CREATE YOUR OWN METALLIC RECTANGLE LEATHER EARRING WITH THIS FREE CUT FILE
I have another fun earring cut file today! Truth be told, I have worked on this cut file for a long time! It took me some time to make it just like I wanted it. I hope you like it as much as I do.
If you are looking for more leather earring cut files, we have more HERE!
We used the cut file to make simple black and camel colors rectangle earrings but I wanted to show you a great variation on this cut file.
Did you know you can add vinyl to your leather earrings? It is not hard to do, I promise! But it can take a simple leather earring cut file to another level!
In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to take the same angled rectangle cut file to create stunning metallic rectangle earrings in silver and gold using vinyl! The best part is you can use any color vinyl you want! Pink, white, blue,- you choose! Let’s make some earrings.
LET ME SHOW YOU HOW I MAKE METALLIC RECTANGLE DIY LEATHER EARRINGS
CRICUT METALLIC LEATHER I used the color “rose gold”.
VINYL. I used Cricut Permanent Vinyl Shimmer in Silver and Gold. To purchase this vinyl through Amazon, you can get the GOLD HERE and the Silver HERE.
Rectangle cut file from my free resource library. You can get access to this file at the bottom of this post.
HOW TO MAKE METALLIC RECTANGLE DIY LEATHER EARRINGS
STEP 1 DOWNLOAD THE CUT FILE
Download my rectangle cut file from my resource library. You can get access to this free resource library at the bottom of this post. My resource library is full of cut files you can use!
STEP 2 UPLOAD THE CUT FILE INTO CRICUT DESIGN SPACE
Upload the rectangle cut file into Cricut Design Space. If you have never uploaded a file into Cricut Design Space, you can check out my tutorial here.
You can upload the rectangle file for FREE and then cut. It is really easy to do once you get the hang of it. Feel free to reach out to me or comment below if you have any questions or problems!
Once your file is uploaded your screen should look like this.
Notice, our rectangle file is already sized for you.
This earring is 0.8” wide and 2.5” long.
Feel free to adjust this size to your preference!
STEP 3 CUT YOUR CRICUT METALLIC LEATHER
Place your Cricut Metallic Leather face down on a Strong Grip mat. Use a brayer to ensure the leather has adhered to your mat.
Move the star wheels in your machine to the right. I have a full tutorial on how to cut Cricut Metallic Leather. Be sure to check that out if you need help!
To cut this image be sure to click “MIRROR” before you cut. This is important because your leather is face down and you want the earring to be longest toward your face and shortest toward your ear.
To get this look, you will need to “Mirror” the image.
To mirror, simply click the button we highlighted in the image above. When the button is green, mirroring is on!
Be sure to load the deep cut blade in your machine.
Select “Cricut Metallic Leather”. I always select “More Pressure” when using Cricut Metallic Leather.
Cut your leather.
Remove your leather earrings from your mat.
Set aside.
STEP 4 CUT VINYL
For this tutorial, I used silver and gold permanent shimmer vinyl.
First, move the star wheels back.
Swap out your deep cut blade for a fine point blade into your machine.
Place your vinyl onto a Standard Grip Mat. I duplicated my image so I could cut both the gold and the sliver at one time.
Again, you will want to select a “mirror” image.
Select the proper type of vinyl before you cut. If you purchased the vinyl I used, you will select “Premium Permanent Shimmer Vinyl.”
Choose “MORE PRESSURE.”
Cut the vinyl.
Burish your vinyl on your mat after you cut. Burnishing is basically making sure your vinyl is sticking together and not popping up off the mat. I go over my vinyl a few times with a tool similar to this to burnish.
Weed your vinyl.
Cut a piece of transfer tape the size of your vinyl. Peel off the backing and cover your vinyl with transfer tape.
Burnish your vinyl to your transfer tape.
Carefully remove the vinyl from your mat.
Flip it over and burnish again.
STEP 5 PLACE VINYL ONTO LEATHER EARRINGS
Remove the white backing. Place your vinyl onto your leather earring. The easiest way to apply vinyl is from the middle out, however, this earring was so narrow I found that hard to do. Instead, I lined up one side and slowly worked my way across the earring.
Try to eliminate bubbling as much as you can.
Burnish your earring making sure the vinyl adheres to the leather.
The easiest way to take off the transfer tape is to remove it by pulling STRAIGHT DOWN.
STEP 6 PUNCH HOLES IN YOUR LEATHER EARRINGS
With your leather punch, make a hole in the middle of one earring. One simple trick I do is pinch the earring in half to find the middle OR you could just wing it! It is up to you.
I think a leather punch gives you more control. My punch has several different sizes of holes. I always set my dial on the smallest hole when making leather earrings.
STEP 7 ATTACH YOUR EARRING HOOKS
You are almost done! Yeah, I am so proud of you. You are doing great work.
Open up that earring hook with your jewelry pliers. I prefer the flat nose pliers to open the hook.
Thread your open hook through your earring and clamp your hook back together again. I use both pliers to make sure my earring won’t fall out.
Repeat on the other earring.