DIY Earrings and Bracelets

DIY earrings and bracelets are fun and easy to make.  They can be  customized for personal taste or a special occasion and they make fantastic gifts.  With the right beads and accents, these gifts are even appropriate for men.

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Basic Supplies
Jewelry-making pliers
Earrings
French hooks
Earring head pins
Beads or semi-precious stones
Bracelet
Beading wire
Crimp beads
Lobster clasp
Jump ring
Beads or semi-precious stones

Overview

In order to get started, you are going to need a few crucial supplies.  It can get overwhelming, so stick with the basics like a plier/wire cutter jewelry making kit and a set of basic earring wires and bracelet closures.   I recommend using glass beads.  Pick a basic color theme and buy a few strands of beads in complementary colors.  I selected a collection of green glass beads for this project.  Consider purchasing metal spacer beads or even charms.  I love making bracelets out of sea glass, glass beads of any kind, and semi-precious gems.

Getting Started

1. Collect your supplies.
2. Experiment with different color schemes or bead/filler arrangements.
   • You will likely need to readjust your design to get the correct length.  This is particularly important for bracelets; the standard length is typically 7.5-8″.
3. Once you are happy with your design, you can transfer the beads to wire earring pins or wire or line for for bracelets or necklaces.
4. Make sure line width is compatible with the  hole in the bead .  Many types of line are available.  Not sure what to use?  Check out this comprehensive guide to jewelry stringing materials.

Earring Tutorial

Earrings are a great way to enter the DIY jewelry realm.  Pin earrings, like the example below, are easy.  You can also use an earring pin with a loop at the end.  This can be used to attach another bead or charm.  Once you practice making a few wire loops, you can whip up a pair of earrings in about 15-minutes or less.  The hardest part is the design phase, but this is also where you get to be creative.  Have fun!

Step 1

Add beads and spacers to the earring pin.  At the top of the earring, use the pliers to bend the wire (90 degrees) as shown below.

Step 2

Use a second pair of pliers to pull the earring pin wire around the round plier end to create a loop.  Do not close the loop yet.

Step 3

Attach the loop of the french hook earring wire to the loop you just created on the earring head pin.  Cut the wire with the wire cutting pliers and use the pliers to close the loop so the French hook doesn’t detach from the wire loop (no gaps between the cut end of the wire and the wire at the top of the beads where the loop begins).  It helps to have two pliers for this step.  Use one to keep the loop in the earring wire in place and the second to bring the end around to close the loop.  Practice several times to get the hang of this.  Be patient!

Step 4

In the photo below, you can see how the loop on the earring pin wire is hung from the loop on the French hook.

Bracelet Tutorial

Bracelets can be a bit trickier because they require the attachment of a clasp closure or the use of stretch line and a good knot.  For the bracelet below, I used a clear beading and jewelry line and crimp beads.

Step 1

Pass your bead line or wire through the crimp bead, wrap through the loop on the lobster clasp, and pass the line or wire through the crimp bead once again.

Step 2

String your beads on the line or wire in the desired pattern.  At the opposite end, pass the line through the crimp bead, a wire loop, and then back through the crimp bead once again.

Step 3

After pulling the line tight, use  pliers to crimp the metal bead around the line.  Cut off the remaining line.

Step 4

Before crimping the bead at the other end of the line, ensure the bracelet is approximately 7.5-8″ long.  This can be adjusted up or down to accommodate different wrist sizes for kids, women, and men.  You could also extend the length to create a necklace.   Here’s a finished bracelet.  You can see how the lobster clasp and loop create the closing mechanism.  The crimp beads ensure the lobster clasp and loop remain attached to the line.  You can a drop of glue if you are concerned the crimp won’t hold.   Take your time and don’t be afraid to start over.  It might take a couple of tries to get things right.  Wires and thread or line are relatively inexpensive so feel free to cut the line or wire and remove the beads to give yourself another chance.  Another important point is that these are DIY gifts.  Some little imperfections will likely be overlooked by the person receiving your gift.  More likely, they will be grateful you thought of them.

Like the earrings and bracelets, but don’t have time to make your own.  Check out Provenance Emporium for a selection of items available for sale.