Thursday, May 29, 2014

Crafty Thursdays: Red, White and Blue Earrings





I'm feeling a little festive early this year, so today's craft is 4th of July earrings. You have plenty of time to order the beads and get to work before the holiday. 


Materials & Tools Needed:

One pair of earring hooks 
Six inches of chain
Six head pins
Swarovski Crystal 6mm bicone beads: red (2) and blue (2)
Two Swarovski star-shaped crystal beads
Round nosed jewelry pliers
Flat nosed jewelry pliers
Jewelry wire cutters

Aren't the stars pretty?

Step One:
String a star on one of the head pins and create a loop with the wire, hooking the chain into the loop. Twist the wire around to close the loop. Then count four links (my links are bigger, if you use short links you make have different measurements) and cut the chain. You'll need to do this six times - twice with the stars (I made the chain longest for these), twice each with the red and the blue. I cut my chain for the red and the blue one big link smaller each time to create the gradation. 

Here's a video that explains the loop technique:








Step Two:
Open the ring on the earring hook with your flat nosed pliers. Arrange your chain on the earring so the shortest chain - in this photo the chain attached to the blue bead - is facing front. 



Step Three: Close the loop and then you are done. Put your earrings on or make another pair for a friend...




You can use the same technique to make the starry earrings below. Same Stars (it takes the color of what's around it and I was wearing a pink shirt when I took the photo.) This is five pieces of chain of varying lengths to create the gradation. The stars look so much better in person than they do in the photos. 





8 comments:

  1. The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley was memorable and special.Thanks. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  2. What a delightful giveaway. This is great. My best book so far of 2014 was The Girl Who Came Home. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  3. the last song was my favorite book that i read in 2014
    freebies_samples@aol.com

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  4. Nora Roberts - The Collector

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  5. Daniel Palmer's Desperate. I love the AB star earrings.

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  6. I like first one very much with 3 - stone color earrins look nice...

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  7. Our winner is Robin! I will be sending you an e-mail shortly.

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  8. The AB star earrings are gorgeous! wish I have a pair of those. thks for sharing your art.

    ReplyDelete