Origami Earrings
Origami earrings are a great way to show off your origami. They make very pretty (not to mention easy) gifts, too!
There are 2 ways to make the earrings, so be sure to check out both.
There are 2 ways to make the earrings, so be sure to check out both.
Materials
You will need:
~ Beads of your choice
~ 2 sheets of origami paper (I suggest origami foil, it holds your shape better) I'll show you how to make a crane, but this is a great link if you want to do flowers http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2008/05/simple-origami.html
~ Earring hooks
~ Beading wire or string, I prefer the clear kind, but I'll use wire so you can see it.
~ Scissors
~ Crimper tool
~ Safety pin or a needle
~ Earring backs
~ Crimp beads
~ Beads of your choice
~ 2 sheets of origami paper (I suggest origami foil, it holds your shape better) I'll show you how to make a crane, but this is a great link if you want to do flowers http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2008/05/simple-origami.html
~ Earring hooks
~ Beading wire or string, I prefer the clear kind, but I'll use wire so you can see it.
~ Scissors
~ Crimper tool
~ Safety pin or a needle
~ Earring backs
~ Crimp beads
Making the Crane
*Crease well on all steps!*
1. Start with a square of paper about 1 1/2 inches long- size matters!
2. Fold it in half vertically, horizontally, and on both diagonals.
3. With the paper turned so it's a diamond, fold the side points in to meet the bottom point. (No pic, sorry! search Preliminary base to get a picture)
4. Fold one side to the center line, repeat on the other side, flip and fold the same way. Unfold.
5. Using the creases you've just made, fold the sides in like you did in step 3.
6. Fold up the top flaps. There should still be a flap at the bottom, but it should be split.
7. Fold each side to the center line, flip and repeat.
8. Fold the bottom up to meet the top point, crease, unfold. Open the side slightly so you can fold one of the bottom flaps in and up. Repeat with the other flap.
9. Fold down the wings. Fold the head down and pull the tail a bit out.
10. With one wing in each hand, pull out gently. Curl the wings. One paper crane, done! Just make one more!
1. Start with a square of paper about 1 1/2 inches long- size matters!
2. Fold it in half vertically, horizontally, and on both diagonals.
3. With the paper turned so it's a diamond, fold the side points in to meet the bottom point. (No pic, sorry! search Preliminary base to get a picture)
4. Fold one side to the center line, repeat on the other side, flip and fold the same way. Unfold.
5. Using the creases you've just made, fold the sides in like you did in step 3.
6. Fold up the top flaps. There should still be a flap at the bottom, but it should be split.
7. Fold each side to the center line, flip and repeat.
8. Fold the bottom up to meet the top point, crease, unfold. Open the side slightly so you can fold one of the bottom flaps in and up. Repeat with the other flap.
9. Fold down the wings. Fold the head down and pull the tail a bit out.
10. With one wing in each hand, pull out gently. Curl the wings. One paper crane, done! Just make one more!
Threading the String
1. Get you safety pin or needle. Insert the point through the hole in the bottom of the crane (if you made it right it should be there). Keep pushing it through, making sure it comes out centered. For flowers, figure out what angle you want it to be hanging on your earring and poke it through that way.
2. Get a piece of string about 4 inches long. This is much longer than you will need, but it makes the process easier.
3. Thread it through the holes you made.
2. Get a piece of string about 4 inches long. This is much longer than you will need, but it makes the process easier.
3. Thread it through the holes you made.
Making the Earring
1. Slide on a crimp bead at the bottom of you figure. If you have bottom decorations, put them on now.
2. If you put on decorations, slide the wire back through the crimp bead, not the decorations. Pull it as tight as possible and crimp the bead with your crimpers. Trim excess wire. It's not crimped in the pic because I didn't want the bottom decorations
3. If you didn't have decorations, string a your decoration beads on the top of your figure. Slide the string back through the figure and a few beads. Pull tight and crimp the bead. Trim excess wire.
