Bypass the stress of trial and error and focus on the fun!
Learn jewelry making online with a systemized approach and unleash your creativity.
Forget the expensive commercial equipment and focus on mastering your forming skills using hand tools and small equipment while you create a versatile jewelry wardrobe that coordinates with all your favorite outfits.
Making jewelry is extremely fulfilling when everything is going your way.
It’s a challenging escape from your day-to-day concerns. Your creativity is engaged as you craft pieces that embody your personal expression. And it stimulates your mind while exercising your motor skills.
Unfortunately, there’s an extensive learning curve for the functional aspect of this creative endeavor.
Makers often face hurdles that effect the ‘success’ of their jewelry. From pieces that don’t hang quite right to connections that fail over time, jewelry experiments gone wrong can be both costly and time consuming.
I can help with this!
When it comes to making jewelry, details matter!
Selecting the proper materials can make or break a design …
You can make fabulous looking jewelry that simply doesn’t have the strength to properly hold the form. Or you can find yourself fighting with materials that are too thick and heavy trying to get them to conform.
Supposedly ‘simple’ forms can feel like there’s some magic trick you’re missing …
It seems like making jewelry is never as easy as it looks. You know what I mean – you watch a tutorial and it makes perfect sense. But then when you try doing it yourself, you realize there’s something missing, because your piece isn’t working out the way it did in the demonstration. And now that things have gone awry – how do you fix it? And why did it go wrong in the first place?
And making components that match (or even worse – mirror images) can truly be daunting …
Let’s assume you love the first piece you make, so you want to make another to complete a pair. But when you try to replicate it, the result is different. To make them match, you must tweak one or the other.
Making these forming adjustments is an art in itself …
Learning exactly where and how to apply pressure takes years – if not decades – to master. And that’s if you’re tenacious enough to plod through endless trial and error, noting the results (both good and bad) building your base of forming knowledge.
In a perfect world, you could dream up a jewelry design and confidently make it like a pro.
Back here in reality, we know this isn’t how it works. The truth is learning to make jewelry is like learning to play an instrument. Intellectually, you need to understand what to do, but you also must train your hands to do it.
Just like how musicians want to learn to play their favorite songs, most jewelry makers are inspired by projects they find attractive.
Serious musicians study music theory to understand the structure of the scales, chords, and modes. This knowledge helps them learn new songs faster, ad-lib with other musicians, and explore their own songwriting.
But ~ how does this concept of ‘music theory’ translate for jewelry makers?
Detailed jewelry instruction is hard to find …
Project-based classes pique our interest, but the time constraints can pressure instructors to gloss over the basics – assuming it as common knowledge. They often highlight the instructor’s specialty or an entry level version of it. But it’s like having a random piece to a jigsaw puzzle – without the supporting pieces it doesn’t reveal the big picture.
Alternately, metalsmithing classes often provide instruction focused on the techniques, but don’t offer much inspiration for stylish applications beyond the expected pendants, earrings, bracelets and rings. Plus, they’re generally based on the use of costly and cumbersome commercial equipment – so unless you have a huge budget, you’ll need access to a professional jewelry studio.
So where do you learn about the functional aspects of stylish jewelry design?
You know … the practical stuff that affects how well a piece drapes and holds up over time.
This is the knowledge you need to experience success as you explore your own designs.
Here in the Jewelry Classes with Jen Learning Center!
You’ll find everything you need to unleash your creativity:
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Stylish projects that’re sure to inspire you
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The elusive details for jewelry making basics (including ‘why’ and ‘how’)
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Practical guidance to help you navigate the jewelry making landscape
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And a structured approach like no other
Our cohesive curriculum is based on our jewelry making ‘theory’.
We combine the inspiration of attractive projects with in-depth coverage of supporting fundamental skills – all designed to ensure your success.
Our lessons are organized in progressive series to help you practice what you’ve learned and add the next piece of the puzzle in a way that makes sense
It’s the combination of forming fundamentals and patterns that sets us apart.
Patterns + Forming Fundamentals = Great Jewelry Components!
Our 3-step jewelry design system makes it easy to form consistent components.
- Your mastery over the metal will increase exponentially faster than the typical guesswork approach.
