How to Make Funky Bead Earrings

If you are looking for a quick jewelry making idea, earrings are just the thing to make. It only takes minutes to make a pair of beautiful earrings, and you can be very creative with a unique design as well. Earrings can contain one incredibly funky bead each, and be perfect just that way, or they can be an assortment of funky beads, and be larger in size, for more effect. You can use headpins, hoops, or wire, with a straight pattern or a curved one. Below I have a few examples along with instructions on how to make some funky bead earrings.

• Earring hooks: these are easy to add curled headpins to. These can be sterling silver, sturgical steel, and gold.
• Earring hoops: these are easy to add beads to and are very inexpensive. They can also be used for wine-glass charms.
• Jewelry grippers: use these to hold onto beads or wire without slipping.
• Jewelry cone-shaped pliers: use these to curl headpins.
• Flush cut snippers: use these to cup wire and headpins.
• Crimp tubes: these are used to hold wire together.
• Crimp tool: use this tool to squeeze crimp tube closed.
• Jewelry wire: use wire to create earring loops.
• Assortment of funky beads: create a pattern with large and small beads.
• Crimp covers with loop: these are used to cover crimp tubes.
• Jewelry glue: great for holding beads in place.

Beaded loop earrings are fun to wear. They have an alternative, modern flare. The tricky part is getting the crimp tube tight against the beaded portion, while holding the two wire ends still.

1. Cut a 3 inch piece of wire.
2. String beads, leaving 1/2 inch of wire exposed on both ends of each wire.
3. Bring ends of wire together and thread both ends through crimp tube. Using crimp tool, squeeze closed.
4. Trim wire down close to crimp tube. Place crimp cover over wire ends and crimp tube.
5. Place dab of glue onto crimped tube. Squeeze closed, covering crimp tube. Allow to dry.
6. Insert earring loop into end of crimp cover loop and close.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for second earring.

Hoop earrings are probably the easiest to make. Hoops can be completely covered with beads or partially left exposed, like the one pictured here. All the beads can be the same or can vary. You can be creative by adding bi-pins to beads, giving them a dangling effect. Glue is optional, however, you are less likely to lose beads, if you use the glue to keep them in place.

1. Bend "L" portion of wire so that it is straight. Place beads on hoop.
2. Use bi-pins to create beads that dangle. Place bead on headpin, bend pin at 90 degree angle, curve with cone-shaped pliers, into a cirlcle.
3. Place beads on hoop in a pattern. Here, I used 4 smaller beads placed in between the larger dangling beads on headpins.
4. Bend end of hoop wire back to an "L" shape.
5. Place a dab of glue onto last bead on each end of pattern.
6. Allow to dry.
7. Follow steps 1-6 for second earring.

Simple bead earrings are very easy to make. Choose a large funky focal bead as your main bead. Embellish it with a smaller accent bead or two. Charms and clasps can also make interesting earring accents. Use wire to thread beads, with curved ends, to attach to the earring hook and to the charm.

1. Place large focal bead on headpin. Place accent beads on top.
2. Bend wire 90 degrees at bead opening.
3. Trim end to 1 centimeter in length.
4. Curl end into circle.
5. Open circle end on earring hook.
6. Place beaded headpin onto open hook and close.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for second earring.