Jewelry Making with beadingdaily

How to Make Earrings:

5 Free Jewelry Projects

1 2 3

4 5

1 Copper Caper Earrings 4 Unexpected Pearl Earrings

Carole Rodgers Denise Peck

2 Crystal Corona Earrings

Pilar Burg
5 Hydrangea Earrings
Kelli Burns

3 Indian Summer Earrings

Jill MacKay
 Jewelry Making with beadingdaily

How to Make Earrings:

5 Free Jewelry Projects
Last weekend I visited my local bead shop, intending to pick Jewelry Making with Beading Daily: How to Make Earrings: 5 Free
up a few head pins and jump rings to finish a project. Of Jewelry Projects includes a range of earring ideas using differ-
course, I couldn’t resist looking around and fell in love with ent materials and techniques. Start your earring exploration
some blue oval lampworked beads. They were beautiful, but with the easy Copper Caper Earrings, which feature a trendy
I knew I’d never be able to afford an entire necklace of them. mix of silver and copper. Then play with color with the Crys-
Buying just two beads for earrings let me indulge my expen- tal Corona Earrings. Highlight your prettiest pearls and gem-
sive taste without blowing my entire beading budget. stones with the handcrafted silver bead frames in the Indian
That experience is just one of the reasons I like earrings so Summer Earrings. Practice hammering and piercing holes in
much. Budget-friendly earrings also make great “one size metal with the organic Unexpected Pearl Earrings by Step
fits all” gifts that are quick to create. You can make a simple by Step Wire Jewelry editor Denise Peck. Finally, experiment
pair in five minutes, and even the most complicated earring with seed bead fringe with the lovely Hydrangea Earrings. No
designs can usually be completed in an evening. Earrings matter which project you try first, you’re sure to get hooked
make terrific projects for leftover beads from larger projects. on making earrings!
(If you shop like I do, there are always leftovers!) You can use
earrings to perfect basic skills or experiment with color and
texture on a small scale.
Michelle Mach, Beading Daily editor

1 Copper Caper Earrings

Carole Rodgers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3
J ew el ry m a k in g w ith be a din g da ily
H o w to m a k e e a r r in g s
5 f r ee je w el r y p r ojects

2
Editor, beading DAILY  Michelle Mach
Crystal Corona Earrings C r e a ti v e se r v ices
Pilar Burg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 4 Designer  Mark Dobroth
photography 
Jim Lawson,
Ann Swanson, Joe Coca

3 Indian Summer Earrings

Jill MacKay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7
Illustration  Bonnie Brooks, Dustin Wedekind

Projects and information are for inspiration

and ­p ersonal use only. BeadingDaily,
Beadwork, Step by Step Beads, Step by Step

4 Unexpected Pearl Earrings

Denise Peck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 8
Wire Jewelry, and Stringing do not
recommend, approve, or endorse any of the
advertisers, ­products, services, or views
advertised in this publication. Nor does
Beadwork, Step by Step Beads, Step by Step

5 Hydrangea Earrings
Kelli Burns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 10
Wire Jewelry, Stringing, or BeadingDaily
evaluate the advertisers’ claims in any way.
You should, therefore, use your own
judgment in ­evalu­ating the advertisers,
products, services, and views ­advertised in
Basic Techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 12 Beadwork, Step by Step Beads, Step by Step Wire
Jewelry, Stringing, or BeadingDaily.

Contents presented by beadingdaily 2

 Copper Caper Earrings
design by Carole Rodgers
Originally published in Step By Step Beads, March/April 2009.

Make a quick pair of earrings to match

the beautiful Copper Caper necklace on
page 22 of the March/April 2009 issue
of Step by Step Beads.

Techniques
stringing, wireworking
Materials
2 Bali silver 10mm beads
4 copper 4mm round beads
2 decorative silver 2” head pins
1 pair silver ear wires
Tools
Chain-nose pliers
Round-nose pliers
Wire cutters
Jim Lawson

Thread the following onto each head pin: 1 copper bead,

Carole Rodgers is an internationally known beading designer,
teacher, and author. Her published books include Beaded Jewelry
with Found Objects and Beading Basics. She is presently working on a
sequel to the latter.
1 Bali bead, and 1 copper bead. Make a wrapped loop just
above the last bead. Open each ear wire with chain-nose
pliers and attach a beaded head pin.
Resources
Copper beads: Jay’s of Tucson, www.jays-of-tucson.com.
Bali beads and ear wires: Check your local bead store.

