DIY Wire Wrapped Teardrop Earrings

Wire wrapping is still one jewelry making technique that I am delving into more and more. I know the basics (see this wire wrap tutorial or this one for an easy intro project) but there is really so much you can do with the wire wrap technique after you catch the hang of it. There certainly are complex jewelry pieces you can make with more advanced wire wrapping skills, but just wire wrapping a basis earring form into a set of earrings can have such a delicate and dainty yet professional approach that your friends won't believe you when you tell them you made it yourself!

So even though these earrings involve some basic wire work, don't be intimidated, its very simple and easy to get the hang of! 

 Supplies:

To make your own earrings you will need two different gauges of wire (about 24/26 gauge for the skinny wire and 16/18 gauge for the thicker wire), 4mm czech glass beads, earring wires, needle nose pliers, round nose pliers, and wire cutters. 

Steps:

To start these earrings cut two lengths of your thicker wire about 7 inches long each using wire cutters

 Use round nose pliers to round one end into a loop and then gradually use your fingers to form the rest of the wire into a tear drop shape

Make sure to leave a decent tail above the tear drop like so. Don't worry about making your tear drop shape perfect, it won't be super noticeable after its wire wrapped!

Cut a long piece of the thin wire and wire wrap a couple wraps directly beneath the loop you formed with the thick wire.

Pull these wraps tight and then add on a czech glass bead

Position this bead on the outer side of the earring form and then wrap the thin wire two times around the earring form to secure it in place

Continue this pattern like so:

When you have reached the other side of the earring form wrap a few more times without any beads to finish the wire strand off.

Cut off any excess wire with wire cutters and position the tail flush against the earring form using needle nose pliers.

Directly above the wire wrap bend the earring form back 90 degrees using needle nose pliers

Use wire cutters to trim off all but a short tail

Then use round nose pliers to form a circle perpendicular to the one you formed at the beginning

Hook this circle around the original circle and squeeze shut using needle nose pliers

Now that you've got the hang of it you can make another one no sweat right??!!?

Lastly, all you need to do is attach an earring wire! Use needle nose pliers to open back up the original circle 

And then add on an earring wire and squeeze back shut using needle nose pliers

Voila! A beautiful set of wire wrapped earrings.

You can do a lot with this basic technique.  Instead of a tear drop shape you could make a circle or a star, you could do two tear drop shapes within one another or even add a dangle of chain down the center with bead charms for added interest.

But for right now I like these earrings just as they are. The perfect set of pink dainty earrings that have just the right about of handmade flair!