If you haven’t yet jumped on the ear cuff bandwagon, now’s your chance! Some ear cuff designs include an earring post to hold the design in place, but many of today’s styles work for both pierced and non-pierced ears, making them as versatile as they are trendy.
Customer service rep Tracy and Gallery guru Amy made the following Five Ear Cuffs to showcase some of the styles popping up.
Lightweight plastic spike bead assortments give this ear cuff pizzazz and drama!
The dramatic silhouette of this purple punk beauty is currently my fave! To make your own (in the color of your choice), you’ll need:
- 10 assorted thin spike beads
- 10 6mm round sparkly glass beads
- 20-gauge Artistic Wire (to form the cuff)
- 28-gauge Artistic Wire (to lash the beads)
- 1.7mm hollow rubber tubing (to finish the end that hooks to your ear)
When creating the cuff base with your 20-gauge wire, start by forming a “hook” from the back of the ear to the top of the ear – this is what will hold the non-pierced jewelry in place!
Close-up of the “hook” at the back of your wire base. This one is covered with 1.7mm rubber tubing for a smooth finish.
Curve the wire around to the front top of the ear and work your way down, shaping the base to the curve of your ear. Once you get to the bottom, leave a few extra inches of wire (you will form this into a spiral later).
String on the beads from the bottom. Then, lash the beads with 28-gauge wire to help hold the spikes in place. Once the beads are in their final spot, create a decorative spiral with the extra wire.
Once your beads are lashed, create a decorative spiral at the bottom of your base.
With a separate piece of 20-gauge wire, make a figure-8 (infinity) connector to attach a dangling spike to the decorative spiral.
Finally, slip the hollow rubber tubing onto the “hook” at the back of the cuff (illustration above). This covers up any rough wire end, which makes wearing your cuff comfy as well as stylish.
Genuine watch gears lend a steampunk edge to this otherwise feminine floral design.
To make this style of free-form wire-wrapped ear cuff, all you really need is wire and baubles from your stash! Here’s a list of components used to make the cuff pictured above:
- 20-gauge Artistic Wire (to form the base)
- 28-gauge Artistic Wire (to lash on your baubles)
- Genuine watch gears
- 3mm fluted hogan beads
- Colorized flower charm
- Tenax Plus super glue (optional)
As with the spikes cuff (above), extend your 20-gauge cuff base past the top front of the ear around to the top back of the ear and down. This is what holds this non-pierced jewelry onto your ear!
Option: You can add 1.7mm hollow rubber tubing to the back of this design for a comfy, professional finish.
A dab of Tenax Plus, or other super glue, can help situate larger beads and baubles that are difficult to hold in place with wire alone. In the example above, a dab of super glue holds the back of a flower petal to the wire cuff.
This simple wire cuff sparkles with Swarovski crystal bicones and margaritas.
No need to get fancy! The elegant simplicity of this traditional-style ear cuff can become a base for various beads and sparklies. To make this lightweight wrap, all you need is:
- 20-gauge Artistic Wire (to form the base)
- 26-gauge or 28-gauge Artistic Wire (to lash on your baubles)
- Three 4mm and one 6mm Swarovski crystal bicones
- One 8mm or 10mm Swarovski margarita
Start the wire base by cutting a 2.5-inch length of 20-gauge wire. Divide the wire into thirds, and make a 180-degree bend at the one-third mark (so your wire creates two parallel lines at one end). Make another 180-bend at the opposite end. Curl each end of your wire (now in the middle of the design) into a small loop.
The ends of your wire are hidden under the crystal embellishments, leaving the cuff ends soft for comfortable wearing.
Now you’ve got your basic form. Use the center loops as a base for wire wrapping on beads and other sparklies. It’s easiest to lash these onto your cuff now while it’s still flat! (Or, for a basic wire cuff, just leave unadorned).
Once you’re done embellishing, use a pen, pencil, or mandrel to bend the cuff into a shape that will fit around your ear.
This classic-style ear cuff uses pre-made blanks.
This ear cuff takes me straight back to the 1980’s, when I first wore cuffs make from easy-to-use pre-made ear cuff components.
To make the rhinestone chain earring cuff above, use the parts list and how-to tips for the “Ode to Bajor” Ear Cuff Project in our Design Gallery.
While this particular example requires pierced ears to wear, it’s even easier to create a cuff that doesn’t require piercings. Just add dangles to the hole in the ear cuff finding and you’re done!
This East Indian style ear cuff uses 3.3mm chain instead of wire to wrap around the top of the ear.
This sumptuous feast of dangles is inspired by Bollywood jewelry. Instead of a wire frame that wraps around the ear, jewelry chain drapes over the top of the ear and holds the dangles in place. It didn’t take long for us to realize that this style isn’t the best for a night of head-banging on the dance floor. For a candle-lit dinner, however, it’s just the thing!
To make the chain ear cuff pictured above, you’ll need:
- 1 twisted drop foil-glass pendant
- 1 puffed flower filigree
- Two 8mm and two 12mm sparkly glass rondelle beads
- One 1.5″ paddle-end head pin (to attach beads to filigree)
- 3.3mm flattened long/short chain
- 10mm jump ring (to attach filigree to chain)
- 22-gauge Artistic Wire (to attach glass pendant to beads & chain)
Cut the chain to your desired length, add your dangles, and voila! You’re ready for a night on the town.
We’re going to keep watching this fun jewelry making trend. In the meantime, have fun making ear cuffs!
You can buy wire, beads, and components right here at Rings & Things (just click the links in the parts lists above)!
Create with confidence. 🙂 ~ Melissa
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