How to Make Beaded Huggie Drop Earrings

With the launch of our Bead Shop, we’re teaching you how to make fun and polished jewelry, one piece at a time! We started with beaded neck messes, then stretch bracelets (that won’t break!), and today we’re teaching you how to make our latest obsession: Beaded Huggie Drop Earrings!

Beaded huggie drop earrings are the perfect way to showcase your favorite beads for a look that crosses playfulness with a touch of sophistication. These earrings so quick and easy to whip up, we doubt you’ll be able to stop at just one pair. (Hint: They make excellent gifts. 😉)

Let’s get started!

YOU’LL NEED:

• Huggie Drop Earrings Findings Set, or:
  • Huggie hoop earrings with an attached loop
  • Flat head pins (should be at least 1″ longer than the height of your beads)
• Beads of your choice (all beads pictured in this tutorial are available here!)
• Tape measure or ruler
• Marker
• Wire cutters
• Round nose pliers
• Flat nose/needle nose pliers

HUGGIE DROP EARRING VIDEO TUTORIAL

HUGGIE DROP EARRING STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL

Start by choosing your beads & planning your bead pattern. I like to put a gold spacer bead at the bottom to start (they’re included in our Huggie Drop Earrings Set!), then add a mix of playful and chic beads, like polymer clay shapes mixed with pearls. You can make your earrings match or take the playful look to the next level with a mismatching set!

Stack your beads onto your set of flat head pins, leaving at least an inch of extra space at the top. Next, use your flat or needle nose pliers to create a 90-degree bend in the pin as close to your top bead as possible.

Once your head pin is bent, use your marker to mark 3/8″, then use wire cutters to cut on the mark, facing the flat side of the wire cutters towards your body, and the concave part and head pin end away from your body so the offcut shoots away from you.

Next, you’re going to turn a loop with your round nose pliers. (This part takes so practice, so don’t worry if you don’t get it on the first try. You can always try bending your pin again!)

Face the bent part of the pin so that it’s pointing at you and hold it with the round nose pliers, gripping the pliers as if you’re holding a bike handle. Make sure the edge of the pin aligns with the side of the plier’s nose.

In one swift motion, twist your wrist forward so that you create a loop with the pin. Use the pliers to straighten out the loop. You can leave the loop open slightly, as you’ll be adding each dangle onto an earring.

Tip: To ensure that your loop on each earring matches, you can draw a mark on your round nose pliers and turn your loop in the same place every time.

Once your dangles are complete, attach the loop of each dangle to the loop on the huggie hoop, then close up both loops with your pliers. When you close your loops, be sure to do so like closing a hinge in order to maintain the shape and integrity of the loop.

And that’s it! You can use these steps to make other dangle-style earrings, charms for a necklace, and many other beaded jewelry projects!

Questions? Leave them in the comments below! If you give this project a try, be sure to tag us on Instagram @theneonteaparty so we can check out your beaded dangle earring creations!

Peace, love & neon,
Marisa