I love to make leather earrings with my Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air 2. DIY Leather Earrings are one of the easiest crafts to make with your Cricut Maker! I have so many tutorials on the blog showing you exactly how to make leather earrings with a Cricut.
Here are some of the most popular:
DIY Cork Teardrop Earrings
DIY Circle with a hole Leather Earrings
DIY Angled Rectangle Lether Earring
DIY Open Teardrop Leather Earring
One of the biggest questions I get over and over again is: what do I put on the back of Faux Leather Earrings? Great question! And honestly, this is one question I have wrestled with for years too!
Crafting with faux leather is a bit different than working with genuine leather. Depending on the type of faux leather you purchase, faux leather can be paper-thin or as thick as some genuine leather! It all depends on what you buy.
There are two main reasons you may want to add a backing to your faux leather earrings. First, if the faux leather you purchase is paper-thin, you may want to add a backing to your earrings. This type of earring may curl when worn.
The second reason you may want to add a backing on your faux leather earrings is if the back of the faux leather is not something you’d want others to see. A backing can make your earrings look more polished and professional.
Let’s look at 5 things I recommend you put on the back of faux leather earrings. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer. It is all a matter of preference!
Related:
How to cut Cricut Faux Leather
WHAT TO PUT ON THE BACK OF FAUX LEATHER EARRINGS - NOTHING!
You don’t have to put anything on the back of your DIY faux leather earrings. Some leather and faux leather will have a backing that resembles the color of the earrings. If that is the case, don’t worry about adding an additional backing.
My pinched leather earring is the only cut file I have where you can see the back of the faux leather when you wear it. I am careful to choose faux leather that has a similar color on both sides. This way, I don’t have to worry about adding the backing.
TIP: If your earring turns to the right and left showing the back of your earring when you wear it, check the earring hook. I do not use jump rings with my earring hooks. I attach my earring straight to my fish hook. Make sure your hook is secured on tight! I find that this little trick keeps my earrings from turning around when I wear them.
Related:
DIY Pinched Faux Leather Earrings Inspired by Joanna Gaines
WHAT TO PUT ON THE BACK OF FAUX LEATHER EARRINGS - DOUBLE SIDED FAUX LEATHER EARRINGS
Another popular option is to double line your faux leather earrings. This is especially advantageous when your faux leather earrings are paper thin. In my experience, thinner faux leather tends to fold up over time especially in humid climates.
Faux leather will lie flat again if you place them inside a heavy book. To keep your leather earrings flat for a longer period of time you may consider gluing 2 earrings together to form one earring. The best glue for leather earrings is E6000. I love using this glue!
To do this, simply make 4 earrings at a time per one pair. In Cricut Design Space, create your front pair of earrings. Click on the earrings and select DUPLICATE. You will not have 4 earrings on your screen.
Click your duplicated earrings and then click FLIP. This will ensure your earring backs fit flush with your earring fronts. Cut your faux leather.
I use E6000 glue to adhere each earring together. Be sure to follow the directions on the glue! Wait the appropriate amount of time on the bottle of the glue before you touch your earrings.
You can cut a hole in your earrings with a leather punch after the glue is dry.
Related:
Cricut Design Space for Beginners
WHAT TO PUT ON THE BACK OF FAUX LEATHER EARRINGS Heat Transfer Vinyl
Vinyl comes in adhesive vinyl and Heat Transfer Vinyl. Adhesive vinyl comes in all different colors but it will have a paper backing and will be sticky to the touch. Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) does not have a paper backing. Instead, it has a clear plastic carrier sheet that covers the TOP of the vinyl. The adhesive on HTV is activated with heat.
When you place heat transfer vinyl on the back of faux leather earrings, you will give your earrings a polished and professional look. Consider using a complementary color of vinyl for your faux leather earring backing.
Remember, this is a great technique to use when the faux leather you are using is thicker. HTV won’t add that much bulk to your earring and makes an excellent complement to your earrings.
You could add heat transfer vinyl to the back of your faux leather BEFORE you cut your earrings. OR you may add it after. It is really a matter of preference.
Note: you will need an iron OR Easy Press to adhere HTV to your faux leather. I love my Easy Press and mat. The smaller size is great for earring crafts!
Here are some tips for using HTV as a backing for faux leather earrings:
If you are adhering to HTV BEFORE you cut, make sure the HTV is slightly smaller than your faux leather. HTV will melt into your mat!
When you attached HTV and faux leather, be sure to place the wrong sides together. In other words, the back of the HTV should adhere to the back of your faux leather.
Use the lowest setting on your Easy Press. Be sure to follow all the instructions on the HTV and Easy Press. A Teflon sheet of parchment paper is a must between the HTV and the Easy Press or Iron.
When removing the carrier sheet off the HTV, be sure to peel it off from the bottom first and up and to the right. This technique reduces bubbles and wrinkles in the HTV.
If you attach HTV BEFORE you cut your faux leather, place your materials on a purple mat faux leather side down. Use blue painters tape on all 4 sides to make sure your leather doesn’t bunch and shift during cutting. Use the faux leather setting on your machine. Select MORE pressure when cutting.
WHAT TO PUT ON THE BACK OF FAUX LEATHER EARRINGS FOIL Iron-On
Foil Iron-On is another great option for the back of faux leather earrings. Again, I would recommend this technique with thicker faux leather.
You could adhere to iron-on foil BEFORE you cut or you could cut each layer separately and attach using an Easy Press or iron.
To Cut First and Adhere Second, here are some tips:
Cut your faux leather earrings in the desired earring shape. If you need help cutting faux leather check out my tips at How to Cut Cricut Faux Leather.
Cut foil iron on in the same shape as your earring but choose Flip within circuit design space. This will make sure the earrings line up flush.
Once your faux leather and foil iron-on are cut, line up one earring placing back sides together - right side out.
Set your earring on an easy press mat making sure your earring doesn’t shift! Bind both pieces together with an Easy Press using the lowest setting.
Remove the clear coating off your foil iron-on making sure to move up and to the right!
WHAT TO PUT ON THE BACK OF FAUX LEATHER EARRINGS Heat N Bond
Another popular option for the back of faux leather earrings is heat n bond. Heat n bond is a roll of paperback iron-on. It is a double-sided adhesive mostly used to bond fabric without the need for pinning.
You could use Heat N Bond to create double-sided faux leather earrings. Instead of using glue, you can use heat n bond.
Similar to cutting foil iron-on or HTV, cut a piece of heat n bond the same shape as your faux leather BEFORE you cut your leather. If you are cutting one pair of earrings, a simple rectangle with do.
You will need to run the heat n bond on a pink mat adhesive side up. Cut the heat n bond to your leather earring shape. Use freezer paper as a material setting.
Line up the adhesive layer from the heat n bond in between both layers of your faux leather earrings. Use an Easy Press or iron to adhere all the layers together.
Heat n bond will keep faux leather earrings from curling. Heat n bond will also stiffen leather earrings.
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