Beaded Earrings
Holiday Colors for Christmas!
These easy-to-make earrings had a per pair cost of under $5.00 (your
cost will depend on type of beads used)! They are so fun to make,
you'll
want to make several pairs. Coordinate with clothing, or use holiday
colors.
Supplies
NOTE: Use sterling silver for head pins and ear wires, if possible. We recommend purchasing good quality beads and findings. Cheaper pins and wires tend to break after being bent a few
times, and are more
difficult to work with.
Head Pins: These are straight pins with a small flat head, made for
earrings. Beads are fed onto this pin. Our pins come in a packet 20
(enough
for 10 pairs of earrings) from $2.00.
Ear Wires: Choose a style you like. We stock a good range in packs of 10 with enough for 5 pairs of earrings from $2.00.
Beads: Choose your own colors and styles, but be sure the holes are
small - just large enough to fit over the head pin.
The beads shown on this page came in a bag - Bead prices start from $4.95. Beads range in price, of course, depending
on quality and type. Hand blown glass beads and semi precious stone, for example, would be much
more expensive.
Wire Cutter: A good wire cutting tool is a must. It is used to cut the head pin to the correct length. Beading tools are now in stock and prices start from $6.00
| | Wire Twisting Tool: Some die hard beader's prefer the style that has round ends (rather than
with one flat edge); use whatever style you are comfortable with. The
wire is bent around this tool. |
head pins and ear wires
Directions
1. String Beads
Place beads onto the head pin as shown at right. The flat "head" of the pin will
hold the beads on the pin. Continue adding beads until you have the desired earring length. Repeat with the second earring.
2. Cut Wire
After your beads are on the head pin, cut off the excess wire, leaving enough to curl around a couple of times.
3. Twist Wire
Using your wire twisting tool, twist the straight wire into a
small circle. This works best by gripping the wire at the top,
curling it over once, then repositioning the tool and curling it again,
etc. Do this a few times until the wire is curled up into a small
circle. NOTE: See step 4 for photos of different sizes of the circle.
The size you make depends on your own taste.
4. Open Ear Wire
Using your wire twisting tool, gently open the end of the ear wire (the end where the earring attaches). Pry it
out a bit so that you can slip the circle end of the head pin through it.
5. Finish the Earrings
Slip the curled end of the earring's head pin through the ear wire. Use the wire twising tool to tighten the opening
of the ear wire around the earring head pin.
NOTE: In the earrings on the right, one pair was made with a very small circle on the head pin,
and the other was made with a larger circle (not twisting the wire as tightly - see step 3).
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