For Instance:
The symbol for the Holy Trinity was represented by the Latin Triquetra.
Man’s progress was symbolized by the Greek symbol Triskelion or “three legged”. Notice how the knots are like three legs running.
Another interesting thing the Celts did was the concept of the five fold. The fifth fold was an intersection of 4 others. Spring, summer, fall, and winter made up the fifth fold of transitioning.
The Celts were also famous for their usage of crosses in their jewelry. They believed that the cross represented the link between a physical existence and a spiritual one.
To star I recommend using copper wire to start bending into knots and interlaced spirals. The Celts excelled in working soft metals into beautiful pieces.
The next thing you need to do is pick out a design you want to try. You can search the net for examples and I recommend google image search for that. Just make sure it’s simple enough so you don’t get discouraged on your first attempt.
Graph paper helps you practice your designs and I highly recommend that you waste paper instead of some expensive metal when created your pieces.
Make sure you pick the right thickness of wire for your project, thin wire for rings and bracelets and thicker for the brooches.
Determine how long the wire is and cut it vigilantly. Remember to always add about 1 to 2 inch extra from your desired length for additional adjustments. The wire length would rely on the kind as well as the size of the jewelry you are planning to make. There are some charts available online that you can check in case you are a bit cautious.
What you are going to need after you have your cut wire are chain nose pliers and round nose pliers. The round nose pliers are useful for smaller loops while the chain nose pliers are great for larger loops
You can finish Celtic jewelry making with the use of metal clasps, or you can also bend the wire found at each end, forming a hook. Another way to do this is by forming a closure that is hook and eye by bending the wire in one end and looping it to the other end.
Learn about mens celtic jewelry over at fine celtic jewelry.