Howlite + 3mm Faceted Gemstone Wire Wrapped Earrings Tutorial

Why We Love This Tutorial:

Another pair of bling-y wire wrapped earrings using our sparkly faceted 3mm round gemstone beads! Clearly we just can’t get enough of wrapping with these tiny little beads! We’ve also used some of our new teardrop gemstone beads – this tutorial will show you one of the methods of wrapping a teardrop bead (but after much discussion we think it’s probably the easiest and most secure!).

Beads and Materials You’ll Need:

• Approx. 20pcs 3mm mixed gemstone round beads for the dangles (we’ve used faceted 3mm Moonstone, Black Onyx Faceted 3mm beads and Labradorite Faceted 3mm beads)
• 14pcs 3mm faceted gemstone rounds (we’ve used black onyx).
• 13mm Teardrop gemstone (we’ve used Howlite)
• 20x Ballpins
• 18ga wire
• 24ga wire
• 26ga wire

Tools You’ll Need:

• Flush Cutters
• Round Nose Pliers
• Flat nose pliers
• Wire rounder (optional) or file

Method:

1. 1. Cut your 18ga wire to approx. 11cm using flush cutters. Create a slight bend in the wire by forming it around a jar or cup.
   2. Form a small loop at on end of the wire using round nose pliers.
   3. Take your flat nose pliers and make a bend approx. 4cm up from the loop.
   4. Take your 26ga wire and cut a length of about 30cm. Wrap 4 to 5 times around the frame.
   5. Add a 3mm gemstone bead and wrap twice around after the bead. Then, add another bead and continue like this.
   6. After adding 7 beads, finish by wrapping another 4-5 times. Then, trim your wire using flush cutters.
   7. To wire wrap your teardrop bead, take about 30cm of 24ga wire and form a wrapped loop in one end.
   8. Thread the wire through the bead, and form it up to the top of the bead so that the loop sits vertically above the bead.
   9. Take the tail of the wire and wrap it twice around the base of the wrapped loop.
   10. Then, start winding the wire down to cover the top of the bead (this creates the ‘bead cap’ type look).
   11. Trim the wire leaving about 1.5cm.
   12. Then, using round nose pliers form a small swirl to add a decorative finish to the wrapping. Use your fingers to push this swirl flush against the teardrop bead.
   13. Now it’s time to make the dangles! We’ve made 10 dangles per earring. These are simply wrapped loops using 25mm ballpins and the mixed 3mm gemstone beads.
   14. Time to assemble the earring. Take the frame and open up the loop using pointy flat nose pliers. Thread 5 of the 3mm dangles on first, then the teardrop, then another 5 dangles. Close the loop up using flat nose pliers. (You may also like to use a wire rounder or a file to smooth off the end of the wire that passes through the ear).
   15. Make the second earring, and you’re done!