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October 13, 2015

DIY Spiral Post Earwires

DIY Spiral Post Earwires

As promised, a quick tutorial to make these pretty wire spiral post earwires.

These are pretty easy to make and can be worn the way that they are as earrings, but I'm not usually that simple in my earrings and tend to add a dangle - even if it's simple a gemstone bead on a headpin (or a series of them!)


The materials you will need to make these spiral ear wires are:

  • 20g half hard wire
  • Wire working tools including round nose pliers, chain nose pliers and flush cutters
I recommend at least half hard wire for these only because the wire end is not wrapped or otherwise secured. A harder wire will hold the shape better than a soft wire like copper.  Of course, there are a few other options that I will add later.

Cut and straighten a piece of wire 4 inches long.  Bend the wire at the 1/2 inch mark to make the post of the earring.

Make a spiral with the chain nose pliers: DIY Spiral Post Earrings


Using your round nose or slim chain nose pliers, grasp the wire above the bend for the post and wrap it around the tip of the pliers to start a loop.  This will be the center of the spiral.

Start making the wire spiral: DIY Spiral Post Earwires

Once you have a little loop, switch your plier to grasp the loop between the jaws of the chain nose plier.  Try not to have a death grip on your pliers since it will mar your wire.  Gently push the wire around the center to form a spiral.

Easy Spiral Post Earwires DIY

Wrap the wire a little and shift your pliers to the other side.  This is tricky to start since there isn't much wire to hold on to.

Simple DIY for Swirl Post Ear wires

Continue coiling until you are starting to run out of wire. I like to have the center of the V that I use instead of a loop to hold beads under the spiral so that the post is at the high point on the spiral.  Hopefully, that makes sense!  It will make a difference where you make the bend because the post needs to be even from one ear wire to the other.

Simple DIY for Swirl Post Ear wires

Once the post is at the top of the spiral and I don't have much wire left, I insert my pliers to make the bend for the V.

Simple DIY for Swirl Post Ear wires

Fold the wire up towards the spiral. Sometimes, I trim the wire close to the spiral right here, but usually I continue to wrap it up and around the top.

Simple DIY for Swirl Post Ear wires

After wrapping it as far as I think I need to, cut the wire tail and smooth the edge as close to the earwire as possible.

I need to make these! Spiral Post Ear wire free tutorial

Now, repeat the steps but SPIRAL THE OTHER WAY!  Yes, this is a little challenging since we tend to want to work in the same direction, but the general preference is that your earrings should be mirror images of each other which means you need to spiral in the opposite direction.

I need to make these! Spiral Post Ear wire free tutorial

I typically use clear rubber earnuts when I make post earrings, but with 20g wire, the metal ones will usually work too. Wear them as is if you want post earrings or add a jump ring at the V to add dangles.

To finish the earwires, cut them to about 3/8" long (that is a standard post length) and use a wire rounding tool or an emory file to take of the sharp edges. You can also use that on the cut edge that is against the spiral to take any sharp edges off.

Pretty simple - right?!

Double St. Petersburg Stitch earring with handmade spiral Earwire - free tutorials

And here's a sneak peak of the Double St. Petersburg stitch earring design I am working on.  I should have the free tutorial finished before the weekend and all the loose threads knotted by then.  These use dragon scale beads on the outside of the stitch to give it a bit more of a fringe effect.

I'll add the link when the tutorial is ready.  Until then - you know what to do if you want notification of my new projects... (or if you don't, read on!)

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3 comments:

  1. Thank you sooo much for this tutorial. I really like the simple look of these but also like how they can be dressed up with dangles, etc. I have a question - do you do anything to the cut end of the wire (the post) so it goes through the ear comfortably?

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    Replies
    1. Ah - of course! I updated the post with the information - but you just need to trim the post to 3/8 inch (that's the standard size) and file the edges so you don't feel anything sharp when you run your finger over it. I use an emory board or wire rounder tool. Thank you for reminding me!!

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    2. Excelllent thanks for the great tut!

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