Making beer cap jewelry is a creative, inexpensive, and easy way to add personalized items to an outfit. Beer or soda bottle caps can be purchased new from most craft stores, or found at flea markets. Types of jewelry, which can be made from beer caps, include pendants, necklaces, bracelets, tie tack, and even earrings. Using recycled bottle caps is also a way to create a unique look, and re-use a discarded item.
Cleaning the bottle caps, and sanding away any rough edges is the first task to complete when preparing to make jewelry. Dish soap can be used to wash the bottle caps. Wipe the caps and allow to dry completely before adding paint or glue to the project.
Determine if the bottle cap back will be covered or shown, and then proceed with the design process. When making a tie tack, the back of the bottle cap will be visible. The bottle cap can be painted, covering the brand name if desired. Common acrylic paints can be used. After all of the painting is completed, use a spay or brush on style clear coating to keep the paint from chipping or rubbing off on a garment.
Punching or drilling holes into the bottle cap for mounting is the next step in the jewelry making process. A hole punch can be used, but must be squeezed very tightly in order to create a hole. A power drill will cut a circle into the bottle cap with less physical strength required. When making a bracelet, holes must be punched in both the top and bottom of the bottle cap is if it to be worn flat. Should the bottle caps be used in a charm like fashion, only a hole in the top of the cap is necessary in order to dangle. If using the bottle cap as a pin or tie tack, the bottle can be hot glued directly onto an existing piece of old jewelry as an adornment.
Cut craft wire to the desired length needed to allow the jewelry to dangle as a bracelet or necklace. Craft wire can be purchased from a craft store in a large variety of colors. Fishing string can also be used to thread bottle caps and beads for jewelry making. If bottle caps shouldn’t move freely, simply give the craft wire a full bend after each bottle cap to ensure it stays in place.
Adorning the bottle cap with beads, feathers, photos, or other items of the crafters choosing can be accomplished with a hot glue gun, Mod-Podge glue, or with more craft wire. When attaching beads to the bottle cap, drilling an extra hole and threading craft wire through the beads is the more secure than using glue. Simply run the wire through the hole in the bottle cap, and then slide the beads onto the wire. By crimping or bending the end of the wire onto itself, the beads will remain attached. Cutting photos with a circular scrapbook tools will allow them to fit inside the bottle cap opening, and be attached with a glue backing. Bottle caps can also be hot glued onto a belt, to create a personalized look.
