DIY Trendy Arch Connector Earrings

Share the love!

How to Make Arch Connector Earrings with or without a Cricut

If you’ve seen these trendy earrings and want to learn how to make DIY trendy arch connector faux leather earrings with or without a Cricut, you’re in the right place! These fresh and modern earrings are based on a piece of jewelry hardware with many names: arch connector, arched connector, u-shaped connector, u connector and three hole jewelry finding. This finding, no matter what you call it, will transform your faux leather earrings into contemporary and fashionable earring designs. I’ll show you how to make trendy faux leather earrings with arched connectors and where to get arch connectors and the other materials I used to make this project.

I’ll also share 6 free SVG designs I created especially for use with faux leather and arch connectors – you can download my FREE original arch connector earring SVG files for this project from my Resource Library – it’s Design #177. I’ll have a link to get the library password in the Materials section below.

Want to cut these by hand instead? You can! Download my free PDF of the earring shapes and create your own patterns. I’ll tell you how!

If you’d rather watch the video for this project, click on the image below:

Ready? Let’s get started!

Want to see all of my Cricut earring & jewelry tutorials? CLICK HERE

This post contains some affiliate links (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure policy here.

Arch Connector Earrings DIY – Materials List

• A vinyl cutting machine. I used the Cricut Maker for this project (available at Amazon here or at Cricut.com). You can also use the Cricut Explore Air 2 or the Cricut Joy (see this post on my blog for some tips before you cut faux leather with the Joy).

NOTE: You can also cut these arch connector earring shapes by hand if you prefer. You will find a PDF version of the shapes in the download folder. You can print the PDF and cut out the shapes. Use them as pattern pieces and trace them onto the back of faux leather. Then cut with scissors and punch the holes with a 1/16″ hole punch.

• Cricut Strong Grip (Purple) Cutting Mat. You can buy these on Amazon here.

• Faux leather in the color of your choice. I used these assorted printed faux leather sheets and these chunky glitter faux leather sheets, both from Amazon.

• Blue painter’s tape. This will help keep your faux leather in place on your mat. This is just regular painter’s tape from the hardware store, or you can get it on Amazon here.

• A weeding tool. I use the weeding tool that came with my Cricut tool set from Amazon here.

• Arch connectors in gold from Etsy here and here and here.

• Arch connectors in silver from Etsy here and here (these will need a jump ring threaded onto the arch to attach the earring hook).

• Arch connectors in rose gold from Etsy here.

• Wood arch connectors here and here. I also like these (although I didn’t use them in this project).

NOTE: Arch connectors are hot selling items! If the above items are out of stock or unavailable, click here to see more!

• Earring hooks – Gold finish hooks here and silver finish hooks here, both from Amazon. The ball ear wire hooks are here.

• 6mm jump rings in gold here and silver here.

• Small scissors. These Fiskars 4″ curved scissors are my favorite.

• A small hole punch (for punching earring holes in the faux leather when the earrings are fully assembled). This is my favorite earring hole punch from Amazon.

• Small jump rings – I used jump rings from this assortment of 6mm size jump rings in different metal finishes from Amazon here.

• Two pairs of flat nose pliers – My favorites are Wubbers brand in the “Baby” size. The pliers I use daily are the Baby Wubbers Chain Nose Pliers and the Baby Wubbers Flat Nose Pliers.

The SVG file template for these Arch Connector Earring designs. It’s Design #177 in my FREE resource library. You can get the password and the link to the library instantly by filling out the form below, or the form towards the bottom of this post.

NOTE: These SVG designs are for personal use only. To sell earrings made with my designs, please purchase the small business commercial use license for these designs from my shop here.

DIY Arch Connector Earrings – PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1 – Download the SVG Cut Files

Download my free Arch Connector Earrings SVG file (Design #177) from my Resource Library. Save the zipped folder that downloads to your computer. Then unzip the folder to access the folder’s contents. You’ll need to unzip or extract the files FIRST so you can upload the cutting file to Cricut Design Space.

STEP 2 – Upload the SVG File to Cricut Design Space

In Cricut Design Space, click on New Project, then Upload, then Browse to locate the unzipped SVG file on your device. Click on it to select it and upload it to Design Space.

If you need help uploading a file to Cricut Design Space, click here.

