In this blog post you can find instructions on how to make the popular earrings with long chains made of bead links. You will learn how to make the links, i.e. how to link the beads together with wire forming eyelets and windings. You can combine all sorts of beads and pearls and link the different kinds of beads together with chain in numberless ways.
The beautiful earrings in our examples have in common that they feature small gemstone beads which are neatly interlinked in long chains.
In order to be able to make these chains, you need to master some techniques. You put the first bead on a headpin and form an eyelet with windings afterwards. Click on the following link to see instructions on how to make an eyelet or loop with windings.
The other beads are fastened with wire and you form eyelets with windings in the same way on both sides.
Earrings with crystals and gemstone bead links
We used the following DIY jewellery components to assemble these earrings:
1 pair of earwires with crystal, gold-plated sterling silver
14 tourmaline beads, faceted, 3mm
2 connectors with crystal, gold-plated sterling silver
2 headpins with plate, gold-plated sterling silver
approx. 60cm wire, 0.4mm, gold-plated sterling silver
or alternatively gold plated copper wire 0.4mm (cheaper)
For this example we chose faceted tourmaline beads with a diameter of 3mm - but you can use all kinds of beads.
You start by threading the first bead onto the headpin. Then you form an eyelet as described in the DIY guide This is how you make a loop.
Cut the redundant wire off. If there remains a piece of wire sticking out, press it carefully in with a pair of flat-nose pliers.
Cut off a 5cm long piece of jewellery wire and form an eyelet off-centre.
Insert the eyelet over the bead into the eyelet in the wire.
Wind the short end of the wire 3 times around the long end. Then you thread the next bead.
Form an eyelet with windings on the other side of the bead.
Fasten the next bead in the chain the same way.
Now you incorporate the connector into the chain. Form a new eyelet.
Insert the connector's eyelet into the eyelet in the wire. After that, you make the 3 windings.
Now the connector is fastened. Finish the rest of the chain in the same way - with eyelets and windings.
Close the chain with a last eyelet with windings. Once you are done, you open the eyelet of the earwire carefully.
Insert the wire eyelet into the eyelet of the earwire. Finally, you close the eyelet in the earwire again.
Earstuds with windings and gemstone bead links
We used the following DIY jewellery components to make these earrings:
1 pair of earrings, small open arch, gold-plated sterling silver
2 uneven beads, gold-plated sterling silver
2 uneven pendants, gold-plated sterling silver
approx. 80cm wire, 0.4mm, gold-plated sterling silver
The chain with interlinked gemstones and uneven gold-plated bead is assembled as described in the example above.
After you are done with the chain, you cut off a 15cm long piece of jewellery wire. First, you wind the wire around the earring. Then, you pull the wire through the last eyelet in the chain. Continue winding the wire around the earring and cut the excess wire off.
In our blog post on DIY earrings with Swarovski crystals you can find more inspiration and instructions on how earrings wrapped with jewellery wire and beads.
Earrings with coins and gemstone bead links
We used the following DIY jewellery components to make these earrings:
1 pair of earwires, decorated circles with zirconia, gold-plated sterling silver
2 connectors with zirconia, gold-plated sterling silver
2 headpins with plate, gold-plated sterling silver
approx. 50cm wire, 0.4mm, gilded sterling silver
These chains with interlinked beads are made in the same way as described in the first example of this plog post.
You incorporate the connector as the last link in the chain. Remember to insert the eyelet of the connector into the eyelet in the wire before you make the windings.
The eyelet on the earwire cannot be opened. That is why you have to cut it carefully with a pair of cutting pliers. Now you open the eyelet a bit, insert the connector and close the eyelet again.
Earstuds with snakes and gemstone bead links
We used the following DIY jewellery components to assemble these earrings:
1 pair of earstuds with snake and zirconia, gold-plated sterling silver
2 headpins with ball, gold-plated sterling silver
2 jumprings, 0.4mm, gold-plated sterling silver
approx. 60cm wire, 0.4mm, gilded sterling silver
Here the chain with interlinked beads is fastened to the ear nut, so you can use the ear nut for other earstuds, too.
You make the chain with gemstone links the same way as shown in the first example.
Fastgør det sidste øje med låsen v.h.a. en øsken.
Anchor earstuds with zirconia and gemstone bead links
We used the following DIY jewellery components to make these earrings:
1 pair of anchor-shaped earstuds with zirconia, gold-plated sterling silver
1 pair of earthreads, 8cm, cable chain with eyelet, gold-plated sterling silver
2 headpins, gold-plated sterling silver
approx. 10cm wire, 0.4mm, gilded sterling silver
The procedure is the same as described in the first example.
You start by cutting the earthread apart approx. 3cm from the eyelet. 3cm further down you cut the earthread apart one more time.
Now you have an earthread in 3 pieces (We do not use the lowest part with peg in this version.)
Thread 7 beads on the headpin and form an eyelet. Insert the lowest link of the earthread into the eyelet and make the 3 windings.
Cut off approx. 6cm of jewellery wire to connect the two peces of chain. In between, you thread 5 beads onto this piece of wire.
Now you have an earthread with beads and an eyelet at one end. Finally, you open the eyelet, hang it over the earstud and close the eyelet again.
Have fun making and wearing your own earrings!
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