What is a cuff?
It turns out that everything good new is long forgotten old, and cuff earrings are no exception. Back in the Bronze Age, people began to make metal jewelry of various types. Scientists also find mentions of wire jewelry in the ancient history of Thailand and Siberia, in medieval Europe. In India, they are still considered one of the elements of attire for holidays and rituals. Now you can buy handmade cuffs in Minsk.
Why are ear cuffs so popular among modern fashionistas?
After all, many ancient jewelry remained historical artifacts. It's all about originality - cuffs come in all shapes and sizes. Plus, many styles can be worn even if you don't have ear piercings!
There are several classifications that help you understand what a cuff is, but the main one can be considered the one based on their method of fastening. Using a bow Some cuff earrings are not fastened to the ears, but are worn on them.
An interesting design, similar to a Bluetooth headset, allows you to decorate your ear without squeezing the earlobe, even in the absence of piercings.
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The fashion for fancy earrings with the mysterious name “cuffs” is experiencing another boom - it seems, the strongest of all that has already happened.
In youth subcultures of the twentieth century, ear cuffs were considered primarily a male accessory, but now they have become one of the most feminine and seductive.
Cuff
(English
cuff
- “cuff, cuff”) is an ear decoration that does not require piercings, which allows you to decorate not only the lobe, but also other parts of the ear, as well as the temple, neck and hair.
Difference from clips:
- In ear cuffs, the ears do not get tired, since the pressure on them is minimal;
- cuffs do not fall off the ear;
- special fastening allows you to use large pendants without pulling the earlobe;
- Cuffs can decorate the entire ear, not just the lobe.
Fashionable jewelry in the form of fancy earrings is secured with clips in various parts of the ear and does not require additional earlobe piercings. Cuffs are not a new thing in recent years; they were also worn during the Middle Ages, because the church was against ear piercings, and they are not needed for these decorations. In the east, similar decorations are traditional in women's costume in India and Thailand.
Today, cuffs have become one of the trends in Europe and America. They are worn by celebrities (Fergie, Paris Hilton, Sienna Miller), they appear in haute couture shows (Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Alexander Wang, Karl Lagerfeld, etc.), they are included in the collections of jewelry designers around the world.
Clip-on ear cuffs can be worn in pairs or on just one ear.
By the way, due to the desire to be original, the hobby of making ear cuffs from wire and accessories with your own hands is widespread.
And today I want to show you how to make a simple cuff from ordinary wire.
1. Cut a piece of wire 6.5 cm.
2. Bend the right side of the wire 2 cm 180° up.
3. Also fold the left side down.
4.-5. Make two loops at the edges using pliers or wrap the ends with a toothpick.
6. Using a round object, such as a pencil, bend the sides inward.
7. The bottom loop can be used to secure chains and pendants
Be careful when creating a cuff. The clip should not have sharp edges that could scratch the skin, and all curves and curls should be smooth and evenly rounded.
Wear it for your health!
Video master classes on making cuffs with your own hands:
Show your imagination, come up with something of your own, original, and you will be unique.
See also:
Learning to tie knots
Patch collar is the hit of the season
Ideas to make your life easier
DIY cuff combination clasp
Some products combine several types of fastening. The decoration becomes massive - it allows you to decorate the entire ear. In addition to the types already listed, you can add a standard mount for earrings here. There are also additional pendants on long chains in the form of small combs or hairpins that can be woven into the hair.
It is quite difficult to classify cuff earrings by appearance or style because they can be combined with almost any look. Moreover, you can make the kind of decoration with your own hands that you want.
And it should still be noted that fantasy lovers really like this type of ear decoration - for example, they can be an excellent addition to a themed necklace made of beads, woven by hand.
How cuffs appeared, history and development
The first prototypes of modern ear cuffs were found during excavations. Jewelry similar to cuffs has been found on the bodies of people who lived 2300 BC. The fact that cuffs were worn in ancient times is also evidenced by modern film adaptations. So, in many historical feature films, characters wear these wonderful jewelry on their ears. It should be noted that over a long period of history they have not changed much - the fastening methods used then are still relevant now.
