Elegant Dangle Earrings -Jewelry Making Project
Here is a great way to create a gorgeous pair of hand crafted dangle earrings. Depending on what beads are chosen the earrings can go from glam to casual. The designs are endless!
Supplies
Needle nosed plierâ Wire Cutters 2 French Hooks 8 Jump Rings 12 Head Pins 1½ inches 2 Eye Pins 1 ½ inches 12 4mm Swarovski Crystals or other 4mm Crystal like beads 2 Focal BeadsUsed here are elegant focal glass beads accented with gold filigree beads as well as the maroon Swarovski crystals.
Instructions
1. This step designs the focal part of the earring. Arrange a design on the one eye pin and copy the exact design onto the second eye pin. Then hand wire wrap the one end of the eye pin to secure the beads into place. Then create 12 dangles by stringing a Swarovski Crystal onto each head pin and wire wrap those. See the Hand Wrapping chart below at the end. 2. Attach a jump ring to where the bottom of the earring will be. Then pry open (a little way) the jump ring and attach 2 of the Swarovski Crystal charms. Then attach another jump ring onto the jump ring and attach 2 more of the Swarovski Crystals. Repeat this step one more time. Then repeat on the other earring as well.
3. This step finishes off the earrings. Attach the jump rings to the top of each pair of earrings. Then pry open (a little way) the jump ring and attach the French hook onto the jump ring.
HAND WRAPPING
1. Using the round nose pliers bend the pin to a right angle. Then turning your wrist roll the pliers back toward the stem of the headpin. 2. Holding the loop with the pliers use your other hand and wrap the wire around the stem of the headpin two or three times. Using your wire cutters you can now trim off the excess wire!
This article first appeared in the I Love to Craft PDF Magazine Spring/Summer 2006 issue, a free-to-download Online Crafts Magazine.