jewelry making - mod earrings free tutorial

Mod Earrings TutorialMod Earrings TutorialCopyright 2008 Christine Gierer All Rights Reserved Copyright 2008 Christine Gierer All Rights Reserved

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MaterialsMaterials

► Two 4” HeadpinsTwo 4” Headpins► commercial or commercial or

handmade sterling handmade sterling silver or gold-filled silver or gold-filled balled wire headpinsballed wire headpins

► Two BeadsTwo Beads ► make sure your bead make sure your bead

holes are large enough holes are large enough for your headpins to fit for your headpins to fit throughthrough

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Copyright 2008 Christine Gierer All Rights Reserved Copyright 2008 Christine Gierer All Rights Reserved

ToolsTools► Nylon jaw pliersNylon jaw pliers► Round-nosed pliersRound-nosed pliers► Flush cuttersFlush cutters► Anvil or steel blockAnvil or steel block

► Rawhide hammerRawhide hammer

► Flat metal fileFlat metal file► Jeweler's chasing Jeweler's chasing

hammerhammer► Round mandrel of some Round mandrel of some

sort (I use a round sort (I use a round wooden box – see step 1)wooden box – see step 1)



Mod Earrings InstructionsMod Earrings Instructions

► Step 1Step 1


Wrap your headpins around a round object to make them have a gentle curve.

*Any object used in jewelry making as a rounded forming base is called a mandrel. In this project I'm using a wooden box I had lying around. You can use a tomato paste can, small jar, or commercial bracelet mandrel from a jeweler's supply.


► Step 2Step 2► Check your curves Check your curves

and make sure they and make sure they match.match.

► *If there are any kinks or *If there are any kinks or

bends in your headpins this is bends in your headpins this is your last chance to straighten your last chance to straighten them out. If necessary, pull them out. If necessary, pull your headpins through the your headpins through the jaw of your nylon jaw pliers jaw of your nylon jaw pliers

to straighten them.to straighten them.




► Step 3Step 3► String your beads String your beads

onto your onto your headpins headpins





► Step 4:

► Grasp your headpin with your round-nosed pliers.

► You want to make a large-ish rounded bend in the wire slightly off-centre on the headpin so that your earwire will hang longer in the back than the front.

Learn jewelry making at how-to-make-jewelry.comCopyright 2008 Christine Gierer All Rights Reserved Copyright 2008 Christine Gierer All Rights Reserved


► Step 5: Step 5:

► Using your fingers, Using your fingers, gently bend the gently bend the wire around the wire around the largest part of your largest part of your round-nosed pliers.round-nosed pliers.




► Your bent headpin Your bent headpin should now look like should now look like this:this:


Mod Earrings InstructionsMod Earrings Instructions► Step 6: Step 6:

► Make your second earringMake your second earring

► Tips:Tips: ► I make the second match the first I make the second match the first

by holding both in the pliers at the by holding both in the pliers at the same time, matching the beads same time, matching the beads together. together.

► When I'm pretty sure I have the When I'm pretty sure I have the second wire grasped properly, I second wire grasped properly, I carefully remove the first from the carefully remove the first from the pliers without disturbing my pliers without disturbing my second headpin from its position. second headpin from its position.

► Then I bend the second and Then I bend the second and double check that it matches. double check that it matches.

► If necessary, I adjust the bends If necessary, I adjust the bends with my fingers.with my fingers.

► Don't worry yet about making the Don't worry yet about making the back part of your earring match- back part of your earring match- we'll trim the ends later.we'll trim the ends later.



► Step 7: Step 7:

► Harden the wire into its Harden the wire into its new shape. new shape.

► To do this, place your To do this, place your earring on an anvil or earring on an anvil or steel block, hold it steel block, hold it firmly, and give it some firmly, and give it some good whacks with your good whacks with your rawhide hammer.rawhide hammer.



► Step 7 continuedStep 7 continued

► Tips: Hold the wire Tips: Hold the wire tight and hang the tight and hang the bead off the edge so bead off the edge so you don't damage it.you don't damage it.

►Don't whack your Don't whack your bead with the bead with the hammer. hammer.



► Step 8: Step 8:

► Using a metal hammer, Using a metal hammer, tap the bend lightly tap the bend lightly and repeatedly until and repeatedly until you like the look of it. you like the look of it.

► Using a metal hammer Using a metal hammer will flatten the wire will flatten the wire where you strike it so where you strike it so be gentle. We're going be gentle. We're going for a slight flattening for a slight flattening here. here.



► Step 9: Step 9:

► Using your flush Using your flush cutters, trim the cutters, trim the back ends of your back ends of your earrings so they earrings so they match exactly.match exactly.


Mod Earrings InstructionsMod Earrings Instructions► Step 10:Step 10:

► Use your flat file to Use your flat file to soften and round the soften and round the ends of your earwires. ends of your earwires.

► Make sure the ends of Make sure the ends of the wire are nice and the wire are nice and smooth so they don't smooth so they don't cause micro-tears in the cause micro-tears in the earring wearer's earlobe earring wearer's earlobe holes.holes.


Mod Earrings InstructionsMod Earrings InstructionsThe finished earrings!The finished earrings!

► Here’s a variation using Here’s a variation using handmade oxidized headpins, handmade oxidized headpins, then tumble-polishing in a then tumble-polishing in a child’s rock tumbler:child’s rock tumbler:


►For more variations, view the next For more variations, view the next slideslide

Mod Earrings - VariationsMod Earrings - Variations

Red Mod Pod Earrings

(handmade oxidized sterling headpins, vintage czech glass

pod beads)

Beige Mod Pod Earrings

(handmade oxidized sterling headpins, vintage czech glass

pod beads)

Lucky Honey Jade Earrings

(handmade oxidized sterling headpins, honey jade faceted

rondelles)

For more free tutorials, tips, projects, and instructions click here: How-To-Make-Jewelry.com

Questions about this tutorial? Contact Christine


I hope you enjoyed this I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!tutorial!

Come visit me anytime at How-to-Make-Jewelry.com


Christine Gierer

jewelry making - mod earrings free tutorial

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mod earringsinstructions

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handmade oxidized headpins

hammer round mandrel

wire tight

round object

metal hammer