I’ve found that I’m not very good at drawing, so I’ve come to rely on templates when creating jewelry designs. They make quick work of the drawing process. Cool Tools’ online shop has a great selection, and I’ve also discovered many unique templates on Etsy. At this point, I’ve collected more than 25 of them!

Some I use more often than others, and I definitely have my favorites — the ones that consistently lead to my best designs. Some templates I use for a single shape, while others I layer to create designs with more dimension and depth. You can see this technique in my double-layered silver earrings.

To use them, I trace the template pattern onto metal with an Ultra Fine Point Sharpie, placing the drawings close together to avoid wasting material when cutting. If I’m making mirrored pairs, like earrings, I just flip the template over to draw the second shape. I sometimes forget this step — so when I do, I flip one metal piece over and mark an “X” on the front to remind myself.

On some designs, I’ll use the template and then adjust the shape to fit my vision. For example, I might alter the shape to include an open ring for an ear wire — as I did with the turquoise Paula Shell silver earrings. Another time, I used a square template but cut one side with a curved inward edge, giving it an unexpected twist. I think designs become more interesting when you play with symmetry and balance. The silver earrings with blue lace agate are another good example of this, using an offset template for a more dynamic look.

Templates have taken my jewelry design to the next level. They make it easy to experiment, refine, and create something uniquely my own.

What designs are you creating today?