4. If you haven't added top decorations yet, do it now. Then slide on a crimp bead, then an earring hook.
5. Bring the string back through the crimp bead and pull tight, but leave some space for dangle. Crimp it. Trim excess wire.
6. Add an earring back and straighten the wings/petals. Hold it from the back, like the picture. If the figure doesn't face straight, fuss with it until it does.
7. DONE! Beautiful job!
2. If you put on decorations, slide the wire back through the crimp bead, not the decorations. Pull it as tight as possible and crimp the bead with your crimpers. Trim excess wire. It's not crimped in the pic because I didn't want the bottom decorations
3. If you didn't have decorations, string a your decoration beads on the top of your figure. Slide the string back through the figure and a few beads. Pull tight and crimp the bead. Trim excess wire.
4. If you haven't added top decorations yet, do it now. Then slide on a crimp bead, then an earring hook.
5. Bring the string back through the crimp bead and pull tight, but leave some space for dangle. Crimp it. Trim excess wire.
6. Add an earring back and straighten the wings/petals. Hold it from the back, like the picture. If the figure doesn't face straight, fuss with it until it does.
7. DONE! Beautiful job!
Alternate Way to Make the Earrings
The alternate way is cheaper and much easier, but it dangles a bit too much. This is definitely the way to go if you don't want to deal with the whole crimping business.
Materials (alternate Way)
You will need:
~ Origami crane or flower, go to step 2 for the crane or follow the link in step 1 for a flower.
~ Round nose pliers, I just use the tip of my crimper
~ Head pins (I don't suggest eye pins, you will have to crimp) Be sure to straighten them out before use.
~ Earring hooks
~ Earring backs
~ Beads for decoration
~ Safety pin/needle
Head pins are pictured above. Notice the flattened end...
~ Origami crane or flower, go to step 2 for the crane or follow the link in step 1 for a flower.
~ Round nose pliers, I just use the tip of my crimper
~ Head pins (I don't suggest eye pins, you will have to crimp) Be sure to straighten them out before use.
~ Earring hooks
~ Earring backs
~ Beads for decoration
~ Safety pin/needle
Head pins are pictured above. Notice the flattened end...
Making the Earrings (alt. Way)
1. Get you safety pin or needle. Insert the point through the hole in the bottom of the crane (if you made it right it should be there). Keep pushing it through, making sure it comes out centered. For flowers, figure out what angle you want it to be hanging on your earring and poke it through that way.
2. Get your head pin. If you want bottom decorations, put them on.
3. Poke the end without the flat part through the holes you made in your figure. Make sure you figure out if it's upside-down (the flattened end of the head pin will be at the bottom) Don't sweat it if your hole isn't big enough. Just put the needle back in and wiggle it around.
4.Slide on any top decorations. Trim your head pin so that only a bit more than 1/4 inch is still there.
5. Bend the head pin to a right angle as shown.
6. Curl it with your pliers so it ends up like the picture.
7. Open the eye of the earring hook and hook the curled end of your head pin onto it. Close your earring hook.
8. Slide on an earring back and re-shape the wings or petals. Make another earring.
9. You're done! Much easier, right!
2. Get your head pin. If you want bottom decorations, put them on.
3. Poke the end without the flat part through the holes you made in your figure. Make sure you figure out if it's upside-down (the flattened end of the head pin will be at the bottom) Don't sweat it if your hole isn't big enough. Just put the needle back in and wiggle it around.
4.Slide on any top decorations. Trim your head pin so that only a bit more than 1/4 inch is still there.
5. Bend the head pin to a right angle as shown.
6. Curl it with your pliers so it ends up like the picture.
7. Open the eye of the earring hook and hook the curled end of your head pin onto it. Close your earring hook.
8. Slide on an earring back and re-shape the wings or petals. Make another earring.
9. You're done! Much easier, right!