In modern years, cuffs began to gain popularity in the 50s. Already in the 60s of the 20th century, these jewelry became a full-fledged attribute in the bohemian social circle. In our century, both show business stars and ordinary people wear cuffs. Therefore, the question of what cuffs are and how to wear them began to be addressed much less frequently - this fashion accessory has become known to all people. Even amateurs can make it using wire or other accessories.
DIY paperclip decoration
Making ear cuff earrings is actually very simple - you don’t even have to master any special creative techniques or types of needlework. Expensive materials are also not needed - an ordinary paper clip will be enough!
Prepare a standard-sized paper clip in the color you like best - now they make yellow, red, blue, and striped.
Wrap the edges of the blank around a writing pen or pencil with a smooth surface. Your DIY decoration is ready!
Try the cuff earrings on your ears and adjust the size with finger pressure. Make several of these blanks in different colors at once - you can change them for different looks or wear several at a time, creating a fun rainbow effect. The second version of the product is more delicate, but it is somewhat more complicated - to perform it you will need pliers. It’s better to take a colorless paperclip and paint it in the desired color when you’re done—the paint may crumble during the process of bending the material. Place the paperclip in front of you so that its inner coil is facing down and the outer end of the wire is on the right side - bend it about 45 degrees. Approximately the same angle needs to be made using the next straight segment. Bend the outer end in the opposite direction. Following the instructions, use pliers to form a beautiful piece with curls around the edges and long rounded “handles.” Bend the “handles”, giving them the shape of a ring, but not all the way, so that the wire jewelry can be placed on the ear.
The finished cuff earrings resemble a cute little snake wrapped around your ear.
The wire from which paper clips are made is similar to that which is sold in creative stores specifically for creating such things - and the cost of a set of stationery is several times less than one coil of wire.
These two master classes will help beginning needlewomen practice working with wire and understand whether they like making jewelry with their own hands, without spending money on expensive accessories and materials.
How to make cuffs with your own hands in 10 steps
In fact, making wire ear cuff earrings is not that difficult. For example, in the tutorial below you will learn how to make a cute two-tone ear decoration. This model does not require special ear piercings, so even little princesses can wear it, combining it with homemade beaded bracelets, for example.
Prepare two pieces of wire of different colors, fifteen centimeters each, round nose pliers and side cutters of different sizes. Make a small, neat turn at the end of one piece of wire. Underneath it, twist a larger curl, as if drawing an English letter S.
At the end of the second section, make a snail-shaped curl. Take both segments in one hand - now you will work with them at the same time.
Make two large smooth turns - the clamp blanks - constantly making sure that both wires are aligned with each other. After the second large turn, make a small rounding exactly as shown in the photo. This is the most important part of the product, holding two colors of wire together. If you don't tighten the loop tightly enough, you'll just end up with two thin, single-colored cuffs.
From the right remaining end, make a random beautiful curl and bite off the excess wire if necessary. Repeat the same with the left tip. It will be better if you wrap the curls in opposite directions.
Wrap the clamp bases around something similar in size to your ear (this could be the handle of a pair of pliers, a writing pen, or even an oblong plasticine sausage). Give the item a beautiful, slightly curved shape, reminiscent of the edge of the ear, so that the jewelry does not puff up when worn.
Make two such cuff earrings on your ears and put them on - this will make you look like a sorceress or a fairy-tale character. Experiment with different colors - choose similar or contrasting shades so that you get new, unique jewelry with your own hands every time.
You can also slightly modify the curls decorating the product - increase or decrease them as desired. In addition, chains with beads, feathers, pendants and natural stones can be hung on loops and curls.
In the article you saw examples of master classes that allow you to make cuff earrings on your ears in the form of clips.
What does it take to make a cuff?
How to make cuffs with your own hands? The question is quite simple. This will not require much time and skills. One of the most popular types is the wire cuff. To create it you will need:
- wire of different thicknesses;
- pliers;
- decorative elements;
- round nose pliers;
- preliminary sketch of decoration.
Using thicker wire, pliers and round nose pliers, a base is created with various bends and a future clamp on the ear.
Decorative elements for decoration can be used in a completely different way: beads, chains, beads, feathers, small figurines of animals, birds and flowers. In general, whatever your heart desires. Decorative elements are attached to the base with thinner wire. Do not clamp the wire too tightly so that tool marks remain on it. The main advantage (if you make your own cuffs) is that the jewelry will fit perfectly to the size of your ear.
