How to Build an American Flag Pin out of Safety Pins

Anyone can build safety pin jewelry. It is a fun hobby and the end results are cute and clever. A patriotic flag pattern will impress your family and friends. These instructions will teach you the simple, basic steps needed to build not only the flag but any pattern you choose. If you have some trouble unbending the pins or getting the beads in the proper order, just remember, practice makes perfect and don't crimp the clasp of the beaded pin until you are certain you have it just the way you want it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• One 2-inch long safety pin
• 15 1-inch long safety pins
• 28 blue seed beads
• 62 white seed beads
• 81 red seed beads
• Needle-nose pliers

Building an American Flag Pin out of Safety Pins

1. Using your needle-nosed pliers, pull apart the double looped end of the two inch long safety pin and spread it apart enough so that you will be able to easily slide the other safety pin loops over it. This way, the beaded pins will be on the side of the safety pin that does not open and close, enabling you to wear it like any other pin.

2. Take a 1-inch long pin and unhook the pin from the clasp. Load it with four blue beads, then five more beads in this order, red, white, red, white, red. When it is fully loaded, shut the pin again and crimp the clasp with your pliers so it cannot come open.

3. Load six more 1-inch long pins in the same manner. This will complete the blue section of your flag. Thread the loops of these first seven pins over the sharp end of the large pin and around the opened loops. When you are finished your beaded pins should be hanging from the back side of the large pin, opposite the clasp.

4. Load the remaining 12 small pins in this fashion--with nine seed beads each. Start with red on top, alternate with white and finish with red on the bottom. Crimp the clasp when each pin is completed.

5. Place the final twelve pins on the shaft of the large pin and using your pliers, crimp the double loop shut again, so that it will look as though you never opened it in the first place. Now your beaded pins will stay put and you can unclasp the large pin and wear it proudly.

Tips & Warnings

• Any pattern can be created using safety pins and seed beads, so get creative.
• If you have trouble seeing the tiny beads, use a shoulder strap magnifying glass.
• You will likely note that your beads are not all the same width. This is not a problem unless one or more are too big to fit them all on the pin. Choose your sizes as evenly as you can. A little variation makes your flag look as though it is waving.
• Be very careful with the open pins as they are extremely sharp.
• Keep the tiny beads and sharp pins out of the reach of small children.

Resources

• www.familycrafts.about.com/beadedsafetypins