Book excerpt: Aimed at crafters who have never picked up a pair of pliers, this handbook covers all the basics needed to get started creating great jewelry, from setting up a workspace and transferring designs to honing basic filing, sawing, and soldering skills. Diagrams give clarity for tricky stages, providing examples of what can go wrong and detailing how to repair common problems. A comprehensive tools and materials section reveals how to choose metals and stones, select and store useful materials, and start a beginner's tool kit. With step-by-step photography of every technique--displaying how to plan, pierce, file, solder, pickle, and clean--this comprehensive resource makes creating jewelry accessible and affordable.