FREE Pattern – Birch Leaf Earrings

By on April 17, 2015
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Wire Jewelry Pattern April 17, 2015

Birch Leaf Earrings

by Albina Manning

Since Spring is in the air – I thought I’d share a beautiful earring pattern by one of our favorites – Albina Manning!  She uses our Sea Foam Green-toned Silver Plated Wire for her earrings. Take a look!

Birch Leaf Earrings

Birch Leaf Earrings

Designed by Albina Manning © 2011

Skill Level: Advanced Intermediate

Technique: Round wire, forming and weaving

Craft wire can be easy to work with, and it’s fun to work in colors! The following pattern is to show you how to make earrings that remind me of leaves from a birch tree (one of my favorite trees). Of course, if you change the shape of the base-wire frame, you could make leaves to resemble almost any type of flower or tree leaf you would like. I used sea foam green-toned wire, but you could use any color you would like.

Materials

    The measurements below will make two 1 ½ (4cm) long leaves:

  • 18-gauge round dead soft craft wire, 1 foot (30 cm)
  • 26-gauge round dead soft craft wire, 8 foot (2.4 meters)
  • 1 pair ear wires

Tools

Instructions

  1. To make a frame, begin by straightening one 6″ (15cm) length of 18-gauge wire. About one third of the way up from one end, curve the wire around the dowel so where the wire crosses itself it forms a leaf shape with a 7mm tail overlapping the longer end.Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  2. To make a matching pair of leaves, repeat Step 1 with the remaining 18-gauge wire and set this second frame aside.
    Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  3. Where the wires overlap, use chain nose pliers to grab the long wire and begin bending it closely over the shorter tail. Before crimping the bend tight, make sure this longer wire is in the center of the leaf shape, forming the midrib (the central vein in a leaf).
    Birch Leaf Earrings Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  4. Cut one 4-foot (1.2m) length of 26-gauge wire. This will now be called the wrapping wire. Leaving a 1″ (25mm) tail, wrap this wire twice around the frame as shown.
    Birch Leaf Earrings
    Line Break
  5. Push the wraps just made toward the “corner” of the frame. Now bring the wrapping wire over and under the midrib wire wrapping once, forming the first “vein.”
    Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  6. Return to the short tail remaining on the wrapping wire, and wrap this tail around the opposite frame twice. Trim the wire close to the frame (red arrow).
    Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  7. Now bring the longer wrapping wire under the frame wire (green arrow) forming the second vein and wrap twice.Birch Leaf Earrings Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  8. Continuing to use the wrapping wire, wrap it around the midrib wire once (as described in Step 5).
    Birch Leaf Earrings Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  9. Next, wrap the wrapping wire twice around the frame and then repeat Steps 7 and 8 on the opposite side. And then wrap the wire around the frame three times.
    Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  10. Continue wrapping in segments of 3, until you almost reach the end of the midrib. Now, make 5 wraps on each side.Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  11. Finish the wrapping by making 8 to 10 wraps on the frame and then wrap the wrapping wire over the midrib wire. Continue wrapping until you reach the last vein. Trim and tuck the end of the wrapping wire.Birch Leaf Earrings Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  12. To finish the tip of the leaf, use chain nose pliers to carefully bend the 7mm tail under the “corner” as shown.Birch Leaf Earrings Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  13. This step is optional: Using your thumb, press gently on the midrib to form a curve.
    Birch Leaf EarringsLine Break
  14. To complete this earring, use round nose pliers to form a small connection loop in the last wire end and attach your favorite ear wire.Now repeat Steps 3 through 14 to make the second earring.Birch Leaf Earrings Birch Leaf Earrings

Have fun making these Birch Leaf Earrings – and don’t forget to pick up your colored wire today!

Happy Wrapping!

3 Comments

  1. avatar

    Judy Pinchback

    April 17, 2015 at 11:11 am

    I love these and will be trying this out today! I’ve never tried weaving before and this really shows how to do it well? Thanks so much!

  2. avatar

    Monica

    April 17, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    Thank you!!!

  3. avatar

    sha

    May 19, 2015 at 6:55 pm

    I love this & of course the beautiful pieces. Well done!
    Thank you very much!!!!!!