Spider Earrings

Intro: Spider Earrings

These creepily life-like, beaded spiders are easy to make and work great as inexpensive Halloween accessories. Not only do they make great earrings, but you could also hang them in your hair or from your rear-view mirror, whatever suits you best!

STEP 1: Supplies

Wire (preferably black)
Beads: One Large, one medium, and many seed beads
Clear plastic stretchy string (2 x 5" pieces)
Wire Crimp x2
Earrings x2
Wire Cutters (or scissors)
Beading Pliers (optional for tighter loops)

Wire Lengths:
You need 4 x 3.5" for the legs.
You need about 6" for the body.

STEP 2: Assemble Spider Bits

1. Center the small bead (spider head) on the 6" wire and put the ends together. Thread both ends through the larger bead (spider abdomen), pull it tight and slightly bend the wires so the beads don't come back off.
2. Fold the legs in half evenly. Attach the legs to the spider where the head and abdomen meet by making a loop at the center of the leg(s).
3. Once the legs are on you will secure them using the body wire. At this point, if you are making earrings, you may lay the plastic stretchy string over the wire at that back so that when you bend the wire up it will hold the string in place where you will tie a knot.
4. To secure the legs bend the wires from the spider's "spinneret," up and across so that the wires cross where the legs are attached. Bend the wires under, crossing again beneath where the legs attach, and then secure the wires by twisting them around the center between the legs and the abdomen. Trim any excess.
5. Put beads on the legs and then fold the tip of the wire up so the beads don't fall off. I used 14 seed beads on each leg, but this may vary on the kind of bead you are using and how long you want your legs.
6. Afix the earring hook to the "spider's silk" (stretchy string) by first threading the wire crimp on the string, then thread the loop at the end of the hook. Re-thread the wire crimp with the string so as to have a loop around the earring loop (you may need to stretch the first bit of string in order to get it to go through a second time).
7. Crimp the wire crimp with pliers and trim the excess stretchy string (be careful not to cut the string that attaches the earring to the spider!).
8. Bend the spider legs - they will look more realistic if you bend them in two places instead of one.

Enjoy your new pair of creepy-crawly earring! Don't be afraid to get creative and find other ways to throw these spiders into your Halloween decor!

Comments

[zimmermank]

What kind of bead did you use for the abdomen? Thanks!

[unexpired]

Hello, I'm not sure about the exact name of the bead, but it was an oval black glass one I had laying around. These were all repurposed/leftover beads from various projects.

[taria]

Okay Im being very dumb today for some odd reason. but when you say to secure the legs with the body wire, what do you mean? cause from the images I can't really make out what your doing or how to secure this without having my legs spin on the wire. (which they keep doing) so what am I doing wrong? help....

[unexpired]

Hi Taria,

I just added some notes to the pictures to clear up Step 4 of "Assemble Spider BIts." I hope this helps. Basically you are just wrapping the body wires around both sides of the legs so they don't move on you.

Let me know if you still have questions after reading the new notes on the images.

Thanks,
Heidi

[taria]

oh okay, I think my wires are to small them. I'll just let them spin. sorry for the very late reply, but I have so much junk in my e-mail that I didn't see this until now.

[nharvey2]

Wow, these are so much harder than I expected. Thought I'd make a few but I think I'll be lucky to finish one. Good work Heidi

[doodlecraft]

Wow, I love these! Going to rummage through my beads right now and see if I can replicate them! Thanks for sharing! :)

[taria]

double post...stupid thing is messing up. sorry about that.

[taria]

Okay Im being very dumb today for some odd reason. but when you say to secure the legs with the body wire, what do you mean? cause from the images I can't really make out what your doing or how to secure this without having my legs spin on the wire. (which they keep doing) so what am I doing wrong? help....

[Closet_RAt]

Love this!
Gonna try to make these for my wife this weekend.

[nhereveri]

Nice work. Perfect gift to my GF.
She like this hand made stuff.

[Pixie Puddle]

there cool my husband hates spiders it would be so funny making these even if just to put the spider its self under his pillow, might not be a good idea wearing them in bed mind he might rip my ear off :)

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Yikes! In that first picture, with some strand of hair hanging down, it looks like the spider has already started creating a web on your head. So very creepy!!!