Jewelry Making with beadingdaily: How to Make Earrings: 5 free Jewelry Projects 3
© Interweave Press • Not to be reprinted • All rights reserved • www.beadingdaily.com
 Crystal Corona
Earrings
design by Pilar Burg
Originally published in Step by Step Beads, May/June 2009.

These crystal sunbursts can

be made in any color combo
you choose. Just mix your
favorite color of bicones with
contrasting or matching
seed beads. This easy, but
beautiful design begs to be
repeated again and again!

Technique
netting
Materials
40 bicone 4mm crystals
.5 g size 15° Japanese seed beads
Jim Lawson

Fireline 6lb test

1 pair French ear wires
Tools
Scissors
Round-nose pliers
Pilar Burg is an active member of the Iowa Bead Society and lives
Size 12 thin beading needle
in Iowa, where she works as a computer programmer. She can be
reached at pilar.burg@q.com.
Finished size:
1", not including the ear wire

Jewelry Making with beadingdaily: How to Make Earrings: 5 free Jewelry Projects 4
© Interweave Press • Not to be reprinted • All rights reserved • www.beadingdaily.com
Make the medallion Step 5: Pass through the next 3 seeds and crystal, beads 13–16.
Step 1: String a needle onto a 1-yard length of Fireline, leaving String 1 seed, 1 crystal, 1 seed and pass through the next crystal,
an 8” tail. String the inside of the medallion as follows for a total bead 23 (Figure 5).
of 12 beads: 1 size 11° seed, 1 crystal, 1 seed, 1 crystal, 1 seed,
1 crystal, 1 seed, 1 crystal, 1 seed, 1 crystal, 1 seed, 1 crystal
(Figure 1).

Figure 1

Step 2: Tie the beads into a circle using a surgeon’s knot. Pass
through the circle to exit bead 3 (Figure 2).

Figure 5

Step 6: Continue around the circle, repeating the bead pattern

in Step 5, passing through beads 30, 37, 44, 51, and exiting
Figure 2 bead (crystal) 16 (Figure 6).

Step 3: String 3 seeds, 1 crystal, 3 seeds, skip the next crystal in

the circle and pass through the seed bead 5 (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Figure 6

Step 4: Continue Step 7: Pass back through outer circle of beads created in Steps
around the circle, 5 and 6 to tighten the circle, exiting crystal bead 51. Do not
repeating the bead pull too snug or the shape will cup. Knot the working thread to
pattern in Step 3, existing thread between beads in several half hitches, but do not
passing through the cut the thread.
seed beads 7, 9, 11,
1 and exiting bead
3 (Figure 4).

Figure 4

Pilar Burg’s Crystal Corona Earrings presented by beadingdaily 5

Make the bail
Step 8: String 1 seed, 1 crystal, 1 seed, 1 crystal, 1 seed and
pass back through bead 51 (Figure 7). Reinforce, passing back
through the beads just added, beads 52–56, and continue
through beads 52, 53 and 54.

Doorknocker Bracelet

Feed Your
Figure 7

Step 9: String 6 seeds and pass back through bead 54. Repeat
through the loop of beads again, including bead 54 to reinforce
(Figure 8).
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patterns for necklaces, bracelets, earrings,
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Figure 8

Step 10: For added security, pass through beads added in step
8 (Figure 7).

Step 11: Weave thread into beads and tie off using half-hitch
knots. Trim. Thread a needle on the tail and weave that into the Netted Jewel Earrings
beads; trim. Sakura

Step 12: Using round-nose pliers, open the loop on an ear wire.
Visit today at
interweavestore.com
Slip the loop of the ear wire through the loop of seeds at the
top of the medallion. Close the loop of the ear wire. Repeat
Steps 1–12 to make a second earring.
for one-stop shopping!

Pilar Burg’s Crystal Corona Earrings presented by beadingdaily 6

 Indian Summer
Earrings
design by Jill MacKay
Originally published in Beadwork, August/September 2008.
A great complement to Jill’s Indian Summer Necklace
(Beadwork, August/September 2008, page 58), these
stunning earrings feature an eye-catching combination of
pearl, stone, seed, and silver beads and findings. Simple to
make. Great results.
Techniques
stringing, crimping
Materials
12 slate gray matte metallic size 11° seed beads
8 bronze peacock size 4mm side-drilled button pearls
2 smoky quartz 8×4mm faceted rondelles
2 smoky quartz 5×8mm vertically drilled faceted teardrops
2 sterling silver 17×13mm 6-leaf decorative bead frames with 5mm openings
4 sterling silver 2mm crimp tubes
2 sterling silver ear wires
13" of .018 beading wire
Joe Coca

