Introduction: Ribbon Cable Earrings

About: Undergraduate Class of 2017 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Major: Course 2 (Mechanical Engineering); Minor: Course 21A (Anthropology).

These are drop-earrings made from loops of rainbow electrical ribbon cable. They work great as a gift, or as a way to show off your geek pride.

Step 1: What You'll Need

1. 2 strips of rainbow ribbon cable, each the same length

2. 26 or 24 gauge copper wire (you can also use steel or brass wire)

3. A pair of large jump rings

4. A pair of earring fishhooks

5. Needle-nosed pliers (not pictured and not necessary, though they may be useful)

Step 2: Place the Wire

Take around 2 inches of the copper wire, and bend it sharply to create a right angle. Place it sandwiched in between the ends of the ribbon cable loop, as I'm doing here.

Step 3: Wrap the Wire

Start wrapping the copper wire tightly and carefully around both ends of the ribbon cable loop, as shown, until you feel that the ribbon cable ends are securely bound. The length of the wire that is peeking out from the previous step will form the loop that the earring hooks will eventually attach to.

Step 4: Form a Loop

Take the length of wire that was "peeking out" from between the ribbon cable ends, and fold it into a loop by tucking the end in between the ribbon cable ends. Next, sharply bend the other end of the copper wire leftover from wrapping up at a right angle, as shown. I will call this end the "free end" in the next step.

Step 5: Secure the Loop

Wrap the free end of the wire around the loop you just formed, and tuck the free end in between the ribbon cable ends as well. For extra security, you can thread the free end under the last ribbon cable-wrap before you do the loop-wraps, like I did.

Step 6: Jump Rings + Fishhooks

Attach a jump ring and an earring hook to the loop you just made. Then make your first earring a friend, and you have yourself a set of ribbon cable earrings!