Simple Ear Cuff Tutorial

July 04, 2012


What you've all be waiting for... an ear cuff tutorial! I've been making ear cuffs for over a year, but unfortunately haven't had the time to make some of the insanely complicated designs I've dreamed up. This, however, is a very simple ear cuff that takes only a few minutes to master!

Ear cuffs (also known as ear clips, cartiliage cuffs, ear vines, and more) are fabulous for people who don't have pierced ears-- or pair them with other earrings for a "double piercing" look. They are easy to wear, and stay in! I wore one on several rollercoasters and it stayed in place. The only thing to watch out for is hair tangling in them; tug your hair, and you might tug off the cuff.
I've had many friends test these ear cuffs and the sizing shown below has fit everyone because it is adjustable.

All you need is pliers and some wire (the pictured wires are 20ga blue silver plated copper and 20ga enameled copper in various colors).


Begin with 3 inches of wire.


Fold at one inch.


Fold again, creating a little zigzag.


Twist the ends into swirls and pinch the swirls until they touch the center wire. Having loops on the far left and right edges makes the cuff more comfortable (so don't pinch the zigzags into a straight line).


You will need a mandel to form the ear cuff correctly. Anything in a good small circle-- I found that this PaperMate marker was the perfect size. Bic pens are too small for some people, and other markers are way too large. Experiment and find what works best for you.


Push the ends down...


The tips of the ends will still be straight. Using pliers, gently twist them to complete the circle.


Tada!


This brown ear cuff fits both ears. The swirly decoration sits on the outside of the cartilage. Next I'll show you have to make an ear cuff specific to one ear-- a very important skill for some of the more difficult ear cuff tutorials I've got planned.




This ear cuff is for the left ear.



You can use a larger length of wire and create bigger swirlies. You can then add a simple wirewrapped bead dangle onto the cuff.



Or, create something a bit more gothy or piratey by adding chain and a stud earring! Be creative!


UPDATE: I've made tutorials for two more ear cuffs, the 'Swirly Ear Cuff' and the 'Double-Loop' style, and I plan on posting step-by-step or behind the scenes shots for some more complex ear cuffs, which you will be able to find here.


As I said before, ear cuffs are not my idea, but this tutorial is. You may use this tutorial to make your own ear cuffs, or your own modified design, for personal use or even for selling. All I ask is that you please reference me (Shaylynn Ann / Shealynn's Faerie Shoppe), and include a link back to my blog where appropriate. I do put a lot of time in coming up with tutorials and offering them for free, so thank you for this courtesy! And if you don't feel like making one of your own, they are available in my Shoppe, and can also be custom ordered!

UPDATE AGAIN: I made a video tutorial! Watch it below, or, if it won't load, here's the YouTube link.

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25 comments

  1. LilyJuly 4, 2012 at 6:25 PM

    That is so pretty!

    ~Lily

    lilycarolinephotography.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. LilyJuly 4, 2012 at 6:25 PM

    That is so pretty!

    ~Lily

    lilycarolinephotography.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Katrina DeLalloJuly 4, 2012 at 11:21 PM

    That is WAY COOL! I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 6, 2012 at 1:22 PM

    I added it to my favorites blog site list and will be checking back soon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. KristiinaJuly 22, 2012 at 7:18 PM

    So cute! I found you on Sundae Scoop but I'm going to have to poke around and see what else you have. I love jewelry-making!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Heaven's WalkJuly 23, 2012 at 1:45 PM

    What a great tut! Thank you so much for sharing your secrets! I adore ear cuffs and love to wear them when I have my hair pinned up. Yours are so sweet - so I'm headed over to check out your shop! :)

    xoxo laurie

    ReplyDelete
  7. RebeccaJuly 23, 2012 at 6:29 PM

    Those look really nice. The swirls work well. It is also a very well written tutorial.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousAugust 5, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    You should keep it up forever! Good Luck.

    ReplyDelete
  9. erik hinshawAugust 25, 2012 at 6:32 AM

    I wish I had found your site sooner great tutorials

    ReplyDelete
  10. Angela AlvinSeptember 26, 2012 at 5:27 AM

    Thanks for sharing such nice post about ear Designer Cuffs. Its really interesting post.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJune 19, 2013 at 11:55 PM

    Its soo cool!! But where do you get the wire?

    ReplyDelete
  12. ShaylynnJune 27, 2013 at 12:37 PM

    I get the wire from a number of places, but the easiest way to find it is at a craft store like Michaels, Joanns, or Hobby Lobby! Now I mostly buy online so I can get bulk wire.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Donne RomaJuly 17, 2013 at 9:51 AM

    This is great! I'll try it...thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  14. ProcuffsJuly 22, 2013 at 4:27 PM

    Its a superb collection of ears rings.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kat WithersAugust 11, 2013 at 3:55 PM

    What a fantastic tutorial!! I started out making an ear cuff, and then slipped it on my toe, so now I've got a new toe ring and I'm making more ear cuffs! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  16. GwenSeptember 5, 2013 at 9:46 PM

    This is the easiest, yet most beautiful ear cuff tutorial I have seen! I tried it and it was easy to follow and it turned out great.Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Fallen LeavesDecember 23, 2013 at 7:14 PM

    This is lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  18. tgbApril 21, 2014 at 1:58 PM

    Lovely and creative design

    ReplyDelete
  19. sareesMay 4, 2014 at 2:19 AM

    Excellent creative designs.

    ReplyDelete
  20. AnonymousJuly 3, 2014 at 2:06 PM

    Hey Shealynn, this is amazing! I just yesterday was searching ear cuffs online; as they have become a recent minor obsession of mine (although, I do not yet have one), and stumbled upon the discovery that you could make ear cuffs out of paper clips.
    Tried and failed with several other tutorials that were less clear, and as paper clips are harder to work with/stiffer. However, after some experimentation with different tutorials, I found yours, and I must saw, yours looks very clean and concise; as well as very beautiful, something I could see myself wearing proudly!

    I don't really have my own money or the ablity to go out right now; but when I can, I will try to pick up some supplies, and make my own! Again, great tutorial, and thanks!:)

    ReplyDelete
  21. xDGiiRLApril 23, 2015 at 3:34 PM

    I love them! I can't stand the pain when wearing earrings, even tho my ears were pierced when I was a baby but I don't even feel the ear cuffs and they look wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  22. HipHopPup PupJuly 16, 2015 at 2:58 PM

    Can I use this for a article? i asked someone and they said yes.

    ReplyDelete
  23. ShaylynnJuly 16, 2015 at 6:11 PM

    @HipHopPup Pup
    If you'd like to use my work or any of my tutorials in an article, please email me at shealynnsfaerieshoppe@gmail.com Unless you are wanting to include a large portion of the blog post, it's usually fine to reference in articles as long as you credit properly!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Fayon FashionFebruary 29, 2016 at 12:32 AM

    I found your blog quite interesting and the concern in the blog is really impressive

    latest ear cuffs

    ReplyDelete
  25. shermndukeJune 9, 2016 at 7:49 PM

    Thanks for this.

    ReplyDelete

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