Making melted plastic bead bracelets is a super-fun project for fashionistas of ANY age! These fab little accessories are so easy to make in just a few minutes, and you probably have the needed supplies in your craft cabinet. SO……get out the pony beads, heat up the oven, and prepare to add a splash of color to your life!
Let’s Do This: Pony Bead Bracelet!
SUPPLIES:
- Craft-only baking sheet
- Something for shaping the bracelet – a can is a good choice, and usually around the right size
If you’ve already made our Pony Bead Clippies or Pony Bead Necklace, then you know how the magic works – place the beads on a craft-use-only cookie sheet, melt them in the oven, and VOILE! Fabulous accessory completed! If this is one of your first “melted bead” projects, then first things first……find and designate an old baking sheet as your crafty canvas and make sure it doesn’t get mixed up with your REAL baking pans. Heat the oven to 375 – 400 degrees.
Next Steps:
Measure your wrist to determine how big you want your bracelet/cuff. Make sure to add a little so you can comfortably get the bracelet on and off without bending it. **NOTE: These are not bendy at all once they are melted and formed, so plan ahead…..they will easily break if you try to bend them after they are cooled.
Once you have the measurement, place the beads in a linear design, making sure that the beads touch (they have to melt TOGETHER).
Carefully place your amazing design in the oven and watch it CAREFULLY. When the beads have melted, take it out. The time needed to melt the beads is HUGELY variable, depending on your oven and the design you made. They are usually melted in 15 – 20 minutes.
Here comes the fun and (kind of) tricky part – you have to let the bracelet cool a BIT, but not so long that it begins to harden. The bracelet/melted beads will be HOT, so use heat-resistant gloves or oven mitts to pick it up and begin to shape it. I like to use a soda can or soup can……but you pick whatever you have sitting in your cupboards. After you get the basic shape, take it off of the can and bend it a bit more with your hands. The beads cool QUICKLY, so you have to bend it into shape before they harden (and you run the risk of breaking it). You got this! Bend your bracelet!
Set the bracelet aside to cool completely. That’s IT! You are an amazing jewelry designer and you didn’t need to spend a fortune in materials! Make sure to make some coordinating accessories – clippies, rings, necklaces – to go with your rockin’ new bracelet!
Have fun making these colorful little additions to your accessory drawer. The designs are endless and they make any wrist a BIT more happy!
I hope this tutorial has been helpful! Please PIN IT to save for later and share with your friends! Also, you can get amazing crafts, recipes and ideas delivered RIGHT to your Inbox from An Inspired Mess. Just sign up for our monthly newsletter!
Leave a Reply