DIY Earring Style

Make your own "Betty" earrings from The Earring Style Book

By Maya Mackowiak Elson
Published: August 18th, 2010 | 12:55pm

If you’ve ever wished that you could have gorgeous style without breaking the bank, you’re in luck. In The Earring Style Book: Making Designer Earrings, Capturing Celebrity Style, and Getting the Look for Less (Potter Craft, Aug 17, 2010), Stephanie A. Wells shows readers how to create an entire earring wardrobe with 40 signature designs straight from her collections. Venus Zine readers are lucky enough to have one of those designs available here, for free!

The Betty

The simplicity of this design—a subtle hint of movement, and a bit of chain held together by some gorgeous stones—makes these earrings perfect for all occasions. The pendulum sway brings attention to the stones, to your eyes, and to your body’s movements. You are guaranteed to feel a swing in your step when wearing them!

time

5–10 minutes per pair

technique

single wrapped loop

With round-nose pliers, grasp the wire ½" (13mm) from 1 end. Bring the shorter end of the wire around 1 jaw of the pliers, creating a simple loop, and center the loop atop the wire (Simple Loop, above). Do not trim the excess wire. (a)
Remove the round-nose pliers. With chain-nose pliers in your dominant hand, grasp the loop you just created. With your other hand, bring the excess wire around the long end of the wire. Wrap the wire around this long end 3 times, beginning at the base of the loop and working down the wire. (b)
With wire cutters, trim the excess wire from the short wire tail. (c)

tools

round-nose pliers
2 pairs of chain-nose pliers
wire cutters
ruler

materials

8" (20.5cm) of 22-gauge gold-filled wire
71 links or about 7" (18cm) of gold-filled dainty chain
six 10mm faceted blue chalcedony rondelles
1 pair of gold-filled ear wires

finished size

2" x 1" (5cm x 2.5cm)

Instructions

 To create a center bar support, begin a single wrapped loop at one end of the 4" (10cm) piece of 22-gauge wire, but before closing the loop, insert the end link of the chain onto the wire loop. Wrap to close. With wire cutters, trim the excess wire. (a)
Slide three beads onto the open end of the center bar support. (b)
To close the bar support, repeat the process used in step 1: Begin a single wrapped loop on the open end of the bar support, but before closing the loop, insert the other end link of chain onto the loop. Wrap to close. With wire cutters, trim the excess wire. (c)
With chain-nose pliers, attach an ear wire in the center of the chain at link 18.
Repeat steps 1–4 to make the second earring.