How to Make Dentalium Earrings
- 1). Choose other findings to go with the dentalium. Dentalium pieces go well with other beads made of similar natural materials like bone or sea shell or with any pieces made from other earthy material like wood or clay. Go with shades of beige, off-white and brown. If the dentalium you have has been bleached white enough, colorful beads may also coordinate well. For the best visual effect, get beads that are slightly bigger at their widest point than the diameter of the dentalium shell pieces you'll be working with.
- 2). Design your project. There are a number of common design concepts that work well with dentalium; you could simply thread one long piece of shell to hand vertically on each earring with one or two beads as accents (placed above the shell, below or both). Create a variation on this design by bunching together several threaded pieces of shell and bead to form a bouquet. For a more subtle look, cut short cross-section beads of shell (about a half inch long or less) and thread enough of them on one cord to wrap them into a hanging loop.
- 3). Cut the dentalium shells into the desired lengths. Use a power cutting tool designed for small cuts, such as a handheld rotary cutter with a saw wheel or a scroll saw. Mark the lengths you want on the dentalium before you cut it, then erase any remains of the pencil graphite after making the cuts.
- 4). Thread the dentalium pieces using a threaded needle with cord or dental floss. If the section of shell you're working with is longer than the needle you're using, insert the needle in one end of the shell, then hold the shell and let go of the needle, allowing the weight of the needle to pull the thread through. Leave a few inches of extra cord at the top of the finished piece(s) after you're done beading.
- 5). Attach the finished beading to the loop of a wire earring setting. Wrap the length of extra cord a couple times through, then secure it by tying it to itself just below the wire loop. Trim the excess cord.