Views #693 | High Intermediate 6

Making Jewelry

Adrienne talks about making her own jewelry and how she got started.

Script
Vocab
Quiz


Adrienne	Todd

Todd: Hello, Adrienne.

Adrienne: Hi, Todd.

Todd: You know Adrienne I must compliment you. You always have the nicest jewelry.

Adrienne: Oh, thank you. That's a nice thing to say.

Todd: Where do you get it?

Adrienne: Various places. A lot of jewelry I pick up interesting pieces when I'm traveling, but also a lot of my jewelry I make.

Todd: Get out of here!

Adrienne: No. Serious.

Todd: You make your own Jewelry?

Adrienne: Yeah, some of it. It's kind of a hobby of mine that just developed in the last few years.

Todd: Now, that's pretty cool that you make your own jewelry. Like, how do you make jewelry? What's the process?

Adrienne: Well, it depends on what you want to make of course, but I go to the jewelry shop or the bead shop usually and they have all of the different pieces, different kinds of beads, different kinds of chains, different kinds of claps and wire and all of the things you need to put on a necklace or bracelet together.

Todd: And you just fiddle it together?

Adrienne: Yeah, usually I have an idea in mind, a color scheme in mind or maybe I'm thinking I bought a new skirt and I want something to go with it so actually it was a hobby born out of necessity because I couldn't afford to keep up with my buying accessories all the time, so.

Todd: Cool. So, how did you learn how to do this? Did you take a class?

Adrienne: No, I probably should actually. But no, it actually started not too long ago. A friend of mine had a really nice looking necklace that was falling apart. and I looked at it closely and I thought, " Oh, this should be easy to fix." She couldn't find a jeweler who would touch it because they were worried about it breaking and then they would be responsible, and so I said, "Well, let me try." Of course I don't want to be responsible either but, let me try as a friend, and so I went to the story and found the wire and and clasp and everything we needed to fix it and it turned out actually really nice and she was so pleased with it that I decided to fix a few other pieces that had been lying in my closet untouched for a long time and fix them. They turned out really nice and then I went back and started finding more interesting pieces to work with and so, yeah, it was just sort of a slow development.

Todd: So, when you make the jewelry, what tools do you use? What do you got?

Adrienne: Usually you need some kind of a wire cutter or scissors depending on weather your working with string or thin wire. I recommend thin wire just because it lasts longer. It's stronger. String can wear out. You have a needle nose plier, so it's a specific type of pliers that have a very pointed end on it. Needle-nose they call it, and that's used to clamp some of the claps together and also just to help pull the thread through the beads, that kind of thing. And then, you need to buy separate clasps to be able to wire everything and to be able to wear it basically. So it's actually really straight forward and very simple. It just sounds and looks very complicated, so it makes everyone more impressed than they should be I think.

Todd: Well, the jewelry store people probably don't want to hear that.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

compliment

I must compliment you because you have the nicest jewelry.

When you give someone a 'compliment' you say something nice about them. Notice the following:

Compliments really do make people feel good.
It's really hard to get any type of compliment from him.

the last few years

I make some of them, and it's kind of a hobby of mine that just developed in the last few years.

The 'last few years' refers to the most recent couple of years, maybe three years ago until now. Notice the following:

I haven't seen you much in the last few years.
You have grown a lot in the last few years.

an idea in mind

Usually, I have an idea in mind, like a color scheme.

When you have 'an idea in mind,' it means that you have thought about it and you have a general plan for something that you would like to do. Notice the following:

If you don't have any idea in mind about what to expect, then you won't be surprised or disappointed.
Do you have an idea in mind where you would like to live?

untouched

I decided to fix a few pieces that had been lying in my closet untouched for a long time.

Something 'untouched' hasn't been used or worn, in this case, for a long time. You can also use 'untouched' to describe something that has never been used or worn. Notice the following:

All of the things on that shelf have been untouched for years.
Most of the land in this area is still untouched.

last longer

I recommend thin wire just because it lasts longer and it's stronger.

How long something 'lasts' is the amount of time it maintains usefulness. When something 'lasts longer' it means that it is useful for more time than something similar. Notice the following:

People usually buy children's clothes a little big so they will last longer when the kids continue to grow.
Food with preservatives lasts longer than organic food, but it doesn't taste as good.

Answer these questions about the interview.

Vocabulary Quiz

compliments • few years • idea
untouched • last longer

She has gotten lots of on her new haircut.
He has been out of the country most of the last .
Many name brand clothes are more expensive, but they do .
Most girls your age have at least an in mind about where they would like to go to school.
Any of the books in this area are , so you can just take what you want.