Shining Bright
The floral industry is notorious for being very fast-paced, and floral jewelry is one of those trending items that can take too long to make. In an effort to keep up with this trend, we have to make these items more cost-effective, require less labor, and utilize everyday items because floral jewelry is a must-have this prom season.
Doing a little prep work and staying organized can save you a lot of time and make your prom season a breeze. Remember to set yourself up for success by starting early, too. Think about creating collections of matching pieces such as necklaces, bracelets/wristlets, rings, boutonnieres, and even earrings.
Start by making versatile and generic forms that you will be able to quickly add finishing touches to and will also coordinate with any attire. Silver, iridescent, gold and rose gold are a few of my go-to colors for this. Think in multiples: don't make just one base make 10!
You don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are wonderful products on the market to make your jewelry creations easier. To name a few of my favorites: Oasis beaded wires, aluminum wire, metallic wire, bullion wire, flat wire, Fitz beaded bracelet's, and any pre-made beaded garlands and bracelet's and restring them in different ways to make coordinating pieces easier to create. It can also help use up leftovers that didn't sell last season.
I cannot emphasize enough how important prep work is, even if you only spend 10 minutes creating a quick base. Florals can then be added later to complete the design and match the prom dress.
One prep technique I like to use is to pre-make my coils to cover up rough ends. I do this by wrapping metallic wire around various sizes of crochet needles, which keeps them uniform. These can be tightened or loosened by twisting in either direction.
Another trick is to use pre-made garland and attach it to aluminum wire by binding it with bullion wire. Rings are another quick and easy option. You can make rings by wrapping aluminum wire several times around a small PVC pipe and add swirls on the ends where you can add florals, beads, or bling.
Shown below are a few suggestions for creating floral jewelry that is sure to be popular this coming prom season!
