Cute shrink film charm bracelet - Arts, Crafts and DIY

111 Comments

Do you remember the Shrinky Dink craze where you could get kits with the plastic printed with images which you coloured in, then shrank in the oven? Apparently, the women who came up with the idea of the kits found a craft in a magazine where you drew pictures or designs on plastic lids before shrinking them in the oven. You don’t have to buy the shrink plastic if you can find some #6 plastic!

Material

1 sheet shrink film (a.k.a shrinky dink plastic) or #6 plastic
lots of permanent markers, in different colours
1 hole punch
1 baking tray
1 sheet baking paper
1 silicone baking mat
1 oven
1 chain
some jump rings
1 clasp

Method

Either buy some shrink film at a craft shop or look through your recycling for clear plastic marked with #6 - often sushi box lids are this type of plastic.
Decide what charms you would like on your bracelet and draw the designs (or trace them) on the plastic. Colour the designs in and then cut them out, making sure there are no sharp corners. Keep in mind that colours will intensify with shrinking and each charm will be about a third of its original size.
Punch holes in each piece of plastic, for attaching the charm to the bracelet.
Place the charms on baking paper on the baking tray and cover with the silicone mat. The mat prevents the charms from curling over onto themselves and sticking together as they shrink.
Place them in an 180C oven for 2 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes before lifting the mat, to ensure the charms are flat.
Attach jump rings to each charm through the holes punched earlier. Attach the charms to the chain using the jump rings. Attach the clasp to one end of the chain.

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This project was posted by:

- not_amanda
- 03 Jul 2014
  10:39 am

111 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 23 Sep 2023
    8:37 am
Fun craft for the young teens

- - Ellen said
  - 28 Oct 2020
    1:49 pm
Cute !

- - mom19782016 said
  - 17 Oct 2020
    5:12 pm
That brings back some memories!

- - mom460689 said
  - 04 Oct 2020
    8:27 pm
I will definitely have to look out for some shrink film next time I go to Lincraft or Spotlight.

- - DaffyD said
  - 30 May 2020
    12:43 pm
What a fun idea and the bracelet after is great

- - mom460689 said
  - 26 May 2020
    10:45 pm
I loved shrinkey dinks as a kid!!!! My kids would love making them too I think….have to find some shrinky dink plastic!

- - mom290396 said
  - 26 May 2020
    8:59 pm
Shrinky dinks were the must have thing when I was in Primary school! I always loved the surprises in chip packets and cereal boxes! May give these a try one day. Wonder if an air fryer would work for them

- - mom90758 said
  - 26 May 2020
    5:32 pm
OH wow! I’ve never heard about this shrinky dink plastic. Where do you get it?

- - tessie said
  - 26 May 2020
    2:55 pm
What a great idea to make with the kids.

- - shanika said
  - 26 May 2020
    10:24 am
Beautiful. Love the idea.

- - mom341303 said
  - 25 May 2020
    10:45 pm
I loved these as a kid.. Will have to try them with our 4 year old – he will think theyre magic!

- - littlehandsofmine said
  - 25 May 2020
    8:25 pm
This is so cute!

- - BellaB said
  - 25 Apr 2020
    7:29 pm
Cute idea… Not sure where I’ll find the plastic after we’ve been trying to cut down on plastic use.

- - mom81879 said
  - 27 Oct 2019
    4:19 pm
Where would I find #6 plastic? I remember shrinking Samboy chip packets in the oven and making them into jewellery. Lots of cool earrings

- - mom19782016 said
  - 10 Mar 2019
    5:16 pm
I remember doing this as a kid!

- - kjgarner said
  - 20 Jun 2018
    2:30 pm
Didn’t know about shrinking plastic
- kjgarner replied
  
  22 Jun 2018 , 12:50 pm
  But now I do I think I might give it a go
- - mom111059 said
  - 21 Sep 2016
    9:43 pm
My niece really loved this. Thanks

- - mom111059 said
  - 13 Aug 2016
    3:54 pm
I’d forgotten about shrinkies. Kids would love to create a masterpiece to keep. Thanks

- - Melissa89 said
  - 05 Aug 2016
    1:24 pm
I used to love this as a kid!!

- - serotonin said
  - 30 Apr 2016
    10:33 pm
All I need is #6 plastic?! Easy! I recycle it all the time; never knew I could shrink it. Yay! So excited now. Thank you!