DIY Shrink Plastic Bunting Necklace

We aren’t over the whole “bunting” thing are we? I still love them! I recently saw a darling bunting necklace at a boutique-type store and fell in love with it, but I could not quite justify the price. So, I figured out a way to make a similar DIY shrink plastic bunting necklace myself!

I discovered some easy short-cuts that made it a pretty simple project- in fact, I had a 13 year old assistant with me when I made it, and she kept right up!

Supplies needed to make your own DIY shrink plastic necklace:

• Large Triangle Flag Shape Craft Punch
• Round Hole Punch
• Silver Finish Mixed Findings Set
• Small Silver Necklace Chain
• White Plastic Shrink Film
• Fine Tip Sharpie Markers(Optional)
• Cookie Sheet & Oven

Cut seven (7) triangles from shrink plastic using a triangle craft punch, (or cut triangle shapes using a template).

Mark on both sides of your triangle where you will be punching holes for the jump rings. This just keeps the spacing even.

Punch a hole on each side of the triangle using a 1/8″ hole punch.

You can choose to get creative here. For this tutorial, I chose to show you the process using the white shrink plastic as is- and kept the sample project white. My assistant and I also made a black bunting necklace, and a multi-colored one. The multi-colored one is (sadly) not pictured- but it was the envy of the local junior high the following day!

Using sharpie markers, decorate your triangles however you like but keep in mind, the design will shrink, and color will darken as it shrinks.

Place prepared triangles spaced apart on a metal cookie sheet. Make sure the pieces are not touching each other.

(Let’s also pretend that my cookie sheet isn’t so ugly, and that my oven is clean.)

Follow the manufacturers instructions on shrinking the plastic. During the process, the pieces will curl. Do not panic.

Leave them in the oven, they will flatten out on their own.

If there are a couple of piece that are still slightly curled- you can remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and gently press it flat with the bottom of a coffee mug while the shrink plastic is still hot.

Allow the pieces to cool completely.

In the meantime, measure out the length of jewelry chain that you would like.

We chose about 18″ of chain.

Attach a lobster clip to one end of the chain, and a jump ring to the opposite end to create a necklace.

Fold the necklace in half and then begin working in the middle of the necklace so that your bunting will be centered.

Using jump rings, attach the triangles through the loops of the chain beginning with the first triangle exactly in the center of the necklace.

Attach both sides of the triangle through the chain of the necklace. (You do not want the triangles to slide along the chain.)

Secure the jump rings, and then skip a couple of chain links, and attach another triangle. Alternate sides, so the triangles will be spaced evenly. (Confession: I had to dig out my reading glasses for this step. My assistant saw just fine. Kids!)

Continue until all of your triangles are attached!

That’s it! Fasten it up and wear it with pride!

I think it is such a fun, casual look. A great jewelry piece to dress up a simple tee shirt. You can customize it easily with pattern or color added to the shrink plastic!

We had a great time making these DIY shrink plastic necklaces, I hope you are inspired to give it a try!

Shaunte

Shaunte is a 30-something, chocolate-loving, SAHM from Utah. She has been scrapbooking since 1997, the dreaded era of photos cropped with deco scissors. Since then, her work has evolved into a clean, linear, photo-focused style. Her favorite subjects to scrap are her husband and five kids (never a lack for subject material there).