Ear cuffs: a piece of ear jewellery that, unlike regular earrings, does not require pierced ears.

For someone that really likes jewellery but doesn't have piercings, it's quite a nice alternative. But, where do you find them?

Google images gives you lots of results and I'm sure that there are jewellery stores that sell them as well. However, those
don't give you a lot of choice, so the perfect solution is to make one yourself :)

I really enjoyed making these, I'm definitely going to try a bit of a more complicated design as well. I hope you' ll like it!

Step 1: Materials

To create your own ear cuff, you will need:

- wire, gauge 19/ 1 mm

- pliers

- (optional) a bead

Step 2: Cutting the Wire

Start by cutting off a piece of wire. Before starting to make your ear cuff, you'll need to be sure both ends are cut straight. You can see the difference in the second and third picture.

Step 3: Beginning

Take your round nose pliers and bend the beginning of the wire into a small loop, using just the tips of your pliers. Next, place the largest part ( or an other part if your pliers are bigger) of your pliers next to the small loop and bend a second, bigger loop.

Step 4: Wrappable Bits

Now before bending loop number three, let the wire go straight for a bit. This straight part needs to be long enough to wrap around one of the sides of your ear. Bend loop number three and let the wire go to the other side before creating loop number four, which will also need to be long enough to wrap around one of the sides of your ear.

Step 5: Swirling Back

This next loop sits basicallh next to the small loop you started with, only now it is created using the largest part of your pliers. After that, keep your pliers in place as shown and wrap loop number six. around the other side of your pliers.

Step 6: More Swirls

Continue using the technique explained last step to make this swirly downwards bit until you almost run out of wire or until you think it is long enough.

Step 7: Adding a Bead

This step is completely optional, just do whatever you like most. Loosely bend the wire in position first, then add a bead and make sure it doesn't fall off.

Step 8: Bending

Using both your hands and the round nose pliers, gently bend the two long loops first. After that, you can shape it more and more bit by bit. Once you think it's bended enough, try it on. After that you can make small adjustments until it fits.