Making earrings is probably my favorite type of jewelry making. There’s so many different things you can do with them. I actually learned how to make earrings first, before trying anything else. I figured they took the smallest investment, and, to be honest, I just LOVE earrings!
I always wear the most outrageous and fun earrings during the holidays. (Ok, and on any other occasion I can dream up!) I think it’s great when strangers come up to me and say, “I love your earrings!”. It's even better when I can say, “Thanks! I made them myself!!”
I like my earrings to be unique, and making earrings yourself, is the best way to get the most unique and fun earrings out there!
Making Earrings With Charms
Unicorn Charm Earrings
Making earrings with charms is probably THE fastest, and simplest, form of earring design out there. All you need is a couple of charms, a pair of ear wires and some jump rings. (You can even skip the jump rings if you want a shorter dangle. Just use the ear wire as your attaching point.)
Unicorn Earrings Components
As you can see, there are very few components needed for making earrings of this type. What I love is, just by changing out the charms you use, you can get an entirely different effect. Some charms are simple and elegant, while others are just plain FUN!
Gently open the ring by applying pressure in opposite directions where the ring splits. I use two (2) sets of pliers to do this, but you can use your fingers. The pliers will just protect your nails from getting ruined by the sharp edges of the jump ring.
Add your charm and an ear wire to the jump ring.
If you need to add more jump rings for length, or to get your charm to hang the way you want, this is where you would add them.
Simply add another jump ring, and either your charm or your ear wire. Then open the next jump ring and add your charm or ear wire, which ever is left.
You can make a chain of jump rings in between the ear wire and the charm, if you want. You could also add an actual piece of chain too, just attach a jump ring to each end, with your charm on one end, and your ear wire on the other. The possibilities for making earrings are endless!
Note: Make sure that your ear wire is facing the right way on your jump ring.
(I learned this the hard way...had to take apart a few earrings before I realized that some charms needed to face a certain way to get them to hang properly.)
Some charms have a right and wrong side. If you face the ear wire one way, the charm with hang with the wrong side in front. If you face it the other way, the charm will hang with the right side facing front.
This is also important if you want the right earring to face one way, and the left to face the other. I do this with charms that do not have a right or wrong side.
Take a moment to think about how you want your charm to hang, then add the ear wire in that direction.
Close the jump ring.
Close up the jump ring around the ear wire and charm. Make sure that your ends meet seamlessly. You don’t want to lose your charm while you’re dancing!
That’s it!
Make the other one, and you’re done! Making earrings like this is so simple, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have about 50 new pairs by noon!
These are a pair of earrings I made for my daughter for Homecoming. It uses basically the same concept, only I made my own “charm”. I used a head pin and some crystals to get the drop effect I wanted.
Thread your crystals, or beads, onto the head pin. (I alternated 3 briolette and 2 square crystals, beginning and ending with the briolettes.) Leave enough room to create a wire wrap loop.
Open the jump ring.
Add your charm and an ear wire to the jump ring.
Note: Make sure that your ear wire is facing the right way on your jump ring.
Close the jump ring.
