Pop Tab Bracelets

Start raiding those recycling bins!
Turn aluminum can tabs into cool jewelry!

Step 1 Gather your supplies

For starters, you need a pile of pop tabs. Somewhere between 20-26, depending on wrist size.
You also need elastic cord and scissors. That's it! No other supplies necessary.

Comments

[Karithina]

I was lucky enough to already have too many pop tabs lying around on a necklace I was using to hold my USB stick. So thanks to your guide I have a usb bracelet instead <3

I didn't have any elastic cord lying around but I did have four sets of broken earphones, I used one side of a split earphone cord and had plenty left over. It's a bit of a squeeze without it being elastic but I've left just enough space for it to not be uncomfortable and not too much for it to slip off.
It still needs some painting which I probably should have done before I made it but oh well!

[pgd5000]

i didn't have any elastic cord either but you inspired me to use my broken headphones, i didn't use this design though i used this one: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pop-top-braclet/

[Calyie]

It took me 2 hours to make it but it was worth the time! I did it and it looks great! But the bad thing is I didn't color it before! Try it with Monster Energy or Red Bull
tops! It looks cooler and it has color!

[anu375teck]

instead of cord you can use shoelaces or ribbon. i make these for my friends. it saves money and helps pass time

[SarahKat552]

i have seen MANY people try and make directions on the pop tab brcelets but you explained it the BEST 2day alone i have made 4 of them 1 for my mom (she made me) 1 for coutney 1 for lora (my bffs) and lastly one 4 me thanks soo much and i think i am going to make matching earings (teehee) oh thanks again
Grr...Fear Me (thats my phone singature to)

[War on 45]

What?

I can't understand you. Are you sure you can't move your fingers just a _little_ bit more, so that you actually type words instead of numbers? Or do you need typing lessons? I'm sure you can find typing games...

[peaceupgg]

sorry they are not the best pic but i made mine reversable

[lbettie]

Do you have instruction for the reversable? That is a real cool idea.

[War on 45]

Seriously?...

It's called a "reversible". You just invert the original bracelet. It won't have the X's from the elastic.

Good job!

[ale-8-1]

This was one of the first projects I did on this site. My friends loved them. Is there a way to cut down on the sharpness of the tabs? The strings got cut.

[War on 45]

Sandpaper.

Since you probably don't have that, just use a strong emery board.
If you don't know what that is... It's a nail file.

If you do have sandpaper, cut a little piece, attach it to a craft stick using glue and file down the sharp edges. Good job.

[zseymour]

Can I use yarn instead of elastic cord and will work just as well?

[xMonsterLoverx]

noo. the pop tabs just tear the yarn..
get the bead string from walmart :D

[wer3g96]

I loved doing this. I didn't have any elastic cord at the time, but I used a old shoe lace insted. not very colorful, (my lace was grey) but I still love it. I wound up recycling 2 things at once! Also, for those of you Twilight fans like myself, Kristen Stewart has a soda tab bracelet too! You can google it. I think Robert Pattinson made it for her? IDK, but anyway, amazing idea, I love mine!

[cmalott]

How do you make it with two different colors? My little cousin made a pink and green bracelet and I never figured out how to do it..

[kodiac]

oh and ive asked this alot and still havent gotten an answer. if monster tabs dont have holes in the tops how do you make the holes and also were do you get the elastic bands for these things cuz i want to make a bracelet for each arm and quite possibly a belt

[cmalott]

You can findd the elastic bands at walmart in the sewing/craft section. they have different packs of different colors so make sure you get the colors you want (:

[kodiac]

haha couldnt find any soda can so i went through my parents garbage can and got enough tabs for like twenty of these things!

[myhightide]

This is really cool! You can also make anklets, necklaces, bookmarks, and I am currently working on a belt. I have decorative, bright rubber string that shows up great next to the silver. Red looks best. I also am trying to save monster tabs to make a green bracelet. By the way, I heard of a 10 year old who sold these at her swim meets, and she was so successful that some of the local stores started selling them too. Thanks for the awesome tutorial! :)

[StopDropNTroll]

That is so cute, easy and COOL!
I made 2, a yellow and silver one for my neighbor who kindly donated lots of tabs. And a pink and silver one for me. BTW, thanks to the people with the monster tab hole-punching comments, helps a lot, 'cause I just realized about the one hole. :P And the images are from a video I found which wasn't as clear as these instructions. :) Now all I need to know is if it'll break my hole puncher...

... Hmmm...

~SDNT

[alveena]

Do you have the collection bout the recycling of the pop tabs.
http://wwwanna889.blogspot.com

[alveena]

where are the golden jewelry of the pop tabs.
http://wwwanna889.blogspot.com/

[shelley echtle]

You don't need to buy various drinks for the colors. Use finger nail polish, alcohol inks, model car paints. Get creative. I am doing some with crackle paint to finish up a can and will post photos when done!

[peaceupgg]

i made it was so simple and i use it as a coaster

[peaceupgg]

the top of monsters dont have a hole do u cut it

[peaceupgg]

does sharpie work on them

[jjohnson60]

it took me awhile for me to get it but it turns out to be easy.

[SarahKat552]

just so you know i am crazy
Grr...Fear Me

[jvanslovie]

Thank youu soooo much i have tried many other instuctions but they never explained it thuroly but yours did once again ThAnK yOu!!!!

[Shadow on shadows]

Im offically addicted...thank you very much! I also recently went to a fair trade store on the oregon coast who sold pop tab purses and jewlery. It was magical! Here is the website : http://www.manzanitafairtrade.com/ they sadly don't sell them online.

[arodríguez3]

Awesome! I'm definitely going to start saving up on tabs so I can make one or maybe even more of these! Thanks for this awesome tutorial!

[nolofinwe]

Pop tab belt?

[platinum15]

HAHA YOU MUST HAVE A TUMBLR :)

[Zack Bishop]

I just finished mine thanks to this guide. :) And as with Solariana, green jewelry is quite spectacular.

[metalgreek]

Hey, so im making one of these for my girlfriend and i asked her fave color combos. She said either purple/yellow, and neon green/black
also could you somehow find out exactly how many tabs you need for a wrist?

[PepperDust]

AWESOME instructable! Just made a reversible one of these in pink and green. Quisk and easy with great results! Kudos.

[BabyBabyItsFKTIME]

where'd you get the pink tabs?

[WhyHello]

Monster Energy Drinks =)

[BabyBabyItsFKTIME]

nice =) i didnt know they made pink ones

[Racheleakley]

where did u get the purple pop tabs ?