DIY Pearl and Filigree Leather Earrings

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 - Leave a Comment

When Joanna Gaines first sported her simple leather leaf earrings, you could never have imagined how popular DIY leather earrings would become.

Ultramarine blue leather teardrop earrings with cut out for filigree and imitation pearl detailing.

There are a ton of tutorials out there using a Cricut and other die-cutting machines to cut leather earring shapes but you don't need to invest in a cutting machine to make them.

There's a MUCH CHEAPER way!

Head into your local Michaels store and pick up a pack of Realeather earring shapes and then get creative! If you don't have access to a Michaels store, look for 32x50mm veg tan teardrop shapes.

Leather earring shapes are like blank canvases that are just screaming to be customised. In this tutorial, we're going to cut out a peep hole, re-colour the leather to the most gorgeous shade of Ultramarine and then add some details with imitation pearls and a filigree. So let's get started!

Here's a list of what you'll need:
2 x Veg Tan Leather Teardrops (32x50mm)
Realeather Dye Pens (Basic Set)
2 x Silver filigree connectors 57x16mm
White imitation pearl flatbacks (I used 5mm and 8mm)
2 x 12x7mm centre-drilled white imitation pearl teardrops
2 x silver ball end earring wires
6 x 6mm silver jump rings
2 x silver head pins
Crystal Katana or other tool for placing pearls
G-S Hypo Cement
pen/pencil
scrap paper

Tools: Flat nose pliers, flush cutters, round nose pliers, scissors, craft knife

Make a Template

Trace the teardrop on a scrap of paper and cut it out. Centre the filigree on the template and trace around it. Remove the filigree and sketch a pointed oval using the inside edges of the filigree shape as a guide. Fold the template in half and cut out the oval.

Tracing the filigree onto a paper teardrop template and cutting out the centre.

Prepare the Leather

Position the template over the leather teardrops and trace the pointed oval on the front.

Tracing the template onto the veg tan leather teardrop shape

Carefully cut out the oval with a craft knife or scalpel.

Cutting out the peep hole in the leather shape using a scalpel.

The veg tan leather teardrop shape with the cutout sitting next to it

Colour the Veg Tan Leather

Use the blue marker to colour the front, back and sides of the teardrop (you want the back of your earrings to look good too!). Try not to overlap the colour or it will leave dark lines.

Using a blue dye pen to colour the front of the leather teardrop shape

Space the pearls around the bottom of the teardrops and then glue them into place.

Gluing the faux pearls into place around the bottom section of the teardrop

Assemble the Earrings

Open a jump ring, insert it through the top of the filigree and then hook it through the hole of the teardrop so that the filigree sits at the back.

Inserting a jump ring through the top of the filigree and the top of the leather teardrop.

String the pearl drop on the head pin and bend it at a 90° angle.

Bending a head pin at a 90° angle above a pearl teardrop using flat nose pliers

Trim the tail to 10mm (3/8") with the flush cutters....

Trimming the head pin using flush cutters

.... and turn a simple loop.

A pearl teardrop strung on a head pin with a simple loop on the jaws of round nose pliers.

Hook a jump ring through the bottom of the filigree and hook on the loop of the
pearl teardrop.

Hooking a pearl teardrop onto the bottom of the filigree with a jump ring.

To finish the earring, insert another jump ring through the one at the top of the earring and then insert the earring wire through it. Complete the second earring to match.

Inserting the earring wire through the jump ring at the top of the earring.

The finished earrings are a standout and they'll look amazing teamed with a bright, summer outfit. You'll find them lightweight and comfortable to wear too. All in all, they're the perfect accessory for your summer wardrobe, so enjoy wearing them all season long!

Pin the Project!