Anyone who likes to browse antique shops will recognize the popular bead cluster earrings from the 1950s. Often part of a matching set, they have a quintessential mid-century look. Because of their size and bulk, many of them are clip-ons and too heavy to work well converted to pierced. But no fear! Now you can make your own, in your preferred colors!

For this project you will need:

2 large bead caps (I used 25mm size of a generic style easily found in craft stores)

beading needle

beading string (similar to fishing line)

beads

hammer

2 earring posts

metal-bonding glue like E-6000

How To

On a surface that you can't scratch, carefully use the hammer to flatten out the bead caps. They won't be perfectly flat, but as you can see, the inner edge is flattened down, and the outer edge is flattened out.

The difference:

This makes the base for your earring. (I'm sure there are bases out there that are actually made for this, but I found bead caps to work well and be very inexpensive, plus common to access.)

With your beading thread on your needle, tie the other end through the bead cap. Now you are ready to start beading.

Start by sewing down beads the whole way around the bead cap. I found the best results by going up and down in the same hole. I used 3mm glass pearl beads because I wanted a daintier earring, but you can certainly use larger beads and not sew one in each hole if necessary. In general, small beads will work best.

There will be spaces between them – that's ok. You'll fix it later.

Now move to the center and do another circle of beads. They won't all fit in a tidy ring, but start "clustering".

At this point, you may wish to add an extra bead here or there in order to make a tight cluster that hides the bead cap. Try to add them evenly and not all on one side, or your earring will grow lopsided.

For the center, I used a 6mm glass pearl. Make sure to turn it so the side is facing instead of the end with the hole.

Next, go back and tighten any loose beads by adding another stitch through them. Knot your beading thread and weave it through the ends of some of your stitches before cutting it off. You don't want to cut it too close to the knot.

Make the 2nd earring, trying to keep the number of beads the same so they end up the same size.

Turn them over and glue an earring post to the back of each one. 

That's it! Leave them to dry overnight, and the next day you can put on the earring backs and wear them.

I used all one color, but you can mix colors too! Here is a set I made earlier, with mixed sizes, colors, and textures of beads. There are endless options out there!

These could coordinate perfectly with my two-strand pearl necklace, if you need a matching set!

My new pearl bead cluster earrings side-by-side with true vintage 1950s bead cluster earrings. It's nice to be able to make a new, authentic-looking pair in a particular color any time I need to!