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Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings, Contemporary Wire Jewelry. Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry. There are many ways to make popular cluster dangle earrings like these.
Beaded Cluster Earrings
by Rhonda Chase
  • Category: Contemporary
  • Technique(s): Making Loops, Wrapping
  • Skill Level: Beginner
There are many ways to make popular cluster dangle earrings like these. The directions I see most often are for attaching beads to a chain with jump rings. However, my favorite way to make these great earrings is a little more laborious, but it gives you more control, a sturdier earring and often a fuller look. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to make your own dangles and build your own dangle chain for the earring base. This is also an ideal project to practice making wrapped loops and end up with awesome earrings. I hope you enjoy it!

Materials

4mm Crystal Aurore Boreale 5000 Round Swarovski Beads - Pack of 12
A13-75
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.97
  • Gold Club Price: $2.98
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4mm Amethyst 5000 Round Swarovski Crystal Bead - Pack of 12
A13-88A
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.97
  • Gold Club Price: $2.98
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4mm Light Topaz 5301 Bi-Cone Swarovski Crystal Beads - Pack of 10
A13-21A
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $1.57
  • Gold Club Price: $1.18
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4mm Blue Zircon 5000 Round Swarovski Crystal Beads - Pack of 12
A13-105
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.97
  • Gold Club Price: $2.98
Add to Bag
4mm Lilac 5301 Bi-Cone Swarovski Crystal Beads - Pack of 10
A13-113A
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $1.97
  • Gold Club Price: $1.48
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4mm Rose 5000 Round Swarovski Crystal Beads - Pack of 12
A13-111
  • Lesson Quantity: 4.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.57
  • Gold Club Price: $2.68
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Metal Beads - Large
  • Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Sterling Silver Jump Ring (.030" 20.5ga) Oval 4x6mm - Pack of 10
K11-13
  • Lesson Quantity: 14.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 2.00 pieces
  • Price: $2.54
  • Gold Club Price: $1.91
Add to Bag
Silver Filled Headpins 22GA 1.5 inch - Pack of 10
S8-11
  • Lesson Quantity: 30.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 3.00 pieces
  • Price: $2.52
  • Gold Club Price: $1.89
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Tools

Chain Nose Wire Plier
G2-508
  • G2-508
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
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Flat Nose Wire Plier
G2-506
  • G2-506
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $32.95
  • Gold Club Price: $24.71
Add to Bag
C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches
PLR-487.00
  • PLR-487.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.97
  • Gold Club Price: $11.23
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Instructions
Step 1
String a bead (with optional seed beads) onto a headpin. Leave at least a 1/2″ un-beaded “tail”.
Step 2
Bend the tail of the headpin at a right angle, 2 - 4mm above the top of the beads(s) with flat nose pliers.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Bend headpin tail with flat nose pliers.
Step 3
With round nose pliers, hold the wire tail at the bend and loop the wire tail over the pliers and into a circle with your fingers.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Round nose pliers bending into a circle.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Round nose pliers bending into a circle.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Round nose pliers bending into a circle.
Step 4
Then wrap the remaining wire tail around the headpin in the space left above the beads. Make at least 1 full wrap. You can wrap as many times as you want after that, if the wire is long enough. Use pliers to add stability.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Wrap remaining wire tail around the headpin.
Step 5
Cut excess wire close to the wraps.
Step 6
Pro Tip: Keep Making Dangles
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Keep making dangles with the small beads until you have two (matched) sets of at least 5 - 10 beads each. I used 12 dangles for each earring for a total of 24 small bead dangles.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Making more dangles.
Step 7
Pro Tip: Large Beads
Make dangles with your large beads. You'll only need two. These will hang at the bottom of your earrings.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Two dangles with large beads.
Step 8
Pro Tip: Begin Assembly
Open 1 jump ring with pliers.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Open jump ring.
Step 9
Slide the jump ring on one ear wire.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Add jump ring to ear wire.
Step 10
Add 1 dangle to each side of the ear wire and close the jump ring.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Add dangle to each side.
Step 11
Set the grouping down in this configuration and repeat with the other ear wire.
Pro Tip: I find the easiest way to open jump rings is to hold each side of the cut with a pair of flat surfaced pliers and twist slightly in opposite directions. Never pull the opening apart. Always twist.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Repeat for second ear wire.
Step 12
Pro Tip: Second Level
Open a second jump ring.
Step 13
Add it to the first ring, making sure you keep the configuration from the previous step.
Step 14
Add a dangle so they fall to each side of the open jump ring.
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Add another dangle.
Step 15
Close the jump ring. You will build a chain of dangles in this way until you like the look and the length. Continue until you've attached all your dangles. Repeat with the other earring (in bead order if possible).
Pro Tip: It helps to work upside down, but hold your earrings right-side-up once in a while to see how they look. Remember to make sure your dangles fall to each side of the jump ring when you pick up the cluster.
Step 16
Pro Tip: More Dangles
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, More dangles.
Step 17
Pro Tip: The Last Dangle
Before you close the last jump ring on each earring, add the dangle with the large bead.
Step 18
Close the jump ring and hold your earring by the ear wire to see how it looks. Do the other one and you're done!
Rhonda Chase's Beaded Cluster Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Loops, Wire Loop, Wrapped Wire Loop, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, Finished piece.

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