Turn memory wire into custom earrings!

August 20, 2010

Ever made your own custom ear wires, to get just the look you envision? Spiral Skull earrings by Rita show how!

Use memory wire to create your own ear wires!

Suggested materials are simple:

Tools and supplies are pretty minimal, too:

Get out your flush cutter (#69-057), side flush cutter (#69-056), round-nose pliers, flat-nose pliers, and a cup bur (#69-128).

Rita suggests 2 tips to help you make these ear wires on your own:

* Use flush cutters to cut 2 equal lengths of memory wire. Form a loop at one end using round-nose pliers. With flat-nose pliers, create a bend at the “middle” of the wire. Smooth the opposite wire end with a cup bur.

* Form a spiral to size of your choice with plated wire. Add the skull bead, complete the wrapped loop and attach to the ear wire.

For information on how to create wire spirals, see Mark Lareau’s book All Wired Up: Wire Techniques for the Beadworker and Jewelry Maker or the

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4 Comments

  • Reply Erin Prais-Hintz August 20, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    awesome!
    i have some left over memory wire and that reminds me that i have those same skullies but wasn’t sure what to do with them. now i do! thanks for the great tips!
    enjoy the day!
    erin

  • Reply Regina August 21, 2010 at 3:22 am

    Love the idea, thank you. I can now make ear wires with all the little circles of memory wire left over from my projects.

  • Reply maneki August 21, 2010 at 12:17 pm

    Very nice ear wires.
    Not made any ear wires of my own, but I’ve made a few hoops for readymade earrings using memory wire. I don’t wear earrings (never pierced my ears) so I don’t make that many, but recently I began looking at different alternatives to clip-ons that I could make myself. And, indeed an interesting coincidence with this post, my current idea actually involves memory wire.

  • Reply Dave Robertson August 24, 2010 at 11:13 am

    @Erin @Regina – Here’s wishing you fun times as you take this idea & run with it!
    @Maneki – Knowing your deep creativity, I think you’ll come up with some wonderful way to use memory wire 🙂
    –Dave

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