To make heart drop earrings, you attach a crystal heart pendant to an eye pin with a jump ring, thread seed beads up the pin, form a simple loop at the top and hook it onto an ear wire. In this tutorial we use 10mm Preciosa crystal pendants in Crystal AB with sparkling clear rocailles, all on sterling silver findings.
The pair takes about half an hour, making it a lovely handmade Valentine's, birthday or anniversary gift, and an ideal first wirework project. Here is everything you need, then the full method.
Project at a glance
- Difficulty: Beginner, your first wirework project
- Time: About half an hour for the pair
- Crystals used: Preciosa heart pendants in Crystal AB with Preciosa rocaille seed beads
- Technique: Simple assembly with jump rings, eye pins and a coiled loop
What you'll need
Quantities make one pair, so scale up for more. Add the pendants, Preciosa seed beads, findings and tools to your cart from the cards below. The pliers and cutters are reusable across every project, so browse the full range of tools and accessories to build your kit.
- Preciosa Heart Pendant 10mm, Crystal ABThe heart drops2
- Preciosa Seed Beads Rocaille 10/0, CrystalThe beaded stems, 12 per earring24
- Sterling Silver 925 Jump Rings 6mmConnecting pendant to eye pin2
- Sterling Silver 925 Eye Pins 1.25 inchCarrying the beads2
- Sterling Silver 925 Fish Hook Ear WiresThe earring hooks1 pair
- Chain Nose PliersOpening rings and bending wire1
- Round Nose PliersCoiling the end loop1
- Side CuttersTrimming excess wire1
Shop this project
Everything you need for this build. Quantities are a guide, so adjust to your design.
£9.20 Excl. VAT
£15.33 Excl. VAT
£3.50 Excl. VAT
Not sure how many crystals you need? Use our Crystal Calculator to estimate by surface area.
How to make heart drop earrings
Step 1: Open a jump ring
Grip the jump ring with two pairs of pliers, one each side of the opening, and twist the ends in opposite directions to create a gap. Always choose a jump ring that fits through the pendant hole easily, allowing for movement, so the crystal is never scratched or forced.
Step 2: Thread the pendant
Hold the heart pendant in your fingers and gently pass the opened jump ring through the hole at the top of the crystal.
Step 3: Attach the eye pin
While the jump ring is still open, loop the eye of the eye pin onto the ring alongside the pendant.
Step 4: Close the jump ring
Twist the ends back together with your pliers until they meet flush. The pendant should now swing freely from the eye pin.
Step 5: Thread the seed beads
Thread 12 seed beads onto the open end of the eye pin to build the stem. This is the spot to make the design your own: swap in coloured rocailles, or alternate two colours for a stripe effect.
Step 6: Form the top loop
About 1cm above the last bead, bend the wire to a 90-degree angle with the chain nose pliers, then use the round nose pliers to coil the tail back on itself into a neat loop.
Step 7: Attach the ear wire
Gently open the loop on the fish hook ear wire, insert the loop of your beaded component, and close it securely with the pliers. Give the earring a gentle tug to check everything holds, and trim any excess wire with the side cutters.
Step 8: Make the matching pair
Repeat steps 1 to 7 for the second earring and the set is complete.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make heart drop earrings?
Attach a crystal heart pendant to an eye pin with a jump ring, thread seed beads onto the pin to build the stem, bend the wire to 90 degrees about 1cm above the last bead, coil it into a loop with round nose pliers, then hook the loop onto an ear wire. Repeat for the second earring and the pair is done.
What findings do you need to make drop earrings?
Three small findings do all the work: a jump ring to connect the pendant, an eye pin to carry the beads, and a fish hook ear wire to finish. Sterling silver 925 versions are worth the small extra cost because they keep their shine and are kind to sensitive ears.
How do you open a jump ring without damaging it?
Grip each side of the opening with a pair of pliers and twist the ends away from each other sideways, like opening a door. Never pull the ring apart outwards, which distorts the circle, and choose a ring that passes easily through the pendant hole so the crystal is never scratched or forced.
What is Crystal AB?
AB stands for Aurora Borealis, a delicate coating applied to one side of the crystal that throws off a rainbow shimmer as it catches the light. On these genuine Czech-made Preciosa heart pendants it gives the earrings far more movement and sparkle than plain crystal.
Are drop earrings a good beginner project?
Yes, this is one of the quickest introductions to wirework. A pair takes about half an hour, the only techniques are opening a jump ring and forming one simple loop, and every step is repeated for the second earring, so the skills bed in as you go.
Make it your own
Crystal AB hearts on clear rocailles are a classic, but the same build works with any pendant shape and bead colour, so match a birthstone or a favourite outfit. For more earring and heart makes, see how to make crystal pendant earrings and the beaded heart brooch, or explore the full Craft Studio.
