There are jewelry making kits available for almost all kinds of jewelry, although kits that rely mainly on putting pieces together rather than using large equipment are more common. As such, beaded jewelry and woven jewelry kits are very popular. There are also kits for resin jewelry, leather jewelry, and knotted jewelry. Some of these products are designed for children, but many are made for adults. Not all kits are equivalent, and some are of much higher quality than others, so it is important to look not only at the type of jewelry being made but the quality of the components as well.
Beaded jewelry making kits are some of the most common kits available. These items usually include everything needed to make beaded jewelry, including needles, string or thread, and beads. Often, small kits of this type include clasps as well, although some beaded jewelry is made to stretch so that no clasp is necessary. Although some kits include tools like pliers that may be necessary when using wire with beads, others leave out larger components.
There are also beaded jewelry making kits that are designed for weaving or sewing with beads. These kits always include seed beads, but they also include bead looms. A bead loom can be used creatively with different materials to make other types of jewelry, although the supplies for other types of woven jewelry may not be included.
Many kits include a small number of supplies but focus primarily on the instruction booklet. Kits for making knotted jewelry with embroidery thread are very popular, but these require a very small amount of supplies, so kits focus primarily on directions. These kits often turn the instruction book into a tool and storage case for the supplies needed to make this type of jewelry.
Resin jewelry making kits include chemicals and are therefore not usually made for children. Leather jewelry making kits are often sold in small packages with leather that has already been cut into the desired shape, which reduces the need for tools. These kits are designed for people who primarily enjoy assembling jewelry according to directions rather than designing the items themselves. A large portion of the craft is already made, so very few variations can be applied.
In addition to jewelry kits that are designed to create a particular piece or set of pieces, there are also those that include only the tools a person will need to make a specific kind of jewelry. This kind of kit is excellent for dedicated crafters because the actual materials a person will use are purchased separately, allowing a wide range of variation in the finished product. These kits can also be more difficult to use because they often rely on the artistic skill of the individual rather than a person's ability to follow directions.