How to Make Earrings in Five Minutes - Three Pairs

People who don’t make jewellery often think it’s really complicated – and sometimes it is.  But I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. Some of my favourite pieces are the most simple and quick to make.

Enter the Five Minute Earrings

When I make earrings, they really don’t take that long.  Realistically, they are generally just a few beads on a piece of wire with an earhook – how hard can that be.

This week, I wanted to prove to you that you could make a pair of earrings in less than five minutes – once you decide what you are going to do.

These earrings actually took less than three!

I actually make three pairs of earrings in this tutorial.

Pinch Twist Bail

So what’s so special about these earrings? They are made using a Pinch Twist Bail.

A bail is a finding used in necklaces or earrings to attach a stone or bead. A bail is Often placed in the centre of the necklace where the pendant hangs.

Often bails have little prongs that are pushed into the hole of the bead to attach it.

This is the case with these pinch twist bails.

Materials - Purple Earrings

Here’s what you’ll need to make a pair:

• 35mm Pinch Twist Bail x2
• 22x15mm Bubblegum Faceted Acrylic Rondelle x2
• 19mm Silver Twist Earhooks x1 pair

Materials - Red Earrings

Here’s what you’ll need to make a pair:

• 35mm Pinch Twist Bail x2
• 18x13mm Faceted Acrylic Teardrop x2
• 5mm Crystal Glass Cube x2
• 5cm Headpin x2
• 6mm Round Jump Ring x2
• 2.2mm Fine Cable Chain x 5cm
• 19mm Silver Twist Earhooks x1 pair

Materials - Green Earrings

Here’s what you’ll need to make a pair:

• 35mm Pinch Twist Bail x2
• 12mm Faceted Acrylic Round Bead x2
• 6mm Glass Bicone Bead x2
• 5cm Headpin x2
• 6mm Round Jump Ring x2
• 2.2mm Fine Cable Chain x 10cm
• 19mm Silver Twist Earhooks x1 pair

Tools

• Chain nose pliers
• Round nose pliers
• Flush Cutters

Instructions

Watch the video or read the instructions below.

Purple Earrings Instructions

Step 1

Open the bail by pulling apart the ends wide enough so that you can fit the bead inside.

Step 2

Attach the bead by putting the little prongs inside the hole on each side.

Step 3

Squeeze the bail so that the prongs go right inside the holes.

Holding the bead and the top of the bail firmly, give it a twist to close and tighten.

Step 4

Using your chain nose pliers, open the ear wire by taking the opening side of the loop in the pliers and rotating up.  If you’ve never done this before I strongly suggest you watch the video.

Step 5

Put the earring component onto the ear hook and close the loop by holding the open side in the jaws of the pliers and rotating down (basically, the opposite of what you did to open it).

Repeat for the second earring.

Red Earrings Instructions

Step 1-3

Follow steps 1-3 to add the teardrop bead to the bail.

Step 4

To make the dangle, thread the cube bead onto the head pin.

Step 5

Next, we will make a wire wrapped loop at the top of the bead but we will attach the chain to the loop before we close and wrap it.  If you haven’t done this before I suggest you watch this video on how to make a wire wrapped loop.

Step 6

Wrap the loop twice and trim off the excess wire, tucking in all the ends.

Step 7

Using your flush cutters, trim the chain to have two links attached to the loop.

Step 8

Open the jump ring and attach the dangle you’ve just made onto it. Thread the jump ring through the pinch twist bail and through the loop at the top of the bail.

Close the jump ring.  If you’ve not had experience opening and closing jump rings before watch this video.

 Step 9-10

Follow steps 4-5 for the purple earring above to attach the ear hooks, ensuring that you don’t hook the jump onto the ear hook.

‍

Green Earrings Instructions

Step 1

Open the bail as you did with the other earrings. Cut the chain into two 5cm pieces.  Attach each end of one piece to the bail prongs, then attach the bead. Squeeze and twist to close the bail.

 Step 2

Using the bicone and the headpin, make the wrapped loop and attach to the middle link of the chain as you did for the red dangle. If youhaven’t made a wrapped loop before watch this video.

Step 3

Follow steps 4-5 for the purple earrings to attach the earwires.

Now you have three quick and easy pairs of earrings made in less than 15 minutes.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Now you've seen exactly how easy it can be to make your own earrings, there's really no excuse!