Bracelets DuJour: Tutorial

Can Tab Bracelets

We collect Can Tabs at our house. We don't drink a lot of drinks from cans, but when we do, we try to save them. Our schools collect them for a local Ronald McDonald House.

Today I was at a Hallmark Store shopping for a birthday gift, and I spotted a Can Tab Bracelet for sale. I couldn't believe it! It occurred to me that I had never made these before but I wondered how hard it could be. NOT HARD AT ALL, apparently.

I made two and I will show them both here. The tutorial is easier to see using the elastic thread, so you'll see that first.


You will need to cut off about 2 feet of string and 20 to 25 Can Tabs - washed clean.

Take your first Tab and thread the string through the top and bottom holes. I tied it so that it would be easier to manage, making the Can Tab on the end immovable.


Take your second Tab and, keeping the rough side together with the rough side of the first Tab, thread the string through that one.


Then, alternating sides and overlapping (like brickwork), you need to add another Tab. See how I have the lower Tab, rough facing up, and the top Tab (rough down) is sort of off to the side? That is where the next Tab will go.

Place it rough side down next to the top Tab. Then, cross feed the string, like you thread a sneaker. Making an X.


Then you just keep doing it...

I found a random green Can Tab. How cool! I have no idea what it is from...


And then I had some interference...

He really wanted to play! I was holding the Tab chain for a picture.

Then it looks like this:

And this:

Then I made the one with the blue ribbon. Make sure you leave enough ribbon (at LEAST 2 and a half feet) because the ribbon is not stretchy like the elastic string used in the first one.



I hope you give these a try. They are so simple - Using my phone, I took photos of the ones at the store and was able to make them myself. Though they used a different material (wire, it looked like, wrapped instead of crossed) they look similar. My teenagers love them. The ones I saw at the Hallmark Store had a bead attached to them, so maybe I'll try that next.

The parties I'm linking to are below, so go check them out! I am going to indulge myself Wednesday night and take over the computer just so I can go and see what fun things everyone is making.

I hope you get the chance to be creative today!

Mini Flag Banner

Mini Flag Banner

The other day I was reading the blog Mississippi Mud Pie

and she had the cutest little flag banners that she was making as gifts.

This is a GREAT idea.

Check out her tutorial on the flags HERE (this is the tutorial link).

I spent a few evenings just relaxing and making a my banner. Then I took it to work and put it up in my new cubicle. I love it! I might make enough to string it along the entire area. In the meantime, the following night, I cut hearts out of scrap paper.

After I cut out the hearts, I took a cue from several bloggers and printed out "LOVE" in large letters, then carefully cut them out and glued them onto the hearts. I was all ready for Valentine's day at work!

I also wanted to add a little more cheer to my house for the holiday, so I made:


I hope you get the chance to be creative today!