Soldered Glass Earrings

Learn how to make earrings that look boutique-bought with this project for soldered glass earrings from Suzann Sladcik Wilson. Glass tiles and scrapbook paper have never looked better than with these dainty black-and-white pendants. Try all sorts of patterns and pictures - the possibilities are endless!

Materials:

• Scrapbook paper – Me & My Big Ideas textured card stock
• Sharpie pen
• 4 – 1″ glass squares from Ranger
• Scissors
• Copper foil tape – 1/4″ wide
• Bone Folder
• Lead Free Solder
• Soldering Iron
• Paint Brush
• Liquid gel Flux
• Tweezers
• Leverback Earring Findings – 1 pair
• Third hand
• 4 – 5mm Sterling Silver Jump Rings
• Pledge Multi-Surface spray
• Paper towels
   

Instructions:

1. Take a 1-inch glass slide and place on area of scrapbook paper you would like to have as your image. Trace around glass slide with Sharpie and cut out image.
    
2. Place image between two pieces of glass. Make sure there are no fingerprints on the inside of the glass. Trim any edges of the paper that may extend past the edges of the glass.
    
3. Cut a strip of copper tape. Wrap foil tape around the edges of the glass, keeping the glass image sandwiched in the center of the tape. This is so the edges will be even on both sides.
    
4. Using fingers, press the edges of the tape down on either side of the glass. Use your fingernail to burnish the corners down. Take your bone folder and run over the tape to make sure the tape is secure. Do not press too hard with the bone folder or you might crack the glass!
    
5. Brush flux on all of the copper tape.
    
6. Using your soldering iron, pick up a small amount of solder and run it along the top outer edge of the copper foil. Solder will adhere. Repeat for all sides. Use tweezers to move the earring pendant around; it will get hot!
    
7. When you are happy with the amount of solder, insert earring pendant in a third hand to keep it steady. Use tweezers to hold jump ring in place on top of pendant. Use soldering iron to melt the solder on either side of the jump ring. You will feel the jump ring “drop” into the solder.
    
8. Clean pendant with Pledge Multi-Surface and paper towel. I like this best because it not only cleans the glass, but it also shines the silver.
    
9. Repeat same process to make second earring pendant.
    
10. Attach second jump rings to earring pendants, and then attach to leverback earring finding. Finished!