The uploaded SVG file will appear in your “Recent Uploads” row. Click on it to highlight it, then click INSERT IMAGES.

The arched connector earring designs will load into your canvas, both with and without earring holes. I recommend using the version with holes – even if the holes don’t cut completely with your Cricut, you can complete the cut with a 1/16″ hole punch.

TIP: If you want to make these earring shapes larger or smaller, then use the version without holes and punch the holes yourself.

To hide the shapes you don’t want to cut, click the eye icon next to each layer you don’t want to cut. Or you can first select and UNGROUP all the layers, then click on the layers you want to delete and click the delete icon.

Let’s cut the faux leather mat.

STEP 3 – Make Material Selections

I use the material setting Faux Leather (Paper Thin) when cutting faux leather with my Cricut. I use the standard fine point blade that comes with the Cricut Maker, the Explore Air 2, and the Cricut Joy.

To find this Faux Leather material setting in Cricut Design Space, click on “Browse All Materials” to search for this setting. Type “faux leather” in the search bar and click on the magnifying glass.

Note: If you’re using a Cricut Explore Air 2, turn your dial to “Custom” so you can choose Faux Leather (Paper Thin) as the material setting. If you’re using the Cricut Joy, set the machine to cut “with a mat” and then select Faux Leather (Paper Thin) as the setting. Use the green Joy sized mat.

After you’ve selected Faux Leather (Paper Thin) as your material, choose MORE from the Pressure dropdown menu.

STEP 4 – Prepare Mats for Cutting

Place your cut pieces of faux leather pretty side down on a sticky purple cutting mat in the location shown in the mat preview screen. If you are using chunky glitter faux leather, place a piece of Cricut brand Strong Grip Transfer Tape sticky side up on the mat first before you place the chunky glitter. This will keep glitter from getting stuck to your mat.

Use blue painter’s tape to tape the faux leather down to the purple mat on all sides.

NOTE: Be sure to carefully push your white star wheels on the roller bar off to the side so they don’t roll over the faux leather while cutting.

Load the taped mat into the Cricut by aligning the mat between the mat guides and then pressing the double arrows button.

STEP 5 – Cutting Faux Leather Mat

The “C” Cricut button will start to flash, indicating the machine is ready to cut. Press the C button to begin the cut.

When the cut is finished, but before you unload the mat, use a sharp tool (I’m using my weeding tool) to carefully lift the edge of the earring shapes to see if they cut all the way through. If they did, then click the double arrow button to unload the mat.

If they didn’t, just press the C button again to repeat the cut. You can repeat the cut as many times as necessary as long as you haven’t unloaded the mat.

Once the cut is complete, remove the cut earring shapes from the purple mat. If any small pieces remain stuck to the faux leather piece on the mat, carefully trim them to remove the shape.

Take a moment to trim away any fuzzies on the edges of the faux leather shapes with small curved scissors like these. These are my favorite scissors from Amazon for trimming faux leather.

If the hole didn’t cut all the way through, use a sharp object or a 1/16″ hole punch like this hole punch or this hole punch to make the earring holes.

If you want to color the edge of the faux leather so it’s not so plain, you can use a Sharpie marker in a coordinating color to touch up all the edges.

STEP 6 – Assemble the Earrings

Now to assemble the layers of these rainbow earrings.

Using two pair of flat nose pliers, open a jump ring and slide on the faux leather shape and the arch connector. Close up the jump ring again. Repeat on the other side of the arch connector.

Repeat on the other side of the arch connector.

Repeat with any other kind of arch connector. Use jump rings as needed to attach faux leather and earring hooks to the u-shaped connector.

This pair of earrings is using ball ear wire hooks to attach to the arch connector. They just slide on, no pliers needed for the hook.

Repeat with the other earring. That’s it!

Aren’t these Arch Connector Earrings cute? If you do make this project, I would love to see your earrings. Please share a photo of them in the comments, or tag me on Instagram: @amyromeucreative

Want to see all of my Cricut earring & jewelry tutorials? CLICK HERE

WANT THE SVG FILE SO YOU MAKE THESE TRENDY ARCH CONNECTOR EARRINGS YOURSELF?

You can get it from my FREE Resource Library by filling out the form below!

Want to remember this? Post this TRENDY ARCH CONNECTOR EARRINGS project to your favorite Pinterest board!

Share the love!