DIY: Funky Leather Gem Earrings

By Cinnamonspring @CinnaSpring

I rarely make my own earrings, preferring to buy them most of the time. I had bought these gems that can be sewn onto fabric, for another project in mind. However, it’s very common that some DIY projects just fail completely! So I had these spare black and silver gems. I was playing around with shapes, imagining how’d it be like if I had real gems to work with! Then an idea struck me then, and I decided to make a very simple but statement-like leather gem earrings! I still have tangerine-coloured leather from my previous leather collar studded project, and it provides an amazing pop of colour!

Here’s what you need:

  • Leather (here I used leather in tangerine)
  • Plastic gems (I used square and oval ones)
  • 2 jumprings
  • 2 earring hooks
  • Tweezer/something sharp and small (not necessary)
  • Hand-held hole puncher
  • Pliers
  • Scissors/knife
  • Super glue
  • Paper/tracing paper
  • Pen/pencil

I decided on the above shape. 3 square gems stacked vertically ending with 3 oval gems. Put them into position on a piece of paper, and then start outlining it with a pen/pencil and ruler. This will take probably a few tries to perfect the measurements though you don’t notice it once you are wearing them!

Cut it out, and then trace onto the back of the leather. Cut the leather.

Before you begin sticking your plastic gems, place the gems in its positions next to the cut-out leather pieces. Then I started sticking!

Tip: Start with the side silver gems like above, so that the black square gems will not be placed too high or too low!

The earrings should look roughly like this when the plastic gems have already been stuck on with superglue. Wait for a few minutes for the glue to really set!

Once the glue has set, and the gems are no longer ‘moving’ at a rough touch – it is time to trim those bottom edges! Originally I was going to leave it be, until it looked better without the extra empty spaces. If you are smarter than me, you would have already trimed the bottom bits on the paper

Punch a hole in the middle at the top with the hole puncher! Alternatively, you can always just use something sharp to poke a hole.

Use pliers to attach a jumpring to each earring, and then attach the earring hook and you are done!

I really do love wearing these earrings because they look like statement earrings and they are so, so light! I will make more variations in the future but for now I will rock these ones

I hope you enjoy this simple DIY, and I’d love to see your creations! xx