Make Filigree Earrings – 10 Design Ideas (Tutorial)
by Rena Klingenberg. © 2003-Present Rena Klingenberg. All Rights Reserved
Raid Your Stash for This Project!
We’re going to make filigree earrings, with 10 different design inspirations – including a few asymmetrical ones.
Supplies:
- Pairs of filigree stampings
(I purchase them at Etsy.com – do a search there for “filigree stampings”.) - Your choice of other jewelry findings, beads, and components to attach to your filigree earring components.
(Mine are from my stash; many of them came from various Etsy.com shops over the years.) - Jump rings.
(I’m using 7mm and 9mm jump rings.) - Earwires of your choice.
- Flat nose and chain nose pliers – for opening and closing your jump rings and earwires.
How to
Make Filigree Earrings – 10 Design Ideas Tutorial
These are the filigree stampings I’m using in this tutorial:
And these are the other components from my stash that I’ll be attaching to my filigree components:
How to Assemble Each Pair of Earrings:
Use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist open one of your jump rings:
. . . then hang your topmost jewelry component onto the jump ring:
Add the next jewelry component to the jump ring:
Then use your flat nose and chain nose pliers to twist the jump ring shut again.
Your two components should be attached something like this:
Finally, finish the earrings by attaching the earwires, using your flat nose pliers and chain nose pliers to twist open the loops of a pair of earwires.
Attach the earwires to the top loops of the pair of filigree stampings.
Then use your flat nose pliers and chain nose pliers to twist the loops of the 2 earwires shut again.
And your earrings are finished. Now let’s get started creating!
Design Idea #1
Frilly Filigree Earrings with Colorful Tassels
For this pair of earrings, I’m using these frilly square filigree stampings measuring 28mm x 28mm (1.1″ x 1.1″):
I’m pairing them with these fun, colorful tassels 35mm (1.38″) long, that you can make from my Colorful Tassel Jewelry Tutorial:
And here are the finished earrings:
What I love about this design:
The cheery tassels swinging below the ornate filigree components add a touch of mixed media, keeping the earrings from getting too serious.
Design Idea #2
Filigree Earrings with Metal Charms
For these earrings, I’m using the same frilly square stampings that we used in Design Idea #1, measuring 28mm x 28mm (1.1″ x 1.1″):
This time I’m combining them with these round, dapped metal charms 20mm (0.79″) in diameter:
And here are the finished earrings:
What I love about this design:
Although the components in these earrings are all the same color, the filigrees are openwork, while the round charms are solid.
Design Idea #3
Large Leaf Filigree Earrings with Small Beads
For this pair of earrings, I’m using a pair of large leaf filigree stampings, measuring 30mm x 54mm (1.18″ x 2.13″):
I’m embellishing these large leaves with small, bright red glass flower beads, measuring 12mm (0.47″) in diameter.
String a small bead onto a headpin, and make a wire wrapped loop at the top of the bead.
Make two of these small wire-wrapped loop mini beads:
And voila – Leaf earrings with a charming pop of color:
What I love about this design:
Both components are botanical – leaf and flower.
Design Idea #4
Asymmetrical Filigree Leaf Earrings with Big Hoops
For this earring pair, I’m using medium-size perforated leaf filigree stampings, measuring 25mm x 38mm (1″ x 1.5″):
I’m pairing them with these large hoops measuring 40mm (1.57″) in diameter:
These finished earrings are asymmetrical because I hung the filigree leaves in different directions from one another:
What I love about this design:
The asymmetrical leaves, and the hoops that are super-size but delicate.
Design Idea #5
Teardrop Filigree Earrings with Small Hoops
These earrings use teardrop filigree stampings measuring 16mm x 30mm (0.63″ x 1.18″):
I’m mixing them with these small hammered hoops measuring 22mm (0.87″):
And here are the finished earrings:
What I love about this design:
The combination of components that have two different rounded shapes.
Design Idea #6
Asymmetrical Filigree Earrings with Metal Components
For these earrings, I’m using the same teardrop filigree stampings we used in Design Idea #5, measuring 16mm x 30mm (0.63″ x 1.18″):
I’m combining them with these mismatched components that share the same color, to make the earrings asymmetrical.
The dapped donut measures 19mm (0.75″) in diameter.
And the key measures 10mm x 42mm (0.39″ x 1.65″).
And here are the finished asymmetrical earrings:
What I love about this design:
The dangles with the same color, but very different sizes.
Design Idea #7
Rectangle Filigree Earrings with Triangle Filigree Dangles
I love the contrasting geometric shapes in these earrings.
They begin with rectangular filigree stampings measuring 14mm x 26mm (0.55″ x 1″):
Then I add these patina triangular filigrees, measuring 15mm x 34mm (0.59″ x 1.34″):
And here are the finished earrings:
What I love about these earrings:
The strong, contrasting geometric shapes in these earrings.
Design Idea #8
Rectangle Filigree Earrings with Glass Cabochon Settings
For this pair, I’m using the same rectangular filigree stampings we used in Design Idea #7, measuring 14mm x 26mm (0.55″ x 1″):
This time I’m pairing them with these sapphire-colored glass cabs with metal settings, measuring 12mm (0.47″) in diameter:
And here are the finished earrings:
What I love about this design:
The pop of sapphire-colored glass next to these bold lacework rectangles.
Design Idea #9
Filigree Earrings with Long Narrow Bead Stack
These earrings start with a pair of filigrees made from small marquise shapes (pointy ovals) measuring 25mm x 35mm (1″ x 1.38″):
I’m embellishing them them with these long, narrow bead stacks with wire wrapped loops, measuring 48mm (1.89″) long:
And here are the finished earrings:
What I love about this design:
The turquoise beads are shaped similarly to the marquise shapes in the filigrees.
Design Idea #10
Filigree Earrings with Chain Tassel
These earrings start with the same filigree that’s made from marquise shapes (pointy ovals), that we used in Design Idea #9, measuring 25mm x 35mm (1″ x 1.38″):
This time I’m dressing them up with these swingy, fluid chain tassels (salvaged from some long-ago piece of jewelry) and measuring 42mm (1.65″) long.
Or, for simpler chain tassels, you can easily make them by cutting lengths of thin chain and stringing one end of each chain onto a small jump ring.
And here are the finished earrings:
What I love about these earrings:
The long, elegant chain tassels contrasting with the wider filigree shapes, and the added elegance of earrings in all one color.
I hope these design ideas inspire you to create your own fabulous fantasy filigree earrings with some of the treasures in your jewelry supply stash!
And as always, I’d love to see what you make from this tutorial. 🙂