- The patterns you develop will reduce the amount of metal you waste.
- And you’ll be able to create jewelry you love with confidence.
Watch to see how this system makes ‘simple’ connection loops easy to form …
Do you want to learn this magic trick?
Okay – it’s not magic. It’s a system of measurements and consistent forming techniques presented in a logical easy-to-use format. But the time and stress saved makes it seem like magic.
Your enjoyment is the goal …
Want to increase the number of jewelry making sessions when everything is going your way?
Using this exclusive system streamlines the production process, allowing you to focus on the fun parts and unleash your creativity.
If you want to do more than just dabble with making jewelry, here are your options:
a) Spend decades figuring out what you can on your own through trial and error and costly experiments.
b) Take various project-based classes and tutorials and try to splice it all together to figure out which information you can trust and continue reverting to the frustration of trial and error until you can do things by rote.
c) Take a metalsmithing course at a college or professional jewelry studio and learn classic techniques.
d) Join the JCWJ Learning Center: learn our exclusive jewelry design system to master forming in a matter of weeks verses decades, explore how consistent forms converge in creative jewelry designs, and amplify what you learn from other sources.
Honestly, I think the best option is ‘all of the above’ – enhanced by the JCWJ curriculum.
Experiencing a broad spectrum of instruction will certainly increase your knowledge bank. The art of making jewelry is like an infinite jigsaw puzzle of techniques.
But the cohesive curriculum in the Learning Center provides an essential foundation of pieces that connect logically. It’s the start of the puzzle that helps you place the rest.
The forming skills you master using our exclusive system will enhance your success in many other jewelry making avenues.
Our stylish projects provide you with inspiration and a functional framework to follow while you add your personal expression.
And there’s ongoing support with answers to all your jewelry-making questions.
You will get more out of other jewelry instruction if you have the foundation provided through the curriculum we offer.
Membership is for you if you want …
- Affordable 24/7 access to cohesive lessons you can complete at home
- practical guidance you can trust for crafting jewelry with quality in mind.
- in-depth coverage of jewelry making basics
- confidence with forming metal
- a system for making matching components with ease
- functional clasps and formulas for making modular jewelry collections
- structure that lets you focus on the fun part of making jewelry
This is not for makers seeking …
- A traditional approach to silversmithing – Our curriculum is a great augment for traditional study but we’re charting our own course here. (literally)
- Single ‘one and done’ tutorials – While members can select from the individual projects to make, our lessons are designed to build upon each other and work together to help you reveal the big picture, offering deeper understanding of the jewelry making craft, .so you can explore your own creativity.
- In-person crowded classes with no ongoing support. Our classes are pre-recorded videos, so you get the best view every time and you can start/stop/pause/replay to your hearts content.
Just imagine – for the price of a magazine subscription – having access to an ever-growing library of step-by-step tutorials – currently with over 50 stylish jewelry designs you can customize to suit your own taste. And over 50 in-depth lessons explaining key jewelry making basics with more added as needed to support new projects.
To help you navigate, lessons are organized in 4 journeys:
Signature Course - Measuring Charts Made Easy
Our Signature Course: Measuring Charts Made Easy which guides you through mastering the art of forming loops while you learn our exclusive 3-step system. This course teaches you how to make 6 different types of components with consistent results. And offers 15 impressive designs you can make as you practice and train your hands.
Measuring Charts Made Easy - Stage 2
Measuring Charts Made Easy – Stage 2 – an ever-growing collection of tutorials which expands the scope of the charting system incorporating more advanced forming skills. This is where you start to understand how this system provides a structure that’s beneficial for all your jewelry designs.
Build your Foundation - Jewelry Making Basics
A curated series called Build your Foundation which provides detail-oriented in-depth coverage on jewelry making basics and allows new makers to build skills in tandem with accruing tools while making cute jewelry.
Make it Modular
And then there’s the Make it Modular Series which features a collection of clasps, adapters, bails, necklaces, bracelets and other segments with universal connection that you can make to create your own mix and match jewelry collections.
Plus, members enjoy …
- Round-the-clock access which means you can watch when it’s convenient for you
- Monthly presentations with opportunity for a live Q&A on Zoom
- A cohesive and structured approach
- Formulas and other references that make ‘making’ easier
And … ongoing support and practical guidance from ME – a trusted professional with almost 20 years of experience.
