Maybe you have a lot of free time and a hobby you enjoy but you don’t want to keep the finished project. Maybe you are looking for a way to earn some extra money. Maybe even both, but whatever your reason may be it is always fun to learn new projects.
A very popular project to make and sell is hemp jewelry. To do this all you need is a ball of hemp (about $5) and some beads. The beads are the key when it comes to hemp jewelry, because those are what catches the interest of potential customers.
Glass beads are very, very popular. If you buy a glass bead with, say, a mushroom inside then you’re looking at selling that necklace for at least $20 with no complaints. That is more than enough for the time it takes to throw one these things together… so if you make a deal, say $15 for 1 and $25 for 2 then you are looking at making a huge profit!
Wooden beads are also popular. While the glass beads are good if you put a single one on a necklace, wooden beads make for great anklets, bracelets, necklaces, and chokers. You will want to use more than one if you are using wooden beads in your hemp jewelry.
Shells also make great decoration on hemp jewelry. If you live near a beach, you can collect these yourself otherwise they can be found in craft stores and some dollar stores for a reasonable price. It can sometimes be tricky to put shells onto hemp, but they are a nice variable to have if you are making hemp jewelry.
Shells look nice if you use a single one, multiple shells, or combine them with wooden beads. Another thing to consider if you really want to go for the ‘handmade’ is making your own beads out of clay. You can buy bake-in-the-oven clay for under $10 and decorate your own beads!
After that, you need to learn the basic knotting of hemp. Yes, it may sound complicated even though I said basic but trust me, it is very, very easy to do. You can learn how to some of the basic knots in hemp jewelry by clicking here.
You may think necklaces, anklets, chokers and bracelets made of hemp are ‘overdone’ or ‘a dime a dozen’. However, these pieces of jewelry are popular and guaranteed to stay that way. If you really find enjoyment in working with hemp there are other projects you could make. Similarly, if you really want to make some money, there are other projects made of hemp that could be considered more valuable.
For example, you can make purses. Better yet there is one very unique project you can make that is stylish enough to be a big hit. The most eye catching project you can make can be made several different ways and you don’t need to use hemp. Traditionally, you should use thread but hemp puts a nice twist on an already pretty project. this project is better known as a barefoot sandal.
There are many varieties to this project. The prettiest I have seen can be viewed here with easy to follow directions and it involves crocheting so if you are using hemp you will want to choose a very thin strand.
One of the best ways you can make money by selling crafts from hemp is by making them ‘special order’. This method relies solely on word of mouth, but once you have already sold a number of hemp projects you can easily get the word out that you make ‘special order’ necklaces. It may help to make some business cards with your contact info on it just to come across as more proffessional.
The thing is, when somebody is getting something made just-for-them than that thing is worth more, is much more valuable to that person. It’s like tattoos, wedding bands, or custom paint jobs on a vehicle. Hemp jewelry is no different. This is where you charge a ‘base fee’ for materials… listing the cost of each material on a reciept if necessary. You can also charge $20 or more for ‘labor’… for the time you invested in making that particular piece. If you are making a purse for example, this can be more time consuming therefore your time alone should be worth at least $50.
