The Beginners Guide to Making Leather Earrings
I’ve always loved learning how to make things. Whether it is trying to make our favorite meal at home or teaching myself to crochet, I’m always stretching myself to learn new things.
A few years back, I bought myself some gold leather earrings. Instantly, I was in love with them. Slowly, I started to see more and more people wear them and I wondered if I could make my own?
I bought a Cricut Maker to cut leather. I started making my own. I shared a tutorial on Pinterest and the next thing I know, many fabulous readers starting emailing me about how they could make their own earrings!
Since then, I’ve designed a few more leather earrings. I test new leather and cutting tools. I”m always learning new things. I love sharing all those things with you!
Related: How to make your own Teardrop Leather Earrings
Related: How to make Folded Leather Earrings
Related: How to make Geometric Leather Earrings
Related: Free SVG/PNG Leather Earring Cut Files
So whether you’re looking to make your own leather earrings for fun or for business, I hope I can help you bypass all the mistakes I made and make earrings you’ll love to wear!
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What are leather earrings?
Leather earrings are everywhere these days and for good reason. They make a statement to any outfit. They are lightweight. You literally don’t feel like you are wearing anything on your ears!
Little shops from local boutiques to Etsy shops sell leather earrings. You can buy them in any color and shape! I don’t think they are going out of style anytime soon!
The most popular style is the teardrop leather earring. Round circle leather earrings are growing in popularity. I also love the combination of leather and metal earrings. So fun!
The best part about leather earrings is that it is an easy DIY project for anyone to do. You can cut them by hand with a good pair of scissors. You can also use a basic cutting machine!
Etsy shops are popping up all the time offering pre-cut leather pieces. You guys, you don’t even need to cut your own leather! You can shop the shapes already cut and have them shipped to you! It’s amazing.
Leather supplies are cheap to find and most supplies can be shipped via Amazon Prime with free shipping. It is an easy craft to source materials!
You simply don’t need a lot of expensive equipment to get started making leather earrings!
How to get started with making leather earrings
Gather up the following things.
Cricut Machine. A Cricut Maker is a great investment. It is really affordable. I love my machine and use it for more than cutting leather!
Leather. You need leather to make leather earrings! If you are using a Cricut, you can use Cricut brand leather and faux leather. Etsy is also a great place to source real leather.
Leather Hand Punch. I love this tool! A leather hand punch has a dial for 5 different diameter punches. It gives you control over where you want to punch holes for earring hooks.
Earring Hooks and jump rings in the finish you like.
Tips for Success in Making Leather Earrings
The secret to success in making leather earrings is practice! Give yourself lots of time to learn about your machine. If you have never used jewelry pliers, you’ll need time to play around and learn!
Cricut machines come with different mats. Learn about what materials you can put on each mat. The purple or strong grip mat will cut real leather. The green or standard grip mat will cut faux leather.
Also, be sure you study and learn about the different cutting blades. The fine point blade will cut most faux leather. The deep-cut blade will cut Cricut brand leather.
If you are using real leather, check out my post here and how to cut it. It will save you a lot of headaches!
Learn how to cut Cricut Metallic Leather here.
Learn how to cut Cricut Faux Leather here.
Learn how to cut Cricut Genuine Leather here.
Learn all about Cricut Blades here.
You will also need shapes to cut and make leather earrings. Cricut Access has many shapes you can use to cut earrings, but some images and shapes will cost you money.
We have free leather earring cut files inside my resource library to make leather earrings. You can see all our cut files here.
In the end, practice and learn. You’ll get it in time. I spent a lot of time in trial and error. I want to share all of what I’ve earned so you don’t have to! Here are some common questions I get.
Common Questions / FAQ about Leather Earrings
Where can I find leather?
Cricut has come out with some great leather options that work like a dream on your machine. The faux leather is super easy to cut and looks fabulous. I love Cricut’s rose gold, camel, and black leather.
Etsy is also a great place to find leather to make leather earrings. We recommend 2 great shops.
What Cricut machine do you use?
Currently, I own the Cricut Explore Air and Cricut Maker. I love both. They are wireless and connects like a dream. I love Cricut Design Space for designing all my earrings. It is easy for anyone to use.
Can I cut earrings without a machine?
Yes! You can use a sturdy pair of leather or craft scissors if you want. However, I would recommend buying your leather shapes precut from Etsy! My favorite shop is Mission Leather Supply. They have every type of leather shape in many colors.
All you need to buy is some hooks and jewelry pliers.
How do I cut leather on a Cricut without is bunching and sliding?
Cutting real leather on a cutting machine can be frustrating. You need to make sure you are using the correct mat and blade. Otherwise, your leather will bunch and slide during cutting, ruing your entire project!
It’s maddening.
I recommend cutting real leather with transfer tape. I wrote about that here.
Also, your blade will get dull and this will affect cutting. I try to keep some extra blades on hand.
What earring hooks should I use?
We recommend fishhook ear wire hooks for your leather earrings. Fishhook ear wires are measured in millimeters from the base of the hook to the top. The size of the hook is really just a matter of preference.
I do like to purchase fishhook ear wires with coiled connectors. You get a little more separation from your ear lobe and earring. You don’t need to add a jump ring with this kind of ear wire. Of course, you can add jump rings if you want your earring to hang longer from your earlobe!
If you have any kind of allergies, look for nickel-free ear wires. We do recommend using plastic backers with your earrings to ensure you don’t lose an earring.
How can I design more shapes?
Designing leather earrings might be my favorite part. With Cricut Design Space you can make all kinds of leather earrings! Shapes within the Cricut Design space are free.
In Cricut Design Space, you can size your earrings to whatever you want. If you want bigger or smaller earrings, you can control the size and shape. I find Cricut Design Space user-friendly for any beginner. You don’t need a lot of experience to get started!
If you don’t want to design your own shapes, you can get free cut files inside my resource library. Check out our cut file tutorials here.
The Last Thing You Need to Know About Making Leather Earrings
Leather Earrings are a fun handmade craft to get started on. You can make them with a Cricut or Cutting them by hand! Hop on Etsy, to source leather. Or purchase your leather shapes already cut! Get creative and share with us your creations!
We have a growing library with direct Cricut cut files, money-saving printables, and so much more for FREE! Subscribe below and get access to our leather earring cut files!