Holiday Tree Earrings
I love making these simple earrings in sterling or gold-filled wire for holiday gifts. Use a clear crystal as your tree topper, and they are wearable all year long!
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Materials
20g sterling silver round wire
4mm Swarovski crystal
Round nosed pliers
Flat nosed pliers (nylon jawed recommended)
Flush cutters
Earring findings (optional, or make your own)
I work from the spool of wire when making these earrings because there is no waste. Starting at the bottom of the tree works well for making (more secure) wrapped loops at the top of the tree.
String a crystal onto the wire. Let it drop out of the way — you won't actually be using it until the very last steps, but it needs to be on the wire.
Make a tiny loop at the end of the wire. Using a flat nosed pliers, make a swirl, three revolutions.
Grasp the wire about 1cm from the swirl with the largest end of the round nosed pliers. Bring the wire back around the pliers (one jaw only) and toward the swirl. Extend the wire 1cm from the swirl on the other side from the loop you just made. Bend slightly down, and grasp again on this side using the large end of the round nosed pliers. Bring the wire back around the jaw of the pliers, and you have made the bottom tier of your tree.
About 3mm from the end of the first loop, grasp the wire again, using the middle of the round nosed pliers. Bring the wire back around again, forming a smaller loop that is slightly angled in from the bottom loop. Repeat on the other side to complete your second (middle) tier of the tree.
For the final tier, use the smallest end of the pliers and repeat making the loops (about 3m from the outside of the second tier). When you have finished the second loop on the third tier, bring the wire back to the center of the tree.
Break the neck of the wire so that it is at a 90 degree angle from the center of the tree. Thread the crystal back to the base of the neck. Make a wrapped loop at the top of the crystal, and clip wire close to the crystal.
Hang the tree from an earring finding. (Optional, make one of our earring finding projects!)
Repeat for second earring.
