These raffia earrings are easy to make with your Cricut machine, chipboard, and some raffia. I bought all the supplies for this project at my local JOANN store.
This is a sponsored post brought to you by JOANN. All opinions are my own.
I have loved my faux leather earrings I made last summer. (You can check out that tutorial HERE.) Those earrings are so light, I can barely tell I am wearing them. I’ve noticed all the different styles of statement earrings that have been trending lately, especially ones with fringe. I wanted to make more earrings that were also light, but included this new style.
Cricut chipboard is a perfect base for the earrings, because it’s sturdy and not too heavy! You can just seal and paint the chipboard but I wanted them to have something more. I love the texture the raffia gives to the shapes, and plus its easy to fringe. You can also paint the raffia all sorts of bright colors or just keep them natural for a less dramatic look. I think the fringe ones make a great statement earring.
Tips for Cutting Chipboard
Use quality chipboard. There are lots of different kinds, but I recommend using Cricut’s heavy (2mm) chipboard.
You want to use your StrongGrip mat and tape down all four sides when cutting chipboard to make sure it doesn’t move around during the cut.
It’s also recommended that you open your Cricut Chipboard and lay it flat for 24 hours to acclimate the material to your climate.
Remember to slide your star rollers over to the side so they don’t leave an indent in your chipboard. The maximum cut you can make with chipboard is 10.5” x 10.5” and the minimum recommended size is 0.75” x 0.75”
What is Raffia?
I wasn’t even sure where to find it at my store. (FYI It’s in the wreath making section at JOANN.) But just as a fun fact , raffia is a natural fiber made from palm leaves. It’s widely used around the world for everything from twine and rope to baskets, hats and shoes (and earrings, ha)
My JOANN store carried a few different colors of raffia, but I went with just the natural version so I could paint it later on.
Supplies for DIY Raffia Earrings
Cricut Maker
Cricut Knife Blade
Cricut StrongGrip Mat
Cricut Chipboard
Raffia
Hildi & Jo 4 mm jump rings
Hildi & Jo Earring Hooks
ImpressArt Hole Punch Pliers
ImpressArt Flat Nose Pliers (2)
Glue
Optional-
Paint & Paintbrush
Instructions:
Open the Design Space file found HERE.
Click on “Make It” in the upper right hand corner. Select how many copies you would like to make of the earrings. I always suggest cutting out a few more than you think you will need so you can have some practice earrings.
Tape your chipboard to your StrongGrip mat.
Cut out and weed your shapes. Now it’s time to wrap them!
Cut a piece of raffia about 36 inches long. Glue one end onto your chipboard then pull the raffia through the center loop. Continue this until the entire earring is covered. Secure with some more glue at the end.
For the fringe version, cut pieces of raffia about 5 inches long. Fold them in half, put the ends in the middle of your earring and pull through the loop of raffia on the other side. Continue this all around the earring. Finish them off by using the same technique as the first earring to wrap the exposed part of the chipboard.
The next step is to make a hole and insert your jump ring and then earring hook. I love using ImpressArt tools for this step. They have such a great line of jewelry making tools available at JOANN.
Use the hole punch to make a hole in the very top of the earring. Use your two flat nose pliers to open a jump ring and insert it into the hole. Now open the loop at the end of the earring hook and put it through the jump ring. Your earring is done!
An optional step is to paint your earring. I used a couple of fun bright colors to add some contrast. Make sure to let them dry for a few hours before wearing them.
I hope you will make yourself a few pairs! If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.
