How to Make Decorative Bottle Stoppers for Antique Bottles
You can make bottle stoppers to match antique glass in a variety of styles and colors. You can find cork inserts to fit most any size bottle at your local craft store or brewery, if your antique bottle doesn't already have one. Select from beads, drawer pulls, lamp finials or wooden carvings to create decorative bottle stoppers that are simple to create and beautiful to display.
Things You'll Need
- Corks
- Hat pins
- Beads
- Ribbon
- Button
- Scissors
- Drill
- Drill bit
- Jeweler's glue
- Lamp finial
- Drawer pull
- Threaded bolts
- Wooden carving
- Wire cutters
Instructions
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Beaded Pin Bottle Stoppers
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1
Select hat pins and beads from the craft store that fit the style of your antique bottles. Hat pins are the centerpiece of your design and will hold the beads in place on top of the cork. Hat pins typically range in size from 3 to 8 inches in length; some have a beaded head and some have a plain flat head. Hat pins are made often made from 18-gauge wire; most beads that are at least 4mm should fit well over the pin.
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2
Arrange the beads onto the hat pin as you like. The last bead that you add will be the bead that touches the cork. Place a bead with the largest circumference in this position to cover as much of the cork's top as possible. An alternative way to cover the top of the cork is to add a button the same size as the cork top or to cover it with ribbon before you add the beaded pin.
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3
Drill a small hole, 1/2-inch deep in the center of the top of the cork. Fill the hole with strong jeweler's or craft glue; E6000 is a good choice as it is a gel and not a liquid. Spread a small amount of glue on top of the cork. Insert the beaded pin into the drilled opening. You may need to brace the pin straight until the glue dries.
Finial, Pull or Carving Bottle Stoppers
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4
Select a decorative lamp finial or drawer pull from your local home improvement store that will fit on the top of your antique bottle's cork head. You can also find small unfinished wood carvings at your local craft store that will also work for this project. Make sure that you purchase threaded bolts that fit the finial or pull; you can make one to fit the wood carving from a plain hat pin. If you select a wood carving, paint or stain it before you attach it to the cork.
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5
Drill a hole to fit one end of the bolt, 1/2-inch deep into the center at the top of the cork. If you're using a hat pin, you can drill a smaller hole in the cork plus a matching one inside the base of your wood carving. Fill any holes that you make with strong craft glue. Spread a small layer of craft glue on top of the cork.
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6
Insert the threaded bolt into the finial or drawer pull. Insert the other end of the bolt into the cork. To attach the wood carving, insert one end of the hat pin inside the wood carving and the other end inside the cork. If you need to cut the top off of the hat pin so that it fits inside the wood, use wire cutters.
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