Hey! I recently made this pair of earrings and took photos through the process to share with you in case you want to make a pair of earrings for yourself or to give to a loved one.
I have used 1.2 mm copper wire, 0.4 mm copper wire, 4 mm crystal beads and a pair of hooks. Most of the work was done using only my hands, I only used a pair of scissors/cutters to cut the pieces of wire and a pair of pliers to open the hooks and to bend the edges at the first wires.
Follow this photo tutorial to create a handmade pair of earrings similar to mine.
- Cut 2 pieces of the thicker wire, one for each earring. The length of the wire depends of how long you want your earrings to be. I cut 8 cm for each earring. Using a pair of pliers make a round end at one side – where the hooks are going to be placed at the top – and bend it more tightly at the other edge which is going to be the bottom.
2. Cut 2 more pieces of the same wire 3 times longer than the first ones. I cut 25 cm, as longer is better than shorter to make sure it’s going to be enough.
3. Bend the edge of the long wire around the bottom of the short wire right over its bended edge. Press it with the pliers . It may not be completeley stable but the next step is going to secure it.
4. Using your fingers start wrapping the long wire into circular moves, making circles behind the short wire but also making circles in front of the long wire. When you reach the round edge of the short wire you stop.
5. Repeat with the second earring. Don’t worry if the two earrings are not identical – each handmade piece is unique.
6. Now it’s time to use your beads and the thinner wire. There is no certain length for the wire but I would suggest to cut at least 60 cm. Attach the thin wire to the bottom of the earring by wrapping it around it a few times. Press it with the pliers and either now or later cut any extra piece. Contrary, if your wire wasn’t long enough, you can secure the previous piece and continue by starting with a new one.
7. You can start with a few beads and if you feel you want to add more, start with a new wire to cover the empty spots. You pass one bead through the thinner wire and wrap it around the thicker wire. When you finish wrapping, you can remove the extra thicker wire at the top by making a couple of wraps around it to make sure it’s stable.
8. When you are satisfied with the earrings, it’s time to finish them with the hooks. If there is any thin wire edge hanging from your earring you can cut them and if they are long enough, they may be useful for your next creation.
I matched these earrings with a handmade copper bracelet which I had made.
You can see more of my handmade earrings here and be inspired for more wire wrapping jewelry.
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