Guest tutor, Emma from Evren Blue shows you how easy it is to create your own earwires featuring beautiful gemstone beads!
This is a great beginner-friendly project! You need relatively few tools and the end result is something you can make over and over again, with any combination of beads and adapted to any style you like.
Measure approximately 2 lengths of 6-7cm of 0.8mm metal wire and cut with your side cutters.
Holding one end of the wire in one hand, run the length of the wire through the nylon jaw flat nose pliers until the wire is straight. This also work hardens the wire to stop it from bending out of shape too much. Repeat for each wire length.
Use the polishing papers to polish up each piece of wire until they shine.
Using your snipe nose pliers, place the very tip of one of the wires in them and bend all the way round so it’s folded back on itself.
Squeeze the fold between the pliers to press it flat. This acts as a 'stopper' to prevent the beads from sliding off the wire. Repeat for the other piece of metal wire.
Place your beads on to the wire in whatever pattern you like, but make sure you’ve left about two-thirds of the wire free to create the bend.
With either your bail making pliers or a pen, place the wire in between the pliers so the pliers are just above the beads. Fold the wire over the pliers or pen until it’s straight down next to your beads. With your side cutters, cut the excess wire so it’s level with the opposite side.
Use snipe nose pliers to make a little bend in the wire so it fits easily into the ear.
This end will be a bit sharp from being cut, so use a needle file to gently file it so it is smooth. Repeat for the other earwire and your design is complete! Optional: If your earwires are easy to bend out of shape you can work harden them slightly by squeezing them with your nylon jaw pliers or placing them on a steel block and tapping them gently with a rawhide hammer.
Hello! My name is Emma, I live in Derbyshire with my husband and 2 young children. I have always been a magpie for jewellery; it's my favourite thing to buy, to gift people and to just stare at! I have followed a career in the criminal justice system which I enjoy, but my passion remains jewellery. I thought it was too late for me to do anything about my real dream, which is to make my own and run my own business. And then lockdown hit and I just thought "why not?", if not now, then when!
I watched all the tutorials on Kernowcraft and other jewellery training providers, I learnt as much as I could, practised every spare minute I had, and then took the plunge onto Instagram and then opened my shop on Etsy. My ambition is to learn more silversmithing techniques which will hopefully be the focus of 2021 as rings are my all-time favourite along with working with the most beautiful gemstones, definitely making my inner magpie happy! I absolutely love making jewellery and sharing the love with others as they hopefully love my jewellery too.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with our friendly team who will be more than happy to give you advice over email or on the phone.
You can learn more and find inspiration by visiting our Jewellery Making Tutorials, Jewellery Making Kits and YouTube Channel. Don't forget to follow us on social media and tag us in your designs on Instagram & Facebook, we would love to see!