How to Create Unique Earrings From an Old Plate

Susan Goode
by Susan Goode
6 Materials
$5
1 Hour
Medium

Recycling old ceramic crockery is a lovely environmentally friendly way to give a new life to worn out item as well as creating a gorgeous new pair of original earrings!

I begin by cutting up an old floral vintage tea plate using wheeled tile nippers and remembering to wear safety goggles .

Cutting the plate

Deciding on the part of the plate design to use is fun and I like the sweet purple and pink flowers. I cut around them so that I have two pieces roughly the same images and sizes with tile nippers.

Cutting out the flowers

When happy with the floral cut pieces i begin to sand the edges with a mini carbide stone sander. The tool gently makes the pieces smooth and a nice shape.

Sanding the edges

Next I swap the sanding piece with a diamond tipped drill piece and set up a small dish of water ready to drill holes in top of China. I use Water to cool the drill tip in between drilling as it gets very hot and then diamond tip wears down quickly and becomes ineffective.

Diamond tip drill
Drilling a hole

The best way is to take it slowly start at 45 degree angle to make dent and slowly straighten up to upright as the hole opens up this prevents drill slipping and ruining the design.


I drill in for a count of 7 and cool tip in water for 7 seconds then in to drill again. Slowly your hole goes all the way through.


The next step is to assemble your ear-wires and I begin by using silver jump rings and securely closing them

Jump ring threaded into hole
Adding jump ring

Then add the silver ear wire hooks.

i love these unique hand made earrings.

Broken China earrings
Broken china earrings
Suggested materials:
  • China plate   (Amazon)
  • Mini hand drill sander   (Amazon)
  • Wheeled tile nippers   (Amazon)
See all materials

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