Beaded Drop Earrings Tutorial

These earrings are a twist on the herringbone weave.  They make these beaded drops a little more special than just using a head pin.  You can use almost any bead you like for these earrings, although I do not recommend a flat coin or flat oval bead.  For this tutorial you will need: round nose pliers, chain nose pliers, wire cutters, two 8-10″ lengths of 24 gauge wire, two 2 1/2″ lengths of 20 gauge wire or two pre-made ear wires, and two beads of your choice.

To start you will need to make a loop in the end of your length of 24 gauge wire.  I have chosen to use copper wire.

You will want to wrap it about 5 or 6 times, so that you will have approximately 1/4″ above your bead to wrap your weave around.

Cut off any excess wire with your wire cutters.

And smooth down the edge with your chain nose pliers.

You may also want to use your chain nose pliers to flatten the loop.

Now take your bead and slip it on.  For this demonstration I am using an 8 mm round Autumn Jasper.

Taking the length of wire begin wrapping the wire around the bead halfway.

Before you continue wrapping your wire the rest of the way around the bead, wrap it once around the base of the loop.

Now you will continue wrapping the wire all the way around the bead until you reach the base of the loop once more.  You want to keep the second wrap in front of the first.

And once again wrap it around the base of the loop one time

Next, wrap the wire around the bead for a final time.  This time wrap the wire behind the first wrap.

When you reach the base of your loop, wrap the wire around once or twice to secure it.

Remove any excess wire with your wire cutters.

And smooth down the end with your chain nose pliers.

And you have finished one drop!

Either using pre-made, store bought ear wires or making you own, attach the drop to finish the earring.

Follow the above steps to complete the other earring.

You can use a variety of beads and different wire to make these earrings.  You can also use liver of sulfur to give them an antiqued look like I have in this pair.

The possibilities are endless!  Have fun!