How to Make Bracelets Out of Trash
The phrase, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" has never been so true. Modern jewelry designs are using more recycled and repurposed materials than ever before. You can find objects to use for these designs from flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores and right from your own trash. Materials like plastic bottles, mismatched silverware, buttons, game pieces and guitar strings are just some of the hundreds of things to be used for repurposed bracelets. All you need for these bracelets are some materials you saved from the trash, basic jewelry making tools and your imagination.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic bottle
- Scissors
- Tape
- Strips of paper
- Mod podge
- Paint
- Paint brush
- Silverware
- Buttons
- Wire
- Round-nose pliers
- Wire cutters
- Jump rings (optional)
- Clasp (optional)
Instructions
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Bangle Made from a Plastic Bottle
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1
Remove the label from the plastic bottle and cut the top off. Cut the bottle down the middle, then cut the bottom off the bottle.
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2
Cut the remaining portion of the bottle until the bangle is approximately 1-1/2 inch wide. Cut your paper strips from newspaper, magazine or construction paper into 1 inch strips.
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3
Paste the strips onto the bangle with mod podge and a paint brush. You can use as many or as little as you want, depending on the desired thickness of the bangle. Once the bangle is dry, paint it in whichever color or design you want.
Button Charm Bracelet
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4
Make small jump rings with wire by wrapping the wire around a pen several times, then cutting it into rings with your wire cutters. Connect the jump rings together to make the bracelet chain. You can also buy jump rings or use an old bracelet chain.
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5
Make larger jump rings by wrapping the wire around a marker or sharpie, and cutting the rings with your wire cutters. Attach a button by sliding an open jump ring through one of the button holes, connecting it to a part of the bracelet chain, then closing the jump ring with your pliers. Continue doing this for all of your button charms.
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6
Attach an old clasp you find around the house or at a garage sale. You can also make a simple S-hook clasp with wire by wrapping it around a pen or marker and bending the wire to an S-shape.
Bangle Made from Silverware
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7
Measure your wrist and choose a silverware spoon for your bangle.
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8
Hold the metal spoon with one hand and place it on the wrist of your other hand.
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9
Apply pressure and bend the spoon around the curve of your wrist until the handle is nestled inside the bowl of the spoon.
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Tips & Warnings
Take apart old pieces of jewelry to make new jewelry designs. You can use any component such as jump rings, clasps and beads.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit buttons image by Eldin Muratovic from Fotolia.com
