If you’re into earrings and crafts, making earrings yourself has some advantages: you don’t need a lot of supplies to do it, you can get just the kind of earrings you want for little money – and let’s face it, you’ll have fun. Also, DIY earrings make a nice gift for someone else, or a great accessory for theme parties. So, here’s our guide for DIY drop earrings! These instructions are quite basic, and don’t cover super elaborate works, but basic models are a good place to start!
What you need
Pliers (for making jewellery)
These may cost from 6 to 9 euros, which is not so bad, since you only need to buy them once. These ones in the photo also have a wire cutter, which I’ve found really convenient.
Eye pins & head pins
I’ve used both head pins and eye pins, but it’s not an emergency if for example you’re out of eye pins, because you can bend a head pin to make a loop. The price of pins really depends on what material they’re made of, but you can get dozens for just a couple of euros.
Earring hooks
There are different kinds of hooks – these ones in the photo are easily detachable, so you can use the same ones with different earrings if you want to. The price of hooks also really depends on what they’re made of, but you can get around twenty for just over a euro. Just make sure yours are nickel free if you’re allergic!
Beads (or anything you can stick a pin into)
All the earrings in the photo below are ones I made at 15, and my style may have changed since this fabulous time, but they work as an example all the same. I used to use plastic and wooden beads besides more expensive glass beads, as well as beads I’d made out of polymer clay (Cernit), and also felted wool beads. You can use pretty much anything you want that you can somehow attach to the hook, so let your imagination fly! You can also get supplies for free by taking apart for example accessories you don’t need anymore, and saving the good bits.
How to do it
I chose these beads at random just to demonstrate, but I actually do like the big Cernit one…anyway, just follow these steps (with photos below), and don’t worry if you have to try something more than once! For example, making a neat loop is sometimes a bit tricky.
- Sometimes you need a small bead at the bottom end of the head pin, to stop another bead (the big Cernit one) from sliding off the end.
- Once you’re done with the part your working on, cut the pin at least 1cm above the bead.
- Use the pliers to make a loop.
- Before closing the loop, link it with an eye pin (unless of course the earring only has one part).
- Insert the beads you want, cut the pin, and use the pliers to make a loop (and close it, if you’re using this kind of earring hooks – otherwise you may need to attach the hook before closing the loop).
- Attach a hook to the earring, and you’re done!
For supplies, check out for example these shops (websites in Finnish):
https://www.sinelli.fi/sinelli/
Happy crafting!