My Favorite Flannel Earrings- Tutorial

You're probably thinking I'm a bit obsessed right now with my old flannel shirt. I can hear it now, "first the cuff and now a set of earrings- what is that girl thinking?" I guess I'm thinking fall and cozy and there's really nothing I love to snuggle up in more than a soft flannel shirt. So after having done the cuff a week or so ago I had some scraps lying around and it hit me at 5 this morning to try earrings. Plus I have this thing for surprising combination's- for example the flannel fabric combined with pearls absolutely delights me. I can say definitely now these are "my favorite flannel" earrings. Enjoy!
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"My Favorite Flannel" Earrings- Tutorial

Tools and Materials
2 small rectangles of fabric (to be folded over)
4 small shell buttons
4 Additional beads (I used 2 blue czech beads and 2 med. size pearls)
Embroidery floss
Needle
19-gauge craft wire
2 headpins (I used blackened color)
4 small jump rings (I used gunmetal color)
Round Nose pliers
Jewelry cutters
Needle Nose pliers (optional)

Create the stitched fabric element on earrings

Step One: Using your round nose pliers grip the end of your 19-gauge wire. Slowly rotate your wrist to create round loop. It should be flush against the rest of your wire. Then trim this wire about 2 1/2" - 3" from loop. This creates a eye pin that is a bit longer than they usually are. You might be able to buy them in this length however I think it's easier just to make one. :)

Step Two: Fold one piece of the flannel fabric in half to form a square and then insert your head pin in the center of the fabric through the fold.

Step Three: Thread your needle with about 10" piece of embroidery floss, knotted at end. Position your button in center of square, with a hole on either side of headpin and hold. Then insert your needle between the two fabric layers and come up through top piece through right hole on button.

Step Four: Then stitch down through left side of button and go through both layers of fabric. Slip 2nd button over needle and position in center of backside of fabric. Go up through other button hole and through right side button hole on front side of fabric. Stitch through buttons on both side one more time to secure and then, come up through bottom button hole only so your needle is between the two layers again. Angle your needle to the spot where you'd like to begin stitching around the edge of the square.

Step Five: Straight Stitch around the square when you get to a corner do a little back stitch so that it's a little more secure and then continue on to the next corner. When you've gone all the way around the flannel square then insert the needle back through one layer of fabric again so that you're once again between the layers. Tie knot and then trim end of floss.

Step Six: Using your needle nose pliers, grip the eye pin wire about a 1/4" from where it comes out from fabric square. Bend end of wire to create a 90 degree angle.

Step Seven: Then change your grip on the wire and pinch wire right above angle and then wrap the cut end of your wire around your round nose to create loop. Insert pliers through loop and hold as your use your other hand to wrap the excess wire around the neck of your loop to finish. Trim end of wire if necessary. Set this stitched fabric piece aside.





Create the bead dangle and finish earrings

Step Eight: Slip your two beads onto a headpin. Hold the beads and bend the wire at top at a 90 degree angle. Repeat procedure to make a wrapped loop as demonstrated in steps six and seven above.

Step Nine: Open two of your jump rings and holding one with your pliers so that opening is at top, slip your dangle and the bottom loop of your stitched piece onto jump ring. Close ring.Pick up second open jump ring and slip onto it one of your fish hook earring findings and the top loop of your stitched piece. Close ring and you've got one done!! Repeat steps above to create second earring for finished pair. Now slip them onto your ears, toss your hair back and check out the coolness. :)