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Crystal Cluster Earrings
I have a vintage pair of earrings that closely resemble these. Before I knew how to bead, I always wondered how all those little crystals were clustered together. Now I know: lots of wire wrapping (and patience), and a little beading wire to hold it all together.
Shanna Steele, Auntie's Beads Designer
Instructions:
1. On 48 separate headpins, pick up each of the 48 crystals in your mix. Make a loop in each of the headpins. Wrap the wires and trim the excess. Sort your dangles into 2 separate piles with 24 dangles in each pile. (You may want to try to even out the colors in each one so you have a good representation of colors in each earring.)
2. Take a piece of beading wire measuring 4-5 inches. Pick up 24 of your dangles on the beading wire. Pull the ends of the wire up evenly. Add a seed bead, crimp bead, and another seed bead to the wires. Push the 3 beads down firmly so your dangles are clustered close together.
3. Run both ends of your beading wire through a link at one end of a 1 inch piece of chain. Run the beading wire back down through the seed bead, crimp bead, seed. bead. Use your chain nose pliers to securely crimp the bead. Cut excess wire.
4. Open the loop at the bottom of your ear wire. Attach the chain to the loop before closing it.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 to create your other earring.
Materials and Quantities Needed:
Swarovski Crystal, 4mm Bicone, Bag of 48, Down to Earth (48 pieces)
Antique Copper Plated Head Pins, 2 Inch, 21 Gauge, Bag of 10 (48 pieces)
Antique Copper Curb Chain by the Foot, 2.8mm (about 2 inches)
Beadalon 19-strand Wire, 30 ft., .018, Metallic Satin Gold (about 10 inches)
Miyuki Seed Beads, Topaz Gold Luster, 8/0 (4 pieces)
Antique Copper Plate Crimp Bead, 2 x 2 mm, Bag of 50 (2 pieces)
Niobium French Wires with 2 mm Bright Copper Bead, Bag of 10 (1 pair)
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