How to Make a Bracelet Out of a Plastic Water Bottle

 You'll need a smaller bottle, a two liter bottle would be too big without using a clasp.People throw away a lot of things that crafters can use to make jewelry. You can make a bracelet from an empty water bottle, for example. This is the kind of craft that just about anybody can make. Even older children who can be careful with a hot glue gun can do it, though they should be supervised by an adult. This project should take about 30 minutes, not including drying time.

Instructions

1- Remove the label from an empty half-liter, 20 ounce or 1 liter water bottle. You may need ot use scissors to scrape the label and the glue off. Pour a little rubbing alcohol onto a cloth and clean the outside of the water bottle.

2 - Select the segment of the bottle you want to be your bracelet and mark it off with a permanent marker. You'll need two lines, one at the top and bottom of the bracelet. Use your straight edge to guide you if you want, although the edge of your bracelet can be wavy.

3 - Puncture the bottle outside of the area marked off for your bracelet using the tip of your scissors. Follow the lines you made to cut out the bracelet. If you want a bangle-type bracelet, you'll need to follow the line on one side, then re-puncture the bottle on the far side of the other line. If you want a bracelet with an opening, follow the line all the way around, then cut at a perpendicular to the other line.

4 - Clean up any rough edges with your scissors. If you have made a bracelet with an opening, round off the corners a little bit so they are not so sharp.

5 - Paint the outside of your bracelet with acrylic paints. You can make a pretty design or simply paint the bracelet a solid color. Use thin coats and build up to the opacity and brightness you want. When you're satisfied with the color, cover the painted bracelet with clear coat and allow to dry.

6 - Turn on the glue gun. Pull out a length of bias tape and run your finger through the fold, opening it slightly so it's easier to handle while gluing. Run a bead of glue on the edge of the bracelet and glue the bias tape to the bracelet. You'll want the bias tape to slide over the edge of the bracelet; the inside of the tape's folded edge should touch the outside edge of your bracelet.

7- Glue all the way around the edge of the bracelet until you reach the point where you started. Overlap slightly and trim the excess. Check the bias tape and glue down any loose edges. Allow to dry.

Tips & Warnings

-You can glue rhinestones, beads, or glitter to your bracelet if you prefer.

- Instead of bias tape, you can edge your bracelet in glitter. To do this, make a dot with your glue gun on the edge of the bracelet, then cover with glitter. Repeat all the way around the edge.

- If you're feeling a little more daring, you can melt the bracelet a little with a heat gun. The edges will draw in and warp, so the bracelet will become smaller but you'll have a very irregular and interesting piece. You'll want to do this before you paint.

- Use low-temperature glue sticks; high-temperature glue could warp the edge of your bracelet and burn your fingers.



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