Ombré Fringe Earrings The Magic of Painting with Beads

Ombré Earring Trends

Typically, ombré seed beaded earrings are composed of multiple strands of seed beads hanging parallel to one another. The most popular trend is to have the beads on each earring come to a point at the bottom of the fringe, although many designers opt to have each earring end with a diagonal slash of fringe, so that when the earrings are set next to each other, they come to a point in the center. The ombré color design can be horizontal (as in the above Design Idea NC29), or vertical (as in the above Design Idea RK2P).

To create a base from which multiple strands of fringe can descend suggests that the earring have a triangle shape at the top, with one point attaching at the earring finding, and the flat side opposite the point serving as the anchor for the beaded fringe. You can opt to create the triangle from beading wire or create a seed-beaded triangle. Some designers may choose a circle, square or rectangle as an alternative base.

For a true ombré effect, you need to make the transition from one color to the next gradual and subtle. You can opt for a single color family (like light blue to dark blue) or mix it up. Choosing hues that are analogous on the color wheel (like red and orange, or yellow and green) can be effective. Or you may opt to go bold by using contrasting colors—blue to orange, green to red, or yellow to purple. Beginning your ombré with black or white can also be a striking color choice.

Watch the video “Secrets to Seed Beading Video 2: Stitching Fringe Earrings” or “How to Make Seed Bead Fringe ” for instructions on how to create fabulous fringed earrings.

Rainbow Ombré

To make the bead selection process easier, here are three full spectrums of seed beaded glory, pre-matched by color intensity and finish. Create earrings using the full spectrum, or select a group of two, three, four or more analogous colors for easy ombré earring designs.

Click on the images to get the ordering information for the whole spectrum!:

Bold Rainbow

Pastel Rainbow

Sparkling Silver-Lined

Muted Rainbow

Themed Ombré

Create ombré designs based on a theme, like boho or goth. You can transition between two non-analogous colors on the color wheel by beginning with a few rows of one color and gradually adding one or two more beads of the second color as you create each row in your ombre design. Finish with a few rows of the second color.

Here are some themed ombré color ideas to get you started. Click on the color tiles for ordering information:

Beyond Ombré

Once you’ve mastered ombré, get creative. Fringe earrings can take many forms, all of them with their own fabulous qualities. Here are some ideas for taking your fringed earrings above and beyond

Create hard transitions between your colors for a striped effect

Play with proportion, making the fringe longer or shorter, or changing the shape, scale and design of the base from which the fringe hangs.

Use other materials. Chain, cupchain, bugle beads and leather are all dazzling possibilities for eye-catching fringed earrings.

The charts in this article depict Delica® round #11 seed beads. Learn more about other seed bead shapes, brands and sizes in “Seed Beads 101: A Jewelry-Maker's Guide to Seed Beads.”

Interested in non-seed-bead ombré options? Check out Celestial Crystal® bead mixes, with visually pleasing color palettes in faceted briolette drops and bicone and round beads .