Eye pins are long, thin wires with an eye at one end.
Beads or other embellishments are stacked on the “eye” end of the eye pin. Pliers are then used to shape the top of the pin into a hook that can be connected to a jump ring or threaded to an earring hook or onto a necklace or bracelet to make a pendant. Eye pins can be shaped into other wire components. Eye pins are sold in art- and beading-supply stores, though making your own gives you more control over the final result.
Table of Contents
How to Make a Basic Eye Pin
- Grasp one end of the wire with round-nose pliers.
- Turn the pliers so the wire loops over the pliers’ nose.
How to Make a Curly-Head Pin (Fiddlehead)
A fiddlehead adds one or more concentric loops around the single loop of a basic eye pin.
- Make a basic eye pin.
- Grasp the loop at the end of the eye pin flat in the jaws of nylon-nose pliers.
- Use your fingers to wrap the straight wire around the loop. Rotate the jaws of the pliers as you wrap the wire.
You can also flatten the fiddlehead by squeezing it in the jaws of nylon-nose pliers.
How to Make a Double-Loop Eye Pin
The double-loop eye pin adds a second loop next to the single eye of the basic eye pin.
- Make a basic eye pin.
- Position the round-nose pliers so that the jaws are flush against the first loop. The loop should be facing up.
- Create a second loop right beside the first by wrapping the straight end of the wire around the nose of the pliers. After you form the wrap, the straight wire should point down between the loops
If you like, you can flatten the double loops in the jaws of nylon-nose pliers.
How to Make a Triple-Loop (Cloverleaf) Eye Pin
A cloverleaf eye pin has three loops at its tip.
- Make a double-loop eye pin.
- Grasp the straight wire with round-nose pliers so that the pliers are flush against the two loops. Wrap the straight wire clockwise all the way around the nose to create a third loop. The straight end of the wire should be aligned directly below the pointed teardrop of the second (middle) loop.
As a last step, you can flatten the loops in the jaws of nylon-nose pliers if you choose.
How to Make a Quadruple-Loop Eye Pin
A quadruple-loop eye pin has four loops at its top.
- Create a triple-loop (cloverleaf) eye pin.
- Clamp the round-nose pliers on the straight wire just beneath the three loops.
- Create a fourth loop by wrapping the wire counterclockwise around the nose of the pliers. All four loops should be aligned in two overlapping figure eights, and the tail of the wire should stick out from between the first two loops you made.
As a last step, you can flatten the double loops in the jaws of the nylon-nose pliers.
