Quilled Earrings

A New and Practical Quilled Paper Project

I've done a lot of paper quilling to add to handmade cards and have even done framed quillery with sayings like "Home Sweet Home", children's names and little nature scenes of flowers, birds and butterflies.

It struck me that quilled shapes would make darling drop earrings. The light weight is also perfect for earrings.

This is a great teen craft project and very inexpensive.

You can purchase a quilling kit which would include a quilling pin, several colors of paper quilling strips, some patterns to get you started and detailed instructions.

As well, you can buy just the thin paper strips.

They come in stacks glued at one end like a notepad so are very easy to organize and store. You will also need a t-pin or a large straight pin like a corsage pin for quilling.

You'll find basic quilling instructions and illustrations of the basic quilling shapes in this article.

To make quilled earrings, you will also need brush-on clear acrylic, jeweler's ear wires, jump rings and pliers.

Read how to assemble earrings here.

Two-Color Circular Quilled Earrings

[Pictured Above]

Wind and glue a large tight coil. You will need several strips of quilling paper. Simply butt the ends together with glue as you wind. My white coils are ¾ inches across.

The spiral edging is made with individual glued tear drops with extra long tails. The tail is used to create a circle by gluing the tip to the tear part. My tear drop circles are ¼ inch across. Twelve were needed to encircle the white coil.

Glue the tear drop circles around the tight coil. Repeat for the second earring.

Two-Color Star Quilled Earrings

Make a 3/16-inch tight glued coil for the star's center.

Make a 5/8-inch long glued tear drop. Pinch the ends to form a diamond. Make three of each color.

Alternate star point colors as you glue them around the central coil.

Repeat for the second earring.

Two-Color Striped Circular Quilled Earrings

Follow the directions for the Two-Color Circular Earrings with one exception. When you butt a new piece onto the tight coil, alternate colors to create the stripe pattern.

Finishing Your Earrings

Coat your quilled shapes with brush on clear acrylic. Do one side at a time and lay on waxed paper to dry.

Open a jump ring. Thread it through one of the outer loops of the quilled shape and through the loop of the ear wire. Close the jump ring.