Bead-Wrapped Hoop Earrings

by Judy Larson

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Lashing
Skill Level: Beginner

You can embellish almost any kind of hoop earrings. Here's a simple way to lash beads to most any hoop.

Materials

24 Gauge Round Dead Soft 14/20 Gold Filled Wire

H4-24D

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
Price: $2.65
Gold Club Price: $1.99

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24 Gauge Round Bronze Enameled Craft Wire - 60 ft

H5-I24-60FT

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $6.40
Gold Club Price: $4.80

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Gold Filled Earwire w/ 3mm Ball 17.35mm - Pack of 10

J19-61

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $13.20
Gold Club Price: $9.90

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Sterling Silver Textured Ring Closed 30mm - Pack of 1

K4-119

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 2.00 each
Price: $8.76
Gold Club Price: $6.57

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Sterling Silver Endless Hoop 30mm - Pack of 2

K19-73

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $4.58
Gold Club Price: $3.44

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asst beads & pearls

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

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Tools

Chain Nose Wire Pliers

G2-508

G2-508
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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90 Degree Bent Nose Pliers

G2-66

G2-66
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $7.97
Gold Club Price: $5.98

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C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches

PLR-487.00

PLR-487.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.97
Gold Club Price: $12.73

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Scotch 0.94 Inch Painters Tape for Taping Wires Together

G13-5

G13-5
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $5.97
Gold Club Price: $4.48

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Instructions

Step 1

Read through the tutorial before starting the project. Follow all safety precautions pertaining to the tools and supplies being used and the space you are working in.

Purchase or make a large round closed ring. If purchasing, the outside diameter (OD) of the ring is a bit over ¾" in diameter. To make this ring, a ¾" ID mandrel and 16 gauge round Argentium wire were used. The ring ends were fused together.

Pro Tip: Since sterling silver tarnishes quickly and silver cleaners would damage the pearls in these earrings, Argentium rings were for these two-tone earrings. Argentium is whiter than sterling silver, does not tarnish very fast, and looks beautiful with pearls and crystals. When stored correctly after each use, the bright white shine will last for years.

Judy Larson's Bead-Wrapped Hoop Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Lashing, Wire Lashing, bead wrapped hoop earrings

Step 2

Lay out two sets of beads on a bead board. Check to see which gold-filled wire, 22 or 24 gauge, and possibly even down to 26 gauge, fits through the beads with the smallest holes, which are usually pearls.

Step 3

Once the wrapping wire is chosen, cut two pieces 15" to 18 " long. Tape one end of each wire. Thread each set of beads onto a separate wire and tape the other end to keep the beads from falling off when wrapping them around the base ring.

Step 4

Leaving a 2" tail, wrap the gold wire around the base ring 5 times. Note: When I was making the earrings, I did not know if I would want a longer gold wrap at the beginning and end of the beads so started with a 2" tail. When the wrapping is done, decide what you would like best.

Step 5

Push the beads up to the ring one or two at a time as the wire is wrapped around the ring frame.

Step 6

When the center beads are reached, they can be overlapped if desired. To make mirror images or a similar positioning of the beads, it would be easiest to wrap the other earring to this same point before finishing the first one.

Step 7

Continue pushing the beads in towards the ring while wrapping. Do not worry if the wraps are spread out. This will be fixed when the wrapping is complete.

Step 8

When the last of the beads has been wrapped to the ring frame, make five wraps on the frame with the gold-filled wire tail.

Step 9

Using either or both chain and bent nose pliers, pull the wraps closer together. It may be tempting to twist the beads on the wire at the same time to position there where desired. Crystal beads easily break. Pull out a narrow pair of soft jaw pliers to do this, still being careful to not use too much pressure on the beads.

Step 10

Are you satisfied with the wrapping, or do you want more or fewer wraps? Option A: Leave the wraps as they are or add more. Trim the wire tails with a flush cutter so the cut ends are on the inside of the ring. Press the wire ends into place with a chain nose pliers. Option B: Some people prefer a cut wire end to be hidden. If so, unwind two or three of the wire wraps on either end of the beads. Wrap the tails back to the beads. Thread the wire tails under and around the bead strand, pulling tight. Trim the wire ends off and tuck into place with a chain or bent nose pliers.

Step 11

Attach earring findings to the large rings. The weight of the wrapped beads and wire will settle the rings in the perfect position on the findings.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!