Directions to Make a Paper Gum Wrapper Chain
Instead of allowing empty chewing gum wrappers to litter the bottom of your purse or the floor of your car, add them to your collection of craft supplies. Fold the wrappers into links, which you can connect to make a colorful chain. Making gum wrapper chains is an enjoyable pastime for children. Kids can make friendship bracelets or garland with their chains. It has also become popular for adults to create bags, baskets, jewelry and frames with repurposed wrappers.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Fold the paper gum wrapper in half lengthwise to make a long, thin rectangle.
-
2
Cut or tear along the fold to make two separate rectangles. Place one of the rectangles so the long side is horizontal.
-
-
3
Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise with the colorful side on the outside, bringing the top edge down to meet the bottom edge. Unfold. You've made a crease along the horizontal center of the rectangle.
-
4
Fold the top edge of the rectangle downward to meet the centerfold. Fold the bottom edge upward to the centerfold. This is called a cupboard fold.
-
5
Fold the rectangle in half again along the centerfold. You now have what looks like a long, thin strip.
-
6
Fold the strip in half, bringing the left edge to meet the right edge. This creates a vertical crease in the center of the strip.
-
7
Fold the left edge inward to meet the centerfold. Fold the right edge inward to meet the centerfold. You have just made another cupboard fold to finish the figure, which is one link in the gum wrapper chain.
-
8
Repeat steps two through seven with the other half of the gum wrapper from step one to form another link. Notice that each link has two prongs. Each prong has a slot created by its fold.
-
9
Join the two links by inserting the prongs of one link into the slots of the other. Pull the prongs you inserted as far as possible through the slots. The two linked gum wrappers should look like a V.
-
10
Repeat steps one through seven to make as many links as you want for your gum wrapper chain.
-
11
Add links to the chain you started in step nine by inserting the prongs of a new link through the slots in the previous link.
-
12
Repeat step 11 until the chain is the desired length.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Make a loop with your chain by inserting the prongs of the last link into the slots on the first link.
If you don't have gum wrappers available, cut paper into 3-inch by 1-inch rectangles and start with step three.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