Tools
Wire cutters
Crimping pliers
Finished size: 21⁄2"
Step 1: Use 6½" of wire to string 1 crimp tube and 1 ear wire;
pass back through the tube and crimp.
Step 2: String 1 seed bead, 1 pearl, 1 seed bead, 1 rondelle, 1
seed bead, 1 pearl, 1 seed bead, and one hole of 1 bead frame.
String 1 pearl and pass through the other hole of the frame
(Figure 1). String 1 pearl, 1 seed bead, 1 teardrop (wide end
first), 1 seed bead, and 1 crimp tube. Snug the beads and crimp.
Trim the wire close to the crimp tube.
Step 3: Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for a second earring.
Jill MacKay is a longtime professional jewelry designer and
author, known for her prolific creativity, enthusiasm, and
imagination. Her website is www.jillmackay.com.
Resources
Check your local bead shop or contact: Quartz rondelles:
Beads to Bead, (972) 304-0289, www.beadstobead.com. Bead
frames: Jill MacKay, www.jillmackay.com. Quartz teardrops:
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads, (800) 355-2137, www.
firemountaingems.com. Seed beads: Artgems Inc., (480) 545-
6009, www.artgemsinc.com. Pearls: www.stores.ebay.com/
foxy-findings_pearls.

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© Interweave Press • Not to be reprinted • All rights reserved • www.beadingdaily.com
 Unexpected
Pearl Earrings
design by Denise Peck
Originally published in Step By Step Wire Jewelry, Fall 2008.

Keshi pearls throw a wrench

into your expectations of
pearl jewelry. Because of their
irregular shapes, they look
great when paired with a
rougher, more organic metal
setting.
Photo of finished piece by Jim Lawson; all other photos courtesy of the author.

Technique
wireworking
Materials
2" of 14-gauge sterling silver wire
12” of 26-gauge sterling silver wire
Two 7mm keshi pearls
2 sterling silver earwires
Tools
Wire cutters
Ball-peen hammer
Awl
Steel bench block
Round-nose pliers
Chain-nose pliers
Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and author of Metal file
the best-selling book Wire Style (Interweave, 2008).

Jewelry Making with beadingdaily: How to Make Earrings: 5 free Jewelry Projects 8
© Interweave Press • Not to be reprinted • All rights reserved • www.beadingdaily.com

Step 1: Cut the 14-gauge wire
into two 1" lengths.
Step 2: Hammer both pieces of
14-gauge wire flat, and file the
ends smooth.
Step 3: Use the ball end of the
hammer to texture each flattened
piece.
Denise Peck’s Unexpected Pearl Earrings
Step 4: Use an awl and hammer
to pierce a hole in both ends of
both pieces.
Step 5: Start a wire-wrapped loop
on a pearl with 6" of 26-gauge
wire, and insert the wire into one
end of the flattened piece before
wrapping the neck.
Step 6: Wrap the 26-gauge wire
to finish the wrapped loop. Add
the earwires on the other end of
each earring.
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9
 Hydrangea Earrings
design by Kelli Burns
Originally published in Beadwork, April/May 2007.

Kelli wanted to use marguerites for a simple

project she could teach her clients. The sparkle
of the flower-shaped crystals and transparent
seed beads make these a pair of earrings you’ll
want in every color.

Technique
leaf fringe
Materials
1 g rose size 15° Japanese seed beads
4 g transparent green size 11° Czech
seed beads
40 rose 6mm marguerite crystals
2 sterling silver French ear wires
6 lb braided beading thread
Tools
Size 12 beading needle
Chain-nose pliers
Scissors
Finished size: 2"
Joe Coca

Kelli Burns owns and teaches at The Hole

Bead Shoppe in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
Reach her at www.theholebeadshop.com or
theholebeadshop@aol.com. She is a frequent
contributor to Beadwork.

Jewelry Making with beadingdaily: How to Make Earrings: 5 free Jewelry Projects 10
© Interweave Press • Not to be reprinted • All rights reserved • www.beadingdaily.com
Step 1: Leafy vine. Use 6' of thread to string 6 green seed
beads; pass through them again to form a circle.
Large leaves. String 12 green; pass back through the fourth and
fifth beads to form a loop. String 8 green and pass back
through the second and first beads to form a loop (Figure 1).
Small leaves. String 10 green; pass back through the fifth and sixth
beads. String 6 green; pass back through the second and first
beads to form a loop (Figure 2).

