Pinwheel Earrings

Do you remember how cool these things used to be when you were elbow height? Wearing them is almost as cool.

You Will Need:

• Paper. Preferably the kind that has a different colour on each side
• Basic Hooks (see Vocab Tab)
• Scissors
• A needle/pin
• A Pencil
• A ruler

Note: The silver bead in the picture was already part of the hooks I used. If that's not the case with yours add two small beads to your list of necessary supplies.

How To Do:

First cut out two 3x3 cm squares of  paper. The earrings are going to stay roughly the same size as the original square. If you'd like to start with a different size you are welcome to adapt your own measurements. I'm certainly in no position to stop you.

Using your pencil and ruler, draw two lines connecting opposite corners diagonally so that you have an X shape.
Take your needle and stab a hole in the center of this X. 

Measure and mark and distance of 0.5 cm from the center of the X along each line that extends from it.
Cut along the line from each corner of the square up to that point.

Take a look at the picture as a better explanation. The zigzag lines show you where to cut.

Carefully erase the lines you have drawn. Next take a corner of one of your newly created triangles and bring it across to the center of your square without folding it, like this:

Put your needle back through the hole you made in the center of your square and use it to skewer the corner of the triangle and hold it in place. Try to get the hole you make as close to the very tip as possible but be careful to leave enough space around the hole that the needle doesn't tear through.
Do the same for each alternate corner like so:

Now take your earring hook and straighten out the loop at the end. Remove the bead if there is one and put it to one side.

Carefully push the square onto the straightened out loop end through the hole you made.

Thread on each of the corners you've pierced, in sequence to form the pinwheel shape.

Put the bead back on to the hook and make a loop in the end of the wire to secure it.

A word of advice:

One question I've got a lot while wearing these is "do they spin?". The first time I was asked I didn't actually know and so we tried it out and I ended up having to wipe someone's spit off my ear. To save you from this I will tell you now that the answer is "Yes, with enough air and the right angle they spin. Please don't blow on my ear."

Rating:

Patience required: 6/10

They are small and fiddly. Knowing that any rushed movements could end up ripping through the paper and force you to start all over again is kind of stressful but it's a good kind of stress- the kind where you get cool earrings in the end.

Durability: 1/10

All just part of the charm you know?

Cool Factor: 7/10

They are cute, functional and remind people of childhood? Score!