I’ve had the fun of creating jewelry with resin and molds for a little more than sixteen years. And I still LOVE making jewelry with silicone molds. I continue to be amazed that you can pour a liquid into a mold and it forms into something wearable.
And while I love all my molds, I do have a few favorites that are my go-to when I have leftover resin.
Why use molds to make resin jewelry?
Oh my gosh, if you have never used resin molds to make jewelry, you don’t know what you’re missing! Resin being a liquid that goes solid, is perfect for pouring into molds. It’s like making your favorite cake batter recipe, then pouring it into a cake pan to shape it. Once the batter cooks, it retains the shape of the pan. Resin works the same way. Of course, you can use resin colors to color your resin before pouring it into jewelry molds.
If you’re looking to save money on your resin jewelry projects, molds can help you do that. Jewelry resin molds are meant to be used repeatedly, meaning if you take care of your molds, you can reuse them dozens of times.
And if your mold interior has a shiny finish, and you won’t need to shine up your resin jewelry after demolding. Don’t worry, though. If you remove resin jewelry from your molds and it isn’t shiny enough, there are ways you can polish resin.
You’ve got so many more options if you want to make resin jewelry with molds. Preformed jewelry blanks are great if you want a specific size, shape, and color. But sometimes, you want the jewelry charms to speak for themselves and not have the metal finish take center stage.
There are so many unique resin colors out there that you might want them to be the attention grabber. By the way, You can always use a metal powder for resin to give a metallic look to your resin jewelry charms if you want.
Which resin should you use in jewelry molds?
This is pretty important. If you want a resin that will cure hard, durable, and won’t soften when you wear your jewelry, then you need to use one designed for that purpose. These resins are known as casting resins. These epoxy resin formulas are specially designed to cure hard and bubble-free when poured into molds.
When I’m casting resin into jewelry molds, I use the Resin Obsession super clear resin.
I love that this resin cures so hard and clear. It cures in 8 to 12 hours but might take longer if used in thin layers like a ring mold with a narrow band. Don’t worry though. An extra day or two is all it takes to make sure that resin ring doesn’t soften when you wear it.
How do you use resin in jewelry molds?
That’s an entire topic in itself! Here’s a ‘10,000-foot view’ of how you use resin with jewelry molds.
1. Prepare your mold with a light mist of resin mold release and allow it to dry for 30 minutes or longer.
2. Make sure your resin mold sits on a level surface.
3. Measure and mix the Part A resin and Part B hardener according to the directions. OPTIONAL: Color the epoxy if desired.
4. Pour into the mold and allow the resin to dry thoroughly.
5. Once hardened, release it from the mold and add jewelry findings to make it wearable.
If you’re new to this, spend more time in this article. It gives more details about how to mix resin so it cures clear and without sticky spots.
If you are looking to add to your resin jewelry molds collection, here are some of my favorites:
I love making resin beads. Not only are they a great leftover resin project, but resin beads can be used for bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. I’ve always got this mold close by to use up leftover resin.
I love how these earrings can be worn as singles or combined to make double dangles. This one is always on my table ready for the times I have extra resin.
If you like big earrings but don’t like their weight, this is your resin earrings mold. You’ll love the size of these earrings without them weighing your ear lobes down. Plus, the shape is face-flattering.
Itty bitty stud earrings are having a moment. And I can see why when they’re as cute as these. Make earrings that express your style without taking over your face.
Making rings can be a bit tricky because you may be unsure of your ring size. That’s why I love having this mold to make rings. Not only does it have four different sizes, but the flat, wide top also makes sure this resin ring gets noticed.
A bangle bracelet mold that fits for those with large hands? Yes, please! I love how this mold looks with dried flowers and other found items.
Beyond a doubt, this is my favorite mold for making resin pendants! I love the variety of shapes and sizes on this mold. Plus, I can quickly finish them with a glue-on bail to make them wearable.
This is such a fun mold to use. There’s a space to include glitter or resin colors, but the cutout portion gives it a subtle flair. I love how these look when I wear them!
Are you tired of the same-old resin jewelry molds? I hear you. That’s why I love this mold. It casts a pattern into the resin that you can highlight with acrylic paint after demolding. Color your resin one way, then highlight with different color paint.
The iridescent sparkle of these earrings will win you over from the first pour. They catch the light and shimmer with a not-so-obvious sparkle. Add a little bit of colored resin to really make them pop.
This is one of my favorite jewelry molds for making epoxy resin pendants. The unique shape is an attention grabber without being oversized. Plus, you can quickly finish it with a glue-on bead cap instead of drilling.
Pendant mold with ten different shapes
If you’re new to resin jewelry, you may not have given any thought yet to how you’re going to finish your resin charms to make them wearable. Don’t worry. This resin pendant mold has done the hard work for you. It casts with holes in place, meaning you don’t need to worry about using power tools with your charms.
Like the look of butterfly wings as jewelry? Then you will love this animal-friendly option. Create butterfly wings for your ears in a variety of colors without harming a butterfly.
Don’t let the fine detailing of this mold scare you away. That’s part of the fun. Cast your resin, then highlight the details with paint. You will have people thinking these are semi-precious stone inlay earrings.
You don’t have many choices if you want to make a resin necklace but want something other than a simple drop or a bead. Unless, of course, you use this collar necklace jewelry mold. There is a gentle curve to the necklace, plus it has cast in place holes at both ends. Finish it with a necklace chain, and you’ve got a resin necklace that is truly something special.
You know you want to make resin earrings. But that is as far as you’ve gotten. Sometimes the struggle is real when it comes to choosing a design. That’s why I love this mold. Not only are there 6 pairs on this mold, but they are different shapes and sizes. Your ears will thank you.
Mix and match shapes resin charms mold
Talk about versatility. This mold can help you do it all! Make big earrings, small pendants, and everything in between. Plus, you can link pieces together to make two or even three-part pieces. You won’t run out of options.
Bring peace and energy to your daily spirit. How? By making pendants with a chakra design. You’ll get one each of the seven different energies with this one mold.
Leaves and hearts earrings mold
Now before you tell me you don’t wear heart jewelry, let me say I get it. I feel the same way. But these non-traditional shape of these hearts won me over. Plus, you get a bonus pair of dainty monstera leaves too. These look great on a pair of wire hoop earrings.
And I did save the best for last. Attention cat enthusiasts — here is your earring mold. The dainty shape looks great as a pair of stud earrings. Highlight the detail with paint and make your cat smile.
Picked out your favorite resin jewelry molds, but want more help getting started?
I would love to help! I wrote my ebook, Resin Fundamentals, with the resin beginner in mind. For less than the price of a couple of molds, you can learn my tips to help you avoid costly mistakes and get you on the fast track to success. Buy it now and get a download link to your email in minutes.
Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC
The bar on the side of the page is annoying and I scroll downs It has email, FB, P, etc. Any way to shut it off?
Thanks.
Maria
Thanks Maria for your insight. I’m afraid there isn’t an option for you to turn it off, but we’ll consider this in future updates. XO, Katherine
From your list of 20 Favorite molds, 9 (just about 1/2) were out of stock. How disappointing- getting us all excited to make things but we can’t get the mold…..
Hi Liz, you’re right — seeing out-of-stock items is disappointing. We do our best to anticipate what customers want and sometimes fall short. The good news is that many of these molds are getting restocked. If you click on the item, you’ll see an estimated restock date.