Repeat to make a second set of large and small leaves (or for Figure 1
the desired length). End the vine with a set of large leaves, then
string 4 green and pass back through the first 3 beads to form a
fringe, exiting between the last set of leaves (Figure 3).
Figure 2
Step 2: Flowers. String 1 crystal and 1 rose seed bead; pull snug
and pass back through the crystal. Repeat three times to form
a cluster of four flowers. Pass through the first crystal and seed
bead again to tighten the cluster. Pass back through the next 4
green to exit between the next set of leaves (Figure 4). Repeat
four times for a total of five flower clusters. Use the pliers to
twist the ear-wire loop open and attach it to the seed bead loop
at the start of the vine. Repeat all steps for a second earring.

Tip
Do not pull your thread too hard; the marguerites may
fray or even cut the thread.

Resources
Check your local bead shop or contact: Swarovski marguerite
crystals, seed beads, ear wires, and thread: The Hole Bead
Shoppe, (918) 338-2444, www.theholebeadshop.com.

Figure 3 Figure 4

Kelli Burns’s Hydrangea Earrings presented by beadingdaily 11

Basic Techniques
These basic instructions are adapted from The Beader’s Companion (Interweave, 2005).
Don’t have this popular book? Call (800) 272-2193 or visit interweavestore.com.
Pa ss T h r o u g h v s
Pa ss B a ck T h r o u g h
Pass through means to move your needle in the
same direction that the beads have been strung.
Pass back through means to move your needle in
the opposite direction.
F i n i s h i n g a n d S ta rt i n g
N e w T h r e a ds
Tie off your old thread when it’s about 4" long by
making a simple knot between beads. Pass through
a few beads and pull tight to hide the knot. Weave
through a few more beads and trim the thread close
to the work. Start the new thread by tying a knot
between beads and weaving through a few beads.
Pull tight to hide the knot. Weave through several
beads until you reach the place to resume beading.
T EN S ION B EA D
A tension bead (or stopper
bead) holds your work in place.
To make one, string a bead
­larger than those you are work-
ing with, then pass through the bead one or more
times, ­making sure not to split your thread. The
bead will be able to slide along but will still provide
­tension to work against when you’re beading the
first two rows.
S tr i n g i n g
Stringing is a technique in which you use bead-
ing wire, needle and thread, or other material to
gather beads into a strand.
Basic Techniques
C r i mp i n g
String a crimp tube
and pass through the
connection finding. Pass
back through the tube,
leaving a short tail. Use
the back notch of a pair of crimping pliers to pinch
the tube into a U, leaving a wire on each side of the
bend. Rotate the tube 90° and use the front notch
to form the pinched tube into a clean cylinder.
Fringe
Exit from your foundation
row of beads or fabric. String
a length of beads plus 1 bead.
Skipping the last bead, pass
back through all the beads just
strung to create a fringe leg.
Pass back into the foundation
row or fabric.
N e tt i n g ( s i n g l e t h r e a d )
Begin by stringing a base row of 13 beads. String
5 beads and pass back through the fifth bead from
the end of the base row. String another 5 beads,
skip 3 beads of the base row, and pass back through
the next; repeat to the end of the row. To turn,
pass back through the last 3 beads (one leg of the
last net). String 5 beads, pass back through the
center bead of the next net and continue.
presented by beadingdaily
W i r e w o rk i n g
To form a simple loop, use flat-nose
pliers to make a 90° bend at least ½" from
the end of the wire. Use round-nose pliers
to grasp the wire after the bend; roll the
pliers toward the bend, but not past it, to
preserve the 90° bend. Use your thumb to con-
tinue the wrap around the nose of the pliers. Trim
the wire next to the bend. Open a simple loop just
as you would a jump ring (see below).
To f o r m a
wrapped loop,
begin with a 90°
bend at least
2" from the end
of the wire. Use round-nose pliers to form a
simple loop with a tail overlapping the bend. Wrap
the tail tightly down the neck of the wire two or
three times. Trim the excess wire to finish. Make a
thicker, heavier-looking wrapped loop by wrapping
the wire back up over the coils, toward the loop,
and trimming at the loop.
To open a jump ring,
grasp each side of its opening
with a pair of pliers. Don’t pull
apart. Instead, twist in oppo-
site directions so that you can
open and close without dis-
torting the shape.
Wrapped-loop bails
turn side-drilled beads,
usually teardrops, into pen-
dants. Center the bead on a
3" or longer piece of wire.
Bend both ends of the wire
up the sides and across the
top of the bead. Bend one end straight up at the
center of the bead, then wrap the other wire around
it to form a few coils. Form a wrapped loop with
the straight-up wire, wrapping it back down over
the already formed coils. Trim the excess wire.
12