Make Chopstick Jewelry
Hair and clothing accessories can be expensive, but one way to cut costs and recycle objects that otherwise would be thrown away is to make jewelry from chopsticks. If you love Chinese takeout, you may have some old chopsticks lying around. If you don't, plain bamboo chopsticks are available at most craft stores. With a few art supplies, you can turn them into hair sticks or beads.
Instructions
Hair Sticks
1. Wash the chopsticks if necessary. If they've been used for food, pay close attention to the ends and wash them with a little hand soap to remove residue. Dry the surface with a hand towel and lay the chopsticks out to dry overnight.
2. Sand the chopsticks with 100 or 120 grade sandpaper. Most takeout chopsticks are rough and uneven; sanding them will prevent splinters from catching your skin or hair and will give them a smooth, finished look. Wipe away the sawdust with a soft cloth.
3. Paint or stain the chopsticks, applying the product in smooth, even strokes from the pointed tip to the blunt end. Use water-based stain or acrylic paint; these dry faster and are easier to clean up. Let the chopsticks dry for about an hour.
4. Put a drop of wood glue about an inch and a half from the blunt end of the chopstick. Press one end of a piece of ribbon into the glue and wrap the ribbon around the chopstick to cover it, continuing to the blunt end. Snip the ribbon and glue the end down.
5. Wrap the wire around the bottom edge of the ribbon-wrapped section, keeping the coils tight and close together for three or four turns. Tug on the coils to see if they move; if not, begin stringing beads onto the wire and wrapping the wire around the chopstick. Choose beads no larger than a pea to keep the sticks from being top-heavy. Secure the wire to the end of the stick with more tight coils and snip with wire snips.
Chopstick Beads
6. Follow Steps 1 to 3 in the above section. Use a woodcutting tool such as a hack saw or an electric craft saw to cut the chopsticks into half-inch sections. Smooth the ends and edges with fine sandpaper and paint or stain the pieces if desired. Allow the pieces to dry.
7. Hold each piece tightly in a pair of pliers and carefully drill through them vertically with a very thin drill bit. Work slowly, pushing firmly and keeping the drill straight up and down to prevent snapping the bit. Gently blow the sawdust from each new bead hole.
8. String the chopstick beads on a piece of ribbon or wire along with other beads. Create a chunky, eclectic pattern mixing your wooden beads with metal and clay beads.
9. Knot the ends of the ribbon or twist the ends of the wire into vertical coils. Tie or twist the ends together to secure it around your neck.
Tags: around chopstick, Chopstick Jewelry, Make Chopstick, Make Chopstick Jewelry, piece ribbon