Hi! I’m Jen.
For almost 2 decades I’ve been teaching jewelry making – focused on the art of forming and crafting with the use of hand tools and small equipment.
I excel at jewelry design. I was a Saul Bell finalist in 2010. I’ve had work published in books and magazines and won many ribbons.
I’m not telling you this because I think I’m ‘all that’. For everything I know – there’s likely 100 more that I don’t. Seriously, the world of jewelry making is huge.
But I am offering you something extremely special here …
I’ve taken 20 years of experience in a wide array of jewelry making disciplines and distilled it down to the knowledge you need to make stylish quality-crafted jewelry right from home.
I’ve done the heavy lifting – I’ve tackled the math and studied the mechanics,
I translated complex concepts into easy-to-follow instructions.
I created a system that provides structure – so you can master forming in a fraction of the time.
And I provided eye-catching designs to set you up for success as you learn
All that’s left is the fun part! Exploring your creativity as you customize your jewelry to suit your taste.
So … what do you get when you join?
Watch this video for an inside look at the value of having access to cohesive content as a JCWJ Learning Center member …
Membership to the Jewelry Classes with Jen Learning Center is a great choice!
You don’t need to take my word for it – here is what members are saying …
“I just wanted to share how much I appreciate your online jewelry-making videos and everything you offer through the Learning Center.
What makes learning with you so great is the convenience of having access, whenever you need it, to a large amount of training and reference materials.
Your easy-to-follow instruction and attention to details has always provided me with fail-proof methods that save time and money and have always helped me produce long lasting, quality products.
Your teaching style is both warm and encouraging, making it easy for anyone to dive right in, regardless of their skill level.
One of the things that consistently impresses me is the depth of your knowledge and how it is shared through your content on the website. Taking time to learn how to professionally design and make jewelry, makes me proud to give it as gifts and sell it at craft fairs. The little details make a huge difference and have helped me elevate my jewelry-making skills.
The Learning Center itself is a treasure trove for makers.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and passion with us!
~ Lisa D.
“I recommend joining the JCWJ Learning Center. It is the best way I have found on the internet to learn a consistent, module-based approach to making jewelry encompassing projects that build on one another. Being self-taught, I especially like the practical tips, like using nano tape on an acrylic block to securely hold or support jewelry pieces and small elements while working on them as well as all the pointers on the most effective ways to hold pliers for top level control. And then there’s the way Jen …”
~ Gilbert L.
“Thanks for making jewelry making more enjoyable and less frustrating.”
~Yvonne B.
“Your instructions are precise and thorough, and the step-by-step pictures of each step make following along very easy. Your attention to detail is a lifesaver for those of us whose “organic” style makes duplicating difficult. Earrings may be in my future thanks to your reference charts.”
~Tucky H.
“Jen is a fantastic instructor. She is always patient and always willing to share her knowledge. She has a very unique gift to be able to teach skills so that everyone in the group can understand. Her supportive teaching approach visually shows the detailed steps of the project, coupled with step-by-step instructions with photos.”
~Kim I.
“You are, without doubt, one of the best jewelry teachers I have ever worked with. Your instructions are always clear and concise. You provide detailed, written instructions, along with verbal directions and actual hands-on modeling to show the proper way to work for every step of the way. I have taken many classes with other well-known artists, but none teach as well as you. Many artists can be good at their art, but not a good teacher. You stand alone in your ability to create, design, AND teach. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.”
~Sannah S.
Why membership?
If you paid for all our lessons individually, it would cost thousands of dollars.
But our lessons all intertwine in various ways and together, they convey our exclusive jewelry making theory.
I want you to have access to all the information you need.
I don’t want you to be left wondering or feeling like you’re missing essential details.
Membership allows me to offer this wealth of information at a rate you can afford over the long haul.
As creative people, we’re naturally drawn to explore a wide array of opportunities. And as I previously mentioned – it’s great to experience a broad spectrum of instruction.
While there’s a wealth of techniques you can explore within the craft, you’ll always benefit from learning the functional aspects of design found in our lessons. And your improved command over forming metals with accuracy will increase the quality of your craftmanship.
