Blank Scrabble Tile Crafts

Scrabble is an enjoyable game, and the wood tiles make an interesting source material for crafts.

The classic word game Scrabble uses some of the most tactile and pleasing playing pieces of any board game. Its 3/4-inch-by-3/4-inch square wood tiles with imprinted letters are instantly recognizable. Originally hand stamped when the game was first produced in the 1940s, tiles today are mass-produced in the millions by the toy maker Hasbro Inc. It's not surprising that artists and crafters have found interesting ways to make jewelry and crafts using Scrabble tiles.

Select Tiles

Gather a supply of Scrabble tiles. You can order a full set of 100 letter tiles for $6.50 by mail from Hasbro or raid an old game for tiles. Each set includes two blank tiles, but you can also flip over any tile and use the blank side. A bonus of doing this is that your craft will still have a letter on the back to add to its interest.

Change the Look

Origami or scrapbooking supplies yield colorful choices for covering Scrabble tiles.

Make a template from cardboard the size of a Scrabble tile. Select colorful or patterned paper such as scrapbooking or origami paper. Glue it onto the scrabble tile, allowing a little extra paper to hold on to. When glue is dry, trim the paper around the tile with a craft knife, and then use a craft sealer to finish the top of the tile.

Make Tile Jewelry

Attach a pendant hook to the back of a tile or earring hooks to the backs of two tiles, using a heavy-duty glue.

Collage or Wall Hanging

Treat Scrabble tiles as you would quilt squares and design a larger pattern with each square in a specific color or design. Turn some or all of the Scrabble squares over to reveal the letters. Spell out a name, occasion or inspirational quote with some of the letters and use others to create a pattern or decorative appearance. Glue the finished tiles onto a piece of wood or inside a shadow box.

Make Magnets or Clips

Small wood clothespins can turn tiles into crafty paper holders.

Glue magnets or clothespins onto the backs of individual tiles to make them into functional objects. Alternatively, attach a group of tiles together, either several that are grouped to spell a word or several that have colorful paper glued to their tops. Glue magnets or clothespins to the back of the set to make a larger magnet or fastener.

References

• Make and Takes; Scrabble Tile Pendants; 2008
• Etsy: Scrabble Tile Art
• National Scrabble Association: History of Scrabble
• Hasbro Customer Service: Order Blank Scrabble Tiles
• Scrabble Pages: Scrabble Rules