Earrings with Lapis Lazuli, Pyrite and Crystal Passions® Beads and Wireworking

Design Idea R J 2 K - Wireworked earrings featuring graduated sizes of blue and black gemstones and Crystal Passions® blue crystals dangling from silver ear wires.

Design Idea R J 2 K - Wireworked earrings featuring graduated sizes of blue and black gemstones and Crystal Passions® blue crystals dangle from silver ear wires.

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Design Idea RJ2K

-- Designer --

Patti, Jewelry Designer, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®

To learn more about Patti Miller, read her jewelry artist success story here.

: : : Materials : : :

Click here to view a full list of materials used in this design.

Please take the creative opportunity to select the products of your choice for this design, offered here at Fire Mountain Gems and Beads. Some materials may not be available or listed.

Bead sapphire, Crystal Passions® 4mm round 5000.
Bead sapphire, Crystal Passions® 6mm round 5000.
Head pin, silver-plated brass, 1 inch, 21 gauge.
Pyrite, round bead 8mm.
Wire, ParaWire™, silver-plated copper, round, 20 gauge.
Ear wire fishhook silver-plated, 15mm flat / open loop, 21 gauge brass.
Lapis lazuli, round bead natural 12mm.

Instructions

Earring Instructions

Step 1

Cut one 15-inch length of 20-gauge ParaWire™ silver-plated round wire.

Step 2

Using chain-nose pliers, make a 45-degree bend about 4-1/2 inches from one end of the wire.

Place the smallest barrel of stepped wire-wrapping pliers inside the acute angle of the bend and push the long tail around the pliers. You will have now created a teardrop-shaped loop on one side of the wire. The long tail will now be called the working tail, and the short tail will be called the base wire.

Bring the working tail up to the opposite side of the wire and make a teardrop loop as you did previously so they mirror each other, with the tips facing each other.

Bigger loop centered under the two previous loops

At the juncture where the teardrop loop tips meet, insert the medium barrel of the stepped wire-wrapping pliers and wrap the working tail around it until it forms a complete teardrop. Wrap the tail tightly around the base wire once.

Step 3

Round lazuli gemstone bead wrapped in wire above loops

Thread a 12mm round lapis lazuli bead onto the base wire and let it fall to the loops.

Bring the working tail around one side of the lapis lazuli bead snugly to wrap tightly around the base wire, then back around the opposite side to wrap around the base wire between the bead and the loops, then back up the first side in front of the first wrap to wrap tightly around the base wire just above the first wrap.

Step 4

Round pyrite bead wrapped in wire above previous bead

Thread one 8mm round pyrite bead onto the base wire and let it fall onto the wrap you just made.

Wrap the working tail around the side of the pyrite bead snugly then wrap around the base wire at the top of the pyrite bead once.

Wrap the working tail around the opposite side of the pyrite bead and wrap over the first wrap on the base wire beneath the pyrite bead over the original wrap between the pyrite bead and the lapis bead. Cut off and tuck in the tail.

Step 5

Thread one 6mm Crystal Passions® round sapphire bead onto the wire. Using chain-nose pliers, make a 90-degree bend in the wire 3mm from the sapphire crystal bead.

Grip the wire against the bend with the largest barrel of stepped wire-wrapping pliers and push the wire around the barrel to form a complete circle that will become a large wrapped loop. Then wrap 2 to 3 times—whichever takes up all of the space on the base wire between the large loop and the sapphire bead. Cut off and tuck in the tail in the back.

Step 6

Make a crystal drop by threading one 4mm Crystal Passions round sapphire bead onto a 1-inch 21-gauge silver-plated head pin and finishing it with a simple loop.

Repeat 3 times for a total of four 4mm drops.

Step 7

Repeat Step 6, substituting in a 6mm Crystal Passions round sapphire bead for the 4mm one.

Repeat three times for a total of four 6mm drops.

Step 8

Make a double beaded drop by threading one 6mm then one 4mm Crystal Passions round sapphire bead onto a 1-inch 21-gauge silver-plated head pin and finishing it with a simple loop.

Step 9

Open the loop on the double beaded drop and add it to the large center teardrop loop. Then add a 6mm drop either side of the double drop.

Add a 6mm drop to one of the smaller teardrop loops, the two 4mm drops beside it. Repeat for the teardrop loop on the opposite side.

Step 10

Add a 15mm 21-gauge sterling silver flat fishhook ear wire to the top loop.

Step 11

Repeat Steps 1 – 10 for the second earring.

Shop for Your Materials Here:

Crystal Passions® No Category Name

Wire-Wrapping Wire No Category Name

Fishhook Ear Wires No Category Name

Pliers No Category Name

Have a question regarding this project? Email Customer Service.

Copyright Permissions

The pieces featured in the Gallery of Designs are copyrighted designs and are provided for inspiration only. We encourage you to substitute different colors, products and techniques to make the design your own.

All works of authorship (articles, videos, tutorials and other creative works) are from the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads® Collection, and permission to copy is granted for non-commercial educational purposes only. All other reproduction requires written permission. For more information, please email copyrightpermission@firemtn.com.