Recycling your jewellery
Spring is finally here and the bright light flowing into our homes has set some of us to spring cleaning and a general clear out.
However, if you have magpie tendencies like many of the London Jewellery School team, you may find it difficult to throw away broken jewellery or indeed anything pretty. So we’ve gathered some inspirations for recycling jewellery, in the hope we won’t all glance sadly into the same box of broken bits when next year’s spring clear out comes round.
Broken necklaces and bracelets offer great opportunities for recycling, have a think about how you might restring them. Tutor Anna Campbell created this necklace from a broken bracelet and some stash beads – you can read more about what she did here.
Lonely odd earrings and other bits and bobs can be used to create fun charm bracelets like this one by Andrea Singarella. Our upcycle your jewellery taster class can help with this and other ideas.
Or use odd stud or vintage clip earrings to create quirky cocktail rings using Craft Unleashed’s tutorial.
Think too about combining your scrap jewellery with lovely left over fabric. For inspirations take a look at the beautiful vintage brooch and fabric bouquets created by LJS tutor Gail Florio
Or combine fabric, such as part of a torn silk scarf, with beads and odd earrings for a new take on a charm bracelet like this one by Sharon Conetta Vitale
It’s not just beaded jewellery and vintage oddments that you can makeover, Unwanted silver (and other metals) can be melted down and recycled. London Jewellery School has a class on Recycling Silver if you want to find out more.