How to Make Shrink Plastic Jewelry

By: Helen Bradley

14 Comments

Make your own jewelry embellishments using this stamped shrink plastic technique, from Helen Bradley of http-design.

Shrink Plastic Bracelet

Materials:

1 sheet white shrink plastic
Large detail background stamp
Simple flower stamp
Circle punch (larger than flower stamp shape)
Colored pencils – Orange, Red and Yellow
Adhesive crystals
20 approx, large jump rings
Lobster clip
Black Sharpie or other permanent marker
Permanent ink – black and red

Tools:

Heat embossing gun
Wire working tools
Adhesives
Scissors
3mm (1/8in) hole punch

Instructions:

Punch six to seven large circles from the Shrink Plastic using the circle punch. Using red ink, stamp the flower stamp onto the shrink plastic six – seven times and cut out the flower shapes.
Pair each flower with a circle, hold the flower in place over the top of the circle and punch two 3mm holes on opposite sides of the shapes. Keep the flower and circle pairs together.
Flip the large background stamp wood side down on your workspace. Ink the surface of the stamp in black ink. Press the first shrink plastic circle onto the stamp and remove. Re-ink the stamp, turn over the circle and stamp the second side. Repeat to stamp all the circles.
Using orange, red, and yellow colored pencils color the stamped flowers. Good quality waxy pencils work best for this technique as they blend well.
Using the heat gun shrink the flower and circles working with each piece individually. Flip each piece over to ensure that it is evenly heated and completely shrunk. Place a heavy object on the shape as it cools to flatten it.
Using a black permanent marker color the white edge of the shrink wrapped circles.
Line up the flower and circle pairs ensuring that the holes in each set match up. Using a small amount of glue, glue the flower to the backing shape and, before the glue has set, affix a large jump ring through each hole in each pair of shapes.
Join the shapes to each other with an additional jump ring. Affix the lobster clasp to one end of the bracelet.
Finish by adding a small adhesive rhinestone to the centre of each flower.

Tips

Depending on the size of the flowers and the circle punch, you will need five to seven circle and flower shapes for a bracelet. For our bracelet we used a 5.4cm (2 1/8in) circle punch.

Always punch holes in the shrink plastic before you shrink it. Shrink plastic shrinks a lot – our 5.4cm diameter circles shrunk to under 2.5cm diameter circles, and the plastic thickens as it shrinks to give you a wonderfully rigid surface to work with. Stamp the shrink plastic before you shrink it so the image shrinks too – the heat from the embossing gun will ensure the ink sets too.

Love shrink plastic crafts? Find more gorgeous ideas for what to make with shrink plastic in DIY Shrinky Dinks: A Shrink Plastic Craft Guide.

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golfermickid 47848 94

Jul 13, 2012

You can purchase shrinky dink papers at Hobby Lobby and Michaels stores. I love this craft, but I do have a few adaptations. If you are using shrinky dinks use the ruff type with colored pencils, otherwise you will have to use a permenant or paint pen to color in the design. Then use the bright white for the background. I used Stazon ink pads and they worked great!

uribedaniella 7732 381

Apr 14, 2012

Very pretty, but where do you get the shrink plastic from?

pairwintx 0727231

Feb 10, 2012

I have notes (not sure where I read it) that plastics with the code #6 have the same shrinking ability as Shrinky dinks. I haven't tried it, but plan to.

cmlt67 2741042

Jan 30, 2012

I came upon this project through a 'recycling plastic' post...I'm not quite sure how buying shrink plastic is recycling.... Anyway, I have used the shrink plastic for projects and the best and least expensive source I've found is on ebay. You can purchase it directly from the manufacturer, I believe the shipping was free the last time I purchased some and it was around $11 for 20 sheets. I can't remember the seller's name off hand, but if you search 'shrinky dink(s) sheets' you should be able to find it. I'm going to try the recycled plastic container suggestion from Judyann999...that sounds like an even cheaper route - thanks for the info.

onecraftymomma4lif e

Jan 29, 2012

Shrink plastic is simply Shrinky dink plastic sheets I was trying to figure it out too but then i got it as i read the How to they sell it in sheets in a few styles like frosted matte etc look for it in the Kids craft section where the plastic lacing is the melty beads the type that look like little thin poney beads you put well your kids puts them on a peg bored you put down a sheet of something simular to waxed paper and iron it and you get a little magnet ect I see the shinky Dink stuff in that aera Or sometimes in the Stamp scrapbooking aera it is fun to play with and the company KLUTZ has a jewerly kit with templates and the plastic and ideas I LOVE KLUTZ BOOKS AND IM AND IF I WANT TO LEARN SOMETHING LIKE KNITTING I GOT…Read More THE KLUTZ BOOK I WAS KNITTING UP A STORM IN NO TIME GREAT FOR KIDS AND ADULTS

judyann999

Jul 01, 2011

I have made zipper pulls and backpack tags from plastic deli containers (you'll have to experiment to see which containers work), and it works as well as the shrink plastic. I usually use a simple design, decorate with permanent markers, and pop it in the toaster oven on a sheet of foil. The kids love watching the plastic shrink, and they are learning to recycle.

nan0602

May 24, 2011

LOVE IT!!! :)

Karisa

Mar 29, 2011

You can buy shrink plastic at CutRateCrafts.com: http://www.cutratecrafts.com/

kikimyname 5133111

Mar 28, 2011

hi...can i ask u something??where can i get a shrink plastic???

Love2Craft by Mari a

Mar 22, 2011

love this idea, will try with polymer clay

Disimulado

Mar 19, 2011

If you've got a Blitz Art store anywhere near you, they carry shrinkable plastic sheets in all different colors and even a package of assorted colors. We recently used some orange to draw halloween figures on and made earrings from them.

Bev

Mar 18, 2011

I love this bracelet. It has been a long time since I have done shrink plastic. It is time to do it again. Thank you

KayZack

Jan 07, 2011

I love this! I've got to track down the plastic so I can try to make it too!

penny22

Feb 21, 2010

This article didn't mention applying any type of sealer to the plastic after it has been shrunk. I have found that if I don't apply some type of spray sealant, the color on the "rough" or back side will rub off onto clothing or skin. Is there another way to keep this from happening? The spray on acrylic usually makes the plastic rather tacky to touch, so a different method would be better, if there is one.