Crafts with Duct Tapes

This seems to be one of the fade for teenagers to do and some adults.  Besides, they have come out with a lot of different colors and even colleges have their own duct tape.

Rose

For a rose, first cut a few strips of duct tape, 2 inches in length. Then keeping the sticky side up, fold an edge over itself, which will lead to some stickiness on the side and the bottom. Now, take the parallel edge and fold over. That will leave stickiness only on the bottom of the strip. This is your center, so roll this across firmly. Repeat this procedure with some more pieces of tape and follow that up, by loosely binding the strips around the center. These will be the flower petals. Till you reach the desired size, carry on with this procedure. It is the time for the flower stem now. For that, take a piece of floral stem wire along with a big strip of tape, around half inch shorter than the wire. Placing the wire on the strip, roll the wire across and wrap around the tape tightly. Now insert the end with that remaining half of the wire which does not have tape in the rose. Prepare a petal and secure the stem and the rose. What better can a gift be other than a rose!

Cap

Get a cap for a model. After you get the model cap, place it on a flat, clean surface. Now, cover the cap with aluminum foil and remember that you have to cover only the top half! Next, cover the foil with the tape and try to keep it as smooth as possible. Take care that you do not tape the underside of the cap in this initial stage.

Once you have covered the top of the foil with the tape, cover the bottom of the foil with the tape as well, after removing the model cap. Keep checking for fitting. Add more tape for tightening the fitting. See if there are any spots where the tape sticks to your head. To solve this problem, put a piece of duct tape where it sticks.

Have a look in the mirror to check the fit. 

Flip Flops 

Materials:  A pair of flip flops, Duct tape, scissors, cardboard to make flip flop templates, and a pen. 

Directions:

First need to have the proper measurements for the same. For this take one of your old flip flops and trace out their outline on a piece of a cardboard. Once you have traced out the same, cut the soles out.

Now start cutting long strips of duct tape and wrap it around the soles that you have cut out. Ensure that there are no air bubbles or folds that are formed while you stick the duct tape. To ensure that the soles are covered properly, overlap the strips of duct tape. Repeat this process with each sole at least three times so that it is thick and durable.

Next place your foot on the sole. Ensure that you place it exactly where you would place it if it was an actual flip flop. Now mark the point at the end of the big toe. This point needs to be between the big toe and the toe next to it. Also make a mark along the ball of the foot and near the base of your small toe. This markings are essential for the proper placement of the flip flop strap. Repeat this step with the other sole.

Use the pen that you have to punch a hole on each of the markings that you have made so that you can move on to next step of making the straps and attaching them. Once you have made the holes measure the distance between the hole in the center and the hole on the left side and then from the hole on the left side to the right side and back to the center. Using these measurements cut out two strip of duct tape double the length of the measurements.

Twist the duct tape so that you can create a structure that looks like a narrow rope which is more like a flip flop strap than normal piece of duct tape. Ensure that you do this with both pieces of duct tape.

Now use this rope that you have created to thread it through the hole in the center from under the sole. Tape the end of the rope to the underside of the sole. Now pull the rope through the hole in the left and then from under the sole pull it out through the hole in the right and then back through the central hole. Tape it well to the underside of the sole. This will create your flip flop strap. Repeat this with the other sole as well.

This is how easy it is to make duct tape flip flops. Once you have attached the straps to the flip flops ensure that you wear it to see whether or not the flip flops fit you comfortably. You can loosen or tighten the straps depending on your comfort. 

Braided Duct Tape Ring

Materials:  Duct tape; Scissors, and Cutting board

Making the Ring

You can choose up to three colors and/or patterns of duct tape for this ring. We chose white and light blue.

This ring is not very adjustable, so you need to start with strips that are the proper length. Wrapping the tape around the finger that will be wearing the ring, (make sure the sticky side is out!) add an extra 3/8 of an inch to each side and cut (an extra ¾inch total). 

Cut this segment of tape length-wise, into three narrow strips. You will need only one of these strips for the ring; discard the other two or use them for other rings.

If you are using more than one color of duct tape, repeat steps 2-3 for each color. You may want to use the color you’ve already cut to measure these strips.

On the narrow sides make a ½inch incision, parallel to the longer sides, exactly in the middle of the smaller sides.  The easiest way to do this is by folding the strip in half, and making a crease along this fold, then using the crease as a cutting guide.

Cut from the long side up to the edge of one of the cuts made in step five, removing and discarding the resulting rectangle of tape.  Cut down to the edge of the other cut from step five, from the opposite long side, and discard that resulting rectangle as well.  You should be left with two small protruding rectangles of tape on either end.  It is important that these be on opposite sides, for example, when holding the strip, one missing rectangle should be on the bottom left and the other on the top right, or on the top left and the bottom right.

Repeat steps 5-6 with your other color(s).

Fold each strip from step 6 in half length-wise, adhering the sticky side to itself.  The strips should now have the sticky side unexposed, except for about a half inch on either end.  These sticky ends should be facing opposite directions.

Cut each of the strips from step 8 into thirds, lengthwise. The easiest way to do this is to check for the little threads running through the duct tape. There should be about 6 lengthwise threads on one side of your folded strip. Simply cut the tape into sections, each two threads wide.

Choose three strips to braid. These can be any combination of colors.  Place an adhesive end of the first strip down on the cutting board.  Place an adhesive end of the next strip down on the now adhered end of the first strip, rotating about 30 to 45 degrees.  Place the last strip in a similar fashion, but hanging between the first and second strips.

Braid the strips together by taking the right strip and moving it over the middle strip, then moving the left strip over the new middle strip. Repeat until braid is finished. To keep the strips from twisting while you do this, you will have to move one strip at a time and keep them pinned to your cutting board as you work.

When you reach the sticky ends of the strips, stick them together on top of each other. This will hold the braid in place.

Wrap the ring around your finger, making sure it is the correct size. Stick the sticky ends to each other to make a circle.

Cut a new strip of duct tape from the roll, about ¼ of an inch long. Wrap this new strip around the newly adhered segment twice, to reinforce the band, then cut off the excess. Begin wrapping inside the ring, so that the final cut is made on the inside. The ring is finished!

Here is a great website for more duct tape crafts Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/duct-tape-crafts.html

Share your ideas on this or anything here on the blog either here or e-mail me at stipple@verizon.net.  I look forward to hearing from you!