How to Make the Loop for Earrings

Earrings are a great way to learn some of the fundamental techniques of jewelry making. This is because earrings can be very simple projects, using only a bead or two and some wire attached to the earring wire. Once you have selected the beads you want to use in your earrings, all that is necessary is to learn how to make the loop for the earrings to connect the beads to the earring wires.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 head pins
• 2 earring wires
• Beads
• 2 round nose pliers
• Wire cutters

1. Decide how you want your earrings to look. Very attractive, yet simple, earrings can be made with only one or two beads placed onto a head pin and then attached to the earring wire.

2. Place the selected bead or beads onto the head pin. Make sure you are happy with how they look and rearrange the bead or beads so that you achieve your desired earrings, if necessary.

3. Bend the head pin immediately above the last bead to an 80-degree angle with the round nose pliers.

4. Position the pliers just after the angle and bend the head pin back the opposite way to create a rounded loop in the head pin.

5. Hold onto the loop with one of the pliers and use the other pliers to wrap the tail of the head pin around the base of the loop to create a wrapped loop. Wrap this two or three times tightly.

6. Trim off any excess head pin wire with the wire cutters.

7. Open the loop of the earring wire with the pliers and place the loop of the head pin onto the earring wire. Close the earring wire loop again tightly with the pliers to finish the earring.

8. Repeat Steps 2 through 7 to make a second identical earring.