I’m extra excited to share this post, because it takes me back to my first crafting love: jewelry making. Stringing rainbow-hued pony beads onto sparkly plastic cord in elementary school was basically my gateway drug into the world of DIY. Luckily, my tastes have matured a bit over the years, and now I’ve moved on to silk tassels and brass charms.
My goal whenever I make jewelry now is make it look anything but homemade. The key to this is using quality materials and having the right tools on hand. Needle-nose pliers are a must have, because they allow you to easily create finished loops. Other than that, this project is a total breeze! In less than 30 minutes you’ll be in the possession of a pair of statement-making geometric tassel earrings that are so polished and on trend people will be asking where you bought them.
Tools
Materials
- E6000
- two flat-back earring posts with backs
- two brass circle charms with two holes
- two half-moon charms with three holes
- five small brass jump rings
- four small brass beads
- four eye pins
- a small strand of brass chain
- two 1 1/2″ silk tassels
Start by applying a small dot of E600 to the back of your earring posts, then firmly press the posts to the back of brass circle charms. Let dry while you’re putting together the rest of the earrings.
Grab your chain and your pliers (or wire cutters if you have them) and cut four lengths of chain that are each five links long.
Next, make the beaded links by threading one brass bead onto one of the eye pins. Trim off excess pin, leaving about 1/3″ inch. Using the needle-nose pliers, twist the end of the pin around the end of the pliers to create a nice, neat loop. Repeat so you have two links.
Now, all that’s left to do is assemble the pieces. Attach one segment of chain to either side of the beaded links. Use the needle-nose pliers to open and close the loops on either side of the beaded links. Make sure to close the loops nice and tight so the chains can’t slip out while you’re wearing the earrings.
Add a small jump ring to one end of the chain and attach it to the hole on one side of the half-moon charm. Close tightly then repeat on the other side.
Then, thread a jump ring through the top of the silk tassel and attach it to the hole at the bottom of the half-moon charm.
Attach a jump ring to the top of the chain and connect it to one of the holes at the bottom of the circle charm. Repeat on the other side and you’re good to go!
One thing to note: since these charms are made from raw brass, they might tarnish a bit. If you like that antiqued look, great! If not, all you have to do to get them nice and shiny again is mix together a paste of equal parts salt, flour, and vinegar. Spread some of the paste on the brass, let sit for 15 minutes or so and rinse off with warm water.
This project is great because it’s fast and easy — plus, you can stock up on different colors of tassels and trade them out to match your OOTD! What color earrings will you make first?
photography by Meghan Klein.
DIY by Homemade Banana for Jojotastic. Find more DIY projects here!
