I posted the steps for creating cool melted plastic necklaces last week and decided to use the melted pieces to make some other items as well. When I was away, I picked up a package of black hair clips for a couple of bucks. Although these could be a cute addition to a bun, I was thinking more in the lines of another twist on a scarf clip. I simply used my E6000 glue to adhere the plastic piece to the clip. The clips are a bit longer than the plastic, but once it’s embedded in the fabric of a scarf I don’t think it will matter.
I also added a little piece of the magnet tape I bought a few weeks back and made one into a fridge magnet. I was concerned the tape wouldn’t be strong enough to hold the weight of the plastic, so I added E6000 to it as well.
Magnetic tape from the dollar store.
My fridge is black, so it doesn’t stand out that well.
Here is the magnet on a sheet of metal.
Again, these plastic shapes are super easy to make and the ideas for how they might be used are limitless. They are inexpensive and each one is unique in both shape and colour.
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You may remember that I picked-up several beautiful scarves while out “thrifting” one day. I got them for a buck-fifty each and felt like I scored big. I washed them and began to play with them, experimenting with different knots and styles. (If you are interested in creative ways to wear a scarf, check-out my previous post that featured a video demonstrating 25 ways to tie a scarf.) It didn’t take me long to realize that all of the scarves were similar in length and seemed to be quite a bit shorter than others I owned. I found them a bit difficult to work with because of their odd length. I decided that a clip or pin of some kind might help to make them “work” for me. Last week, I shared the t-shirt flower tie that works like a charm! You basically tie the flower around the scarf and then play with it until you achieve a style you like. Still, I couldn’t help but think that I would love to have a piece of jewellery that would serve the same purpose. I really wasn’t sure where you would purchase “scarf jewellery”, so I did what all DIYers do…searched the web. I can’t say I really found what I was looking for, but Pinterest is packed with all kinds of ideas for re-purposing old cutlery. I figured I could modify some of the ideas that others shared and make it work for a scarf…why not? On the weekend, I went to a local antique store and purchased a handful of old silverware for $5.
Silverware Scarf Jewellery:
Although I really didn’t know what I was doing, I proceeded to bend and twist one of the old forks until I came up with what I deemed to be a funky little piece. Some of the on-line tutorials talk about heating up the silver with a torch, but others just used basic tools to get the look they wanted. I didn’t really want to” play with fire”, so thought that I would stick to elbow grease, pliers and a hammer for my first project. I think it probably helps if you know what kind of material the utensils are made of, as some work better with a heat source while others don’t require it. I don’t know what these forks and spoons are made of and really wasn’t interested in investing the time to figure it out. I saw some cool pieces on-line and just wanted to see what I could come up with. If I end up creating more pieces, I will make sure I am using the appropriate techniques to create a more “polished” finished product, but for my first attempt trial and error seemed like the best course of action.
I think it works best if you flatten the piece out with a hammer first. I didn’t do this as I read this after fumbling through my first project. I had to work quite hard to get the prongs of the fork bent how I wanted them and even then ended up settling because I couldn’t get them into the exact position I wanted. I am guessing that the fork I started with probably would have worked much better with a heat source, as I found it quite difficult to manipulate. I had to apply a lot of pressure and the tools ended up leaving little nicks in the surface of the silver. I did try to sand/buff them out, but they are still visible. I decided not to worry about it and just call the flaws “character”. LOL
Overall, I am pleased with what I came up with and will wear it. It is a simple loop, so you need to actually knot the scarf into it. I will definitely try more pieces like this. I love the idea of “scarf” jewellery! Next time, I will probably try to “test” my piece to determine what it is made of and then use a heat source, if necessary. I am a little nervous about that and will probably work on my basement floor, so I don’t burn the house down. Anyways, I will keep you posted and let you know if I come up with any cool designs to share. For this one, I added in one of the baked marbles I made earlier this week. I basically glued the base of it to the fork and then wrapped the bent prongs around it. Hopefully it will hold.
BEFORE: Antique Cutlery
Bent fork
Bent fork with baked marble
AFTER: Funky Scarf Jewellery
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