Tutorial: Glass Headpin Earrings

Are you taking part in the AJE Earring challenge? The first bi-weekly blog reveal link-up was a few days ago, and the creativity was amazing!

Just in case you are out of ideas, or maybe considering joining, but don't know what to make, I threw together a quick tutorial for how to use handmade artisan headpins. These were made by me (and maybe I will list a pair or two later in the day when I have good lighting), but this tutorial should work with just about any artisan created headpin.

Supplies: 
-Glass headpins x2
-Ear wires

Tools: 
-round nose pliers, bail pliers, or something round for making loop in the wire
-flat nose pliers
-wire cutters

Directions: 
These will take longer to read than to actually make the earrings....

Using a mandrel or bail pliers, decide how long you want your earrings to dangle and line up the headpins next to each other. Bend the wire around the tool to create the first part of the loop.

Put one headpin on the work surface for later. 

Put the same tool used to make your hook in the wire and finish bending the wire into a loop. Gently "crook" the loop back so that it resembles a lollipop on a stick rather than a lopsided circle. 

Grab the loop with flat nose pliers.

Begin wrapping wire around the stick of the lollipop without tweaking down on the "stick" or you will bend it out of shape. While this part is very loose...meaning it doesn't have to be done a specific way, it's a good idea to kind of have an idea in your head of what you want it to look like when you're finished. Then just let go and wrap. I prefer loosey goosey. But have done tight evenly spaced wrapping too. 

Once you get down to the end of the headpin, make a loose swirl around the top of the bead. It kind of looks like a bead cap. 

Snip the end of the wire and fiddle with the shape of the swirl until you're happy with it. 

Repeat for the 2nd headpin. However, if you want your earrings to be mirrors of each other, wrap the loop in the opposite direction. For the first one (picture close to the top of the post), the wire comes out on top of the loop. On the one below, the wire is under the loop. If you don't care about your earrings being mirror images, don't worry about it. I doubt anyone will notice one way or the other. 

Another little tidbit. Do NOT obsess about getting the wire wraps exactly the same. They are supposed to be loose and free flowing. 

Attach your dangles to ear wires. If you want to embellish further, go for it! I prefer simple myself. But that doesn't mean more isn't better. 

Please share your efforts if you use this tutorial by leaving a link in the comments. I would love to see! 

Is anyone interested in making their own simple ear wires, but don't know how? Would you like a tutorial for that? Leave a comment if you are. 

Have a great week!

-Jen Cameron

Glass Addictions