Makers often spend $300-$500 for a single class and walk away with mixed reviews.
Membership in the Learning Center is just $27/ month or $270/year.
That’s 1 full year of access at your convenience with ongoing support for less than the cost of an individual 3-hour class!
Do the math … if you watch 1 lesson/month, membership to the JCWJ Learning Center saves you $3,330 in just 1 year. You can’t go wrong. Use these savings for buying materials instead.
Plus, membership ensures you have access to the complete library of cohesive instruction as well as any new content as soon as it is published.
There’s very little risk. You can cancel your subscription anytime.
Your recurring rate is locked in as long as you continue to be a member.
Upon joining you get access to the entire library of lessons. So, there are no refunds.
On the fence? Try it for a month. If it’s not for you, it’s super easy to cancel – no questions asked.
Join Monthly
Set up a recurring monthly payment of just $27 and get all the benefits the Jewelry Classes with Jen Learning Center has to offer.
If you know this is for you, save $54/year and pay annually.
Join Annually
Save $$ - set up a recurring annual payment of $270 and get all the benefits the Jewelry Classes with Jen Learning Center has to offer.
Still have some concerns?
Here are the most frequently asked questions and comments I hear from students:
I am not a creative person – I don’t think I would know what to make.
You don’t have to be “creative”. My job as an instructor is to show you what you can do and how to do it. I provide a clear end-goal for my tutorials with step-by-step instructions guiding you the whole way. If you want to adlib along the way, you certainly can. But I find many students are more successful exploring alternate designs once they experience the technique first-hand. This is your chance to learn how to “play” again as an adult.
What do I need for a workspace?
The initial projects I suggest in the ‘Build Your Foundation’ jewelry making journey for beginners can be done virtually anywhere with decent lighting. I often assemble jewelry using a breakfast tray while sitting in my living room.
As the projects progress, you’ll want a sturdy table you are willing to scar or a protective covering on one you care about. It really depends on the actual technique you are employing. There are sharp tools that can scratch like files and emery, and other tools that clamp onto the edge of your work surface like a jeweler’s bench pin for sawing. For years I used a 4’ folding table made from pressed fiberboard (like an old school banquet table). The plastic tables can vibrate quite a bit if you are hammering.
What if I find I don’t like making jewelry?
The JCWJ Learning Center is a relatively low-cost way to test the waters. You can get started with very little investment in tools or supplies, and you can cancel your membership any time. So, if you are on the fence, just join for a month. If you find you are liking it, you can continue to renew monthly or upgrade to an annual plan.
How expensive are the tools and materials?
Overall, we work with a limited selection of hand tools and small equipment. My advice is to just purchase the tools and materials you need for your current project. You can slowly acquire more tools as you expand the scope of your skills. While some of the projects can cost a bit more to craft in sterling silver, there’s often the option to hone your skills while working in copper which is substantially less expensive. So, there’s no prescribed amounts I can share with you. Just know that you are in the driver’s seat, and you can choose to purchase tools and make projects at a rate you can afford.
Do I have to buy supplies from you?
No! In fact, I go out of my way to share my sources with you so you can shop for yourself. I want you to become an independent maker and flourish beyond the scope of what I present. The world of jewelry supplies and materials is huge though, so I offer my guidance to help you find your way. My students have often reciprocated this good will and shared great sources they find once they know what they are seeking.
Can I just make whatever project I want from your gallery of tutorials and courses?
Yep – you sure can! Our jewelry making journeys are simply suggested paths to help you learn new skills and then get some opportunity to practice them while slowly building more skills. But each project offers suggested pre-requisites and the tool list up front, so you can work on what inspires you if you wish.
I will share with you, that many students end up circling back looking for the nuggets of information they were missing by skipping around. But sometimes, when you want to make something specific, that’s what you want to do. So, I have made it as easy as possible to access the supporting content you’ll need.
Join today and let the jewelry making adventure begin!
Join Monthly
Set up a recurring monthly payment of just $27 and get all the benefits the Jewelry Classes with Jen Learning Center has to offer.
Join Annually
Save $$ - set up a recurring annual payment of $270 and get all the benefits the Jewelry Classes with Jen Learning Center has to offer.