How to Make Earrings – Pretty Drop Dangles
If you always wanted to know how to make earrings so you can design them to fit your personal style or outfit, I am going to show you how to make simple dangle earrings or drop earrings with beads using a few basic jewelry making techniques.
How to Make Earrings With Beads
Would you like to save this post?
When making drop or dangle earrings with beads the steps are the same to make simple one bead dangle type earrings…
… to using many beads to create larger earrings.
All the easy diy earrings in the images shown above were made in the same way. I just used different beads and ear wires. I collected most of my bead stash to make my own earrings from taking apart old jewelry I bought at yard sales and flea markets.
I made my daughter 3 pairs of dangle drop earrings. In this photo she is sporting a simple pair made with green glass beads and short ear wires.
No matter what type of earrings you like, after reading through the easy steps to make earrings, you will be creating stylish DIY earrings in no time for yourself or to give – as a pair of earrings make great gifts for family and friends.
How to Make Dangle Bead Earrings Instructions
In this tutorial, I am making short dangle earrings, but the process is the same if you want to make longer earrings. It is one of a few techniques of beaded earrings.
supplies you’ll need to make earrings
Beads to Use
When choosing what beads to use to make earrings, go with any style you like – glass, crystal, stone or paper beads can all be made into dangle or drop earrings as long as they have a hole drilled into them. Even buttons can be used.
One of my favorite resources for beads and spacers (smaller beads – sometimes flat beads used in between larger beads) is to search for inexpensive vintage necklaces and bracelets at thrift stores.
Once I get them home, I take them apart and then organize the beads by color, size and style. Then I use the decorative beads to make one-of-a-kind DIY drop earrings.
I find you get more interesting and unique beads this way than mass produced beads that you buy at the craft store.
Different Types of Earring Hooks or Ear Wires
There are a few basic types of earring hooks to choose from when making earrings. All of these can be purchased at your local craft store or at jewelry supply website like Fire Mountain Beads.
Endpins
Endpins come in various lengths, thicknesses and metals. They have a flat or small beaded end that will stop beads from falling off.
You can use one bead on an endpin or use two or more. Smaller beads, called spacers can be use anywhere in the stack on an endpin with multiple beads on it to make a longer dangle earring. You just need to leave enough room at the end of the wire to make a loop to attach the beaded dangle to the earring hook.
There are also wires called eye pins. These are used when you want to connect a jump ring and another bead to the bottom to make a longer dangle or teardrop earrings.
Jump Rings
Jump rings come in various sizes and metals. For short drop earrings choose a smaller jump ring.
There are also 2 types of jump rings – closed or open.
How to Open a Jump Ring: Place a flat nose pliers on one side of the ring’s cut and a round nose plier on the other. Push one end of the ring back and the other forward. Then once you have your bead attached, close the ring in reverse and use flat nose pliers to make sure the ends are in line again.
TIP: Never pull a jump ring open by pulling the ring apart left and right. Doing this will weaken the ring.
All-In-One Jewelry Making Pliers
There are many different types of jewelry making tools, but for my needs – this 3 in one plier works perfectly. Some people like to have a separate pliers and a pair of flush cutters so they can hold the loop with the pliers, and snip with wire cutters.
What Do All-In-One-Jeweler’s Pliers Do:
- The tip is where you place the wire to make a small loop.
- The middle is where you can press the loop to flatten it.
- The round area is where you can cut excess wire away.
How to Make a Simple Loop In an Endpin When Making Drop Earrings
This is how to make earrings using a simple wire loop technique. There is also a wrapped loop earring, which is made differently and does require a bit more skill.
Time needed: 3 minutes
Beaded Dangle Drop Earring Tutorial
- Choose Bead Order
Thread beads or bead on an endpin. If the bead has a large hole, you may need to add a smaller bead on the end pin first so the bigger bead will not slip off. - Bend End Pin
Bend the end pin wire with the ends of the round nose pliers so the wire is at a 90 degree angle over the bead as shown. - Make a Loop
Hold the tip of the round nose pliers right at the base of the bead and wrap the wire around one tip into a circle.
Option: Cut the wire so only about 3/8″ is left or cut the excess after making the loop on top of the bead. - Close the Loop
Then use the plier tips to close the loop. Use the center section of the pliers to flatten the loop if needed.
TIP: When making a pair of earrings, make sure to make the loop on each earring the same size. This is easy to do when you use the same area of the plier tips. You can also use a Sharpie marker to mark a line on the tines of the pliers to make sure you make the loops the same size. (They graduate in size from small to larger.)
How to Attach Bead to an Ear Wire
1. Once bead is attached to endpin and simple wire loop is made on the top of the bead. Use the tips on round nose pliers to open the loop on an ear wire.
2. Place the beaded endpin loop into the ear wire loop and then close the ear wire loop. Flatten the loop if needed with the center part of the pliers or use a pair of flat nose pliers.
All done.
Designing Earring DIY Ideas
Use your creativity to come up with different earring designs using various beads, ear wires and spacers. As the “designer” you can pay attention to a fashion trend or create your own unique designs to suit your needs and style.
This pair of DIY crystal drop earrings will look great with a little black dress and heels or as an idea that you can make for a bridal party to wear as DIY wedding earrings.
Vintage beads from an old necklace become earrings that look like they are from an expensive boutique, but only costs a few dollars to make.
This pair of colored crystal hanging earrings uses 3 different beads on an end pin. A clear crystal spacer, a green glass bead and a small silver spacer.
Once you make your first pair of simple drop earrings and begin to get compliments, you may find yourself dreaming up new designs and searching for unique beads to use to make earrings not only for you, but for your family and friends also.
Earring Making Video
For readers who like to learn from videos – here is one I recommend watching:
- Fire Mountain Beads has a quick video showing how to make simple dangle earrings.
You May Also Like: