All supplies can be found at the Bead Trunk

Picture 1 & 2: Cut your 1 foot of 24- gauge wire in half.  You will use one piece for each crystal.  String your crystal until it is half way on to the wire.  Bring the wire up and cross it over, leaving a small gap above the crystal so it can swing.      

Picture 3-5:  Using the round nose pliers, place them above where the 2 wires cross, gripping one of the wires like in picture 3.  Picture 4: Using your hand, bend the wire over the top nose of the pliers and down towards you, creating the start of a loop.  Keep the pliers in place.  Picture 5: using your hand bend the wire away from you and under the nose of the pliers, finishing the loop.  It helps to have the pliers slightly to one side allowing free space for the wire and your other hand.   

Picture 6- 8: Now we are ready to start wrapping the wire.  Using the round nose pliers place the loop and the straight piece of wire flat in between to 2 noses of the pliers.  This will make it easy to get a nice tight wrap on your drop, see picture 6.  Hold the round nose pliers in your non-dominate hand and pick up the chain nose pliers. Picture 7: Grip the tail end of the wire you are going to wrap with, this will be the wire that is apart of your loop.  With a sturdy grip wrap the wire around the 2 wires (the point of the “V”) right below the loop.  Be sure to get this wrap tight and straight.  You need the wraps to be tight because you are wrapping around 3 pieces of wire.  Continue wrapping the wire until you get your desired look, this can be anywhere from 3 to 6 times around. 

Picture 9-11:  When you get the wraps done you need to cut off the excess wire; it helps to use the tip of your cutters to get in close.  Placing the flat side of the cutters against the points where the wire is closest to the drop, snip the wire under your hand or table to ensure the pieces don’t hit you in the eye, see pictures 9 and 10.  Use the chain nose pliers to gently push in any nubs of wire.  You can also use a fine file to smooth down the tips.  Your drop should look similar to picture 11.    

This is where you will attach the drop to the frame. 

Picture 12-15:  Picture 12: String one head pin into the square with the head on the inside and the wire poking through to the out side, this will be the wire we attach the crystal drop.  Picture 13: Using the round nose pliers, grip the wire just up above the top of the square frame.  With the tool, bend the wire away from you at a 90- degree angle.  With your other hand, bend the wire back over top the tool and down towards you, creating the start of a loop; see picture 14.  Adjust your tool so the loop is hanging from the bottom nose of the pliers.  Now bend the wire away from you & under the bottom nose of the pliers, making sure the wire is sticking out straight, finishing the loop; see picture 15

Before you wrap the wire, use the chain nose pliers to gently open the loop to the side so you can string on the crystal drop.    Use the round nose pliers to hold the head pin loop flat in between the 2 noses; the crystal drop should be on one side and the head pin and square frame on the other side of the tool, like in picture 16.  It helps to hold the round nose pliers again in your non-dominate hand.  With the chain nose pliers wrap the tail of wire around the stem of the head pin until you reach the frame.  Your piece should look similar to the one in picture 17. 

This is where we create the top part of the earring!

Picture 18 & 19: String on another head pin like in step 2, this time on the other side of the frame.  String on 1 3-mm sterling silver ball, 1 rhinestone roundel then another sterling silver ball.  Now you will create another loop and wrap, this time it is easier since there is not another drop to attach.  Most ear wires have open loops, so simply open the loop of the ear wire ( to the side) with the chain nose pliers and string on the earring!  If the ear wires you chose do not have an opening you can simply attach the ear wires like you did with the crystal drop or use a sterling silver jump ring. 

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For questions email: eekeek@beadymonkey.com