How to Make Abalone Seashell Bead Earrings

Sea shell earrings are easy to make and can appear dramatic, elegant or simple depending on their design style. Sea shells come in a variety of shapes, textures and colors. Sea shell earrings are worn all year long, but are most popular during the summer and spring months.

Materials:

Two abalone sea shells, top drilled

Two round beads

Two eyepins

Jewelry pliers

Jewelry wire cutters

Hook ear wires

Select two abalone sea shell beads that are top drilled. Use beads with any design and in any color. Choose coordinating round beads in bone, shell or crystal. Make sure that these beads are no larger than 4mm and smaller than the abalone shell beads.

Open the small hoop on the eyepins with the jewelry pliers. Do not over extend the wire. This could cause the eyepins to break.

Insert the opened wire through the end of the abalone sea shell beads. Carefully close the loop around the abalone shell. Make sure that the wire is secure so that the shell will not fall off. Even a slight gap between the eye and the post can cause the shell to come loose and slide off.

Slide one of the beads onto each of the eyepins. Push the beads down so that they fit securely onto the top of the shell bead. There should be no space between the beads. The bead should rest flush against the abalone shell bead.

Bend the eyepin with the jewelry pliers. Make sure that the bend is flat against the top of the bead. Cut away the excess section of eyepin so that there is about 8mm of the wire left on the headpin. Bend the remaing section of the eyepin so that it forms a small loop on the top of the top bead.

Open the circular ends of the hook ear wires with the jewelry pliers. Attach the hook ear wires to each of the earrings, and close the wire around the ear hooks. Make sure that the wire is closed sucurely, so that the shells will not fall off of the earrings. Again, any gap between the wires will allow the earrings to fall apart.

Tips:

To create a more dramatic look, use ear threads in place of ear hook wires. Simply place the shell beads on the end of the ear threads.

Sea shell beads may also be attached to a half ball post for another design style option.

Use half ball posts that are attached to clip on earrings to create earrings for people with allergies or for those who do not have pierced ears.

Eco Friendly Crafts; Sea Shell Earrings

Seashells in Jewelry Design