The Best Products for DIY Leather Earrings
Everywhere I go I see people wearing leather earrings. They are super stylish and so lightweight. It's like you are not even wearing earrings! I don't see this trend going away anytime soon.
I bought a pair years ago and instantly fell in love. I knew I wanted to figure out how to make some for myself. I did a lot of googling. At the time, no one was making leather earrings. I had to figure this out for myself.
I learned how to use my Cricut cutting machine to cut earrings. I researched about how to source leather and what leather products work for leather earrings. I became obsessed with making my own leather earrings.
I wrote a quick blog post about what I was learning. I was shocked to find that so many of you want to know how to make earrings too! That little post continues to get lots of views and great comments too!
It’s been fun. I am passionate about helping anyone learn how to make leather earrings. Most people get stuck on what products to buy. So I’m spilling all my research here!
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How do you make your own leather earrings?
The best way I have found to make leather earrings at home is to use a cutting machine. I have a Cricut Explore Air. It works great for me. Last summer, I saved up and bought a Cricut Maker during Amazon Prime week. I love both of my machines. Read more about the difference between the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air 2 here.
You could probably use a Silhouette machine or any similar cutting machine if you have one.
The trick to using any cutting machine is using the right products and patience. In my earring tutorials, I try to link all the products I use so you can hopefully get a clean cut the FIRST time you make earrings.
You can make earrings without a machine and a good pair of leather cutting scissors. It's not ideal, but it can be done.
If you don't have a cutting machine or can’t afford one right now, be sure to check out my post about how to make leather earrings without a cutting machine. I think this is a much better (and cheaper) option to cutting your earrings by hand!
RELATED: MAKE YOUR OWN LEATHER EARRINGS WITHOUT A CUTTING MACHINE
The three things you need to know BEFORE you make leather earrings
I started making leather earrings with my Cricut Explore Air 2 and some leather I picked up at Hobby Lobby. The first few times I tried to make earrings I ended up ruining my cutting mat and getting the leather stuck in my machine. It was so frustrating.
In the end, I am pretty strong-willed. I was committed to figuring this out. I wasn’t going to give up.
I tried again and again and learned making leather earrings at home comes down to buying the RIGHT products for your machine.
Three things you must know BEFORE you make your own leather earrings!
Know YOUR MACHINE! If you have a Cricut Maker or Explore Air 2, watch their videos on how to use your machine. They really help. Each machine uses specific blades for specific materials. Educate yourself on which blades to use.
Be sure to use the correct mat ( I wrote more about this below) and make sure your blade is sharp.
Sourcing leather can be frustrating. You can buy leather from Cricut, your local craft store, or on Etsy. To make it easier for you, I have a complete list of my favorite products I use below.
RELATED: HOW TO CUT LEATHER ON YOUR CRICUT MACHINE
How to cut Cricut Geniue Leather
How to cut Cricut Faux Leather
How to cut Cricut Metallic Leather
Best Products to Make Your Own Leather Earrings
A cutting machine - I have a Cricut Explore Air and a Cricut Maker
Cutting Mat and blades - Be sure to use the correct mat and blade for the leather you are using. Check out this infographic!
For faux leather I use :
For Cricut brand leather I use:
For genuine leather I use:
transfer tape. Note: you do not need to use transfer tape when using Cricut brand leather. Transfer tape protects your mat and keeps your leather from moving or bunching. It’s my secret weapon to making leather earrings!
Leather - It can be hard to source leather for earrings. Etsy has become my favorite place to purchase leather. Here is what I use and love!
Cricut brand Faux Leather. They have great colors. This faux leather is lightweight but makes great earrings. You can see how I made folded leather earrings here using faux leather.
Cricut Brand Leather. This leather comes in limited colors but if you are looking for a neutral pallet, this leather is great for you. I used this leather to make my Anthropologie inspired geometric earrings here.
Genuine Leather. I love buying genuine leather sheets from Etsy! If you are looking for bright colors or a patterned leather, shop Etsy. They have so many options. I recommend two shops:
Pliers - You will need some jewelry plier to attach jump rings and assemble your earrings. This set is great!
Leather Punch - I love my leather punch! I use this to cut holes in my earrings.
Jump Rings / Fish Hooks - Depending on what earrings you want to make, you’ll need jump rings and hooks. I source mine from Amazon.
Common Questions FAQ about making your own leather earrings
What size jump rings do I need to make my own leather earrings?
I think using jump rings on your earrings is a personal preference. I would recommend buying different size jump rings and testing it out. Depending on the earring hooks you buy, you might not want to add jump rings.
Jump rings will add length to your earrings. The larger jump rings you use, the longer your earrings will be. The only way you know is to try them out!
How do you punch holes in leather earrings?
I love my leather punch. You can set your machine to cut a hole while it cuts, but I prefer to use my punch. I like to control the size and spacing of cuts with my leather punch.
A leather punch comes with different-sized holes so you can adjust how big or small you want the hole in your earring to be. I've used this punch more than I thought I would. It's one of my favorite leatherworking tools.
How do you cut leather with a Cricut?
Cutting leather with a Cricut is tricky. If you are using Cricut Brand Leather please follow the instructions on the package. However, if you are using genuine leather I have found using transfer tape to be the best method. I wrote a tutorial on it here. To cut Cricut brand genuine leather, see my full tutorial here.
Be sure to note the thickness of your leather so you can adjust the dial on your machine before you cut. If you purchase the leather from Etsy they usually have the thickness listed in the product description. You can always message your seller and ask!
The last thing you need to know about DIY leather earrings
You can make leather earrings for yourself. Once you get the right products, it is a fun and easy DIY craft. Be sure to give yourself time to learn your machine and products. You can do it!
If you want access to my earring cut files, the are FREE inside my resource library. Subscribe below and get access today!
Let us know, what is the biggest problem you face when trying to make your own leather earrings? Comment below and let us know!