New Earrings Tutorial

I am always looking for FREE jewelry making tutorials and I came across one this morning that I thought was very creative.

These earrings are made by Miriam, aka Mad Mim, a jewelry artist that sells on Da Wanda.   This is what she has to say about them:

“So these Anthropologie Hue Pyramid earrings are the reason I made paper beads in the first place. I’m not sure if it was the design or the fact that I knew I could make them. Sometimes I make things just because I think I can, and then I realize that I don’t actually really like whatever it is I made. But I do love these. There definitely like “hey! everyone! I’m wearing really big and colorful earrings!” I kinda psyched myself up before wearing them by giving myself a little pep-talk. Work these earrings. Own these earrings.

And here are her instructions:

Supplies

Some pretty paper beads. Make sure to make an array of colors and also various sizes–you’ll need some small ones for the top of the triangle.

An anvil. You don’t need one–I managed fine without one, but that’s what you’re supposed to have according to that jewelry making book I checked out. I used a small sheet of steel that my husband had lying around his research lab. Don’t have any steel lying around? Umm, get creative. You need something really hard.

16 gauge gold jewelry wire. About 1 foot.

22 gauge gold jewelry wire. About 2 yards.

gold jump rings

closed earrings. Fish hook would probably work fine too.

gold beads. Someone gave me the ones I used, and there were two different sizes, but the original Anthropologie only has one size.

needle nose pliars/metal cutters. Again, the best thing to have would be those fancy round-nosed pliars, but you live without them.

a hammer

Now to give fair warning, I’m not a seasoned jewelry-maker, and don’t know any of the legit lingo yet. So when I say “loopy” and instead of the right term, just forgive and forget and move on.


Instructions:


1. Cut 6″ of the 16 gauge gold wire, and pound flat with a hammer and anvil/steel/whatever.




2. Measure 2 1/4″ from either end and mark with a washable marker.



3. Bend at marked points with your fingers to make a nice straight triangle.



4. With your pliars, make small loops on both ends (facing back).



5. Now with the 22 gauge wire, wrap around one side near the top several times until secure. Use your pliars to tighten and flatten the edge down against the frame.



6. String one small paper bead on, and then wrap around several times on opposite side of frame. If your first coil wrapped over the frame, wrap your second coil under, in order to weave the wire from front to back and vice versa.



7. Continue threading paper and gold beads back and forth throught the triangle frame, wrapping several times between rows. Just throw in a gold bead when you feel like it. Gauge the size of beads and number or gold ones with the space you have between the frame. You want the beads to fill the space, but not to fit tightly. Avoid weaving the rows to closely together as well.



8. When you reach the bottom, wrap around the bottom corner several times to secure, and then cut the wire and tighten/flatten against the frame with your pliars. You don’t want any pokies!


9. Attach jump rings to both loopies, and then one more (I used a slightly larger one) to connect the first two. Attach a closed earring to the top jump ring. Ya terminas!”






So fun and colorful!

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