Make a bottle cap curtain for an open doorway or to close off an area in your garden as a “hippy” and happy addition.
This recycle project is time-consuming and you need a lot of bottle caps/lids but the end result is stunning! Get the kids to help, this is an excellent activity to improve fine motor skills and you can listen to an audio story together while you are busy. (See also this Bottle Cap Mobile)
You will need:
- Plastic bottle caps/lids (you will need a fair amount; I used 560 for this project)
- Gut or string
- Dowel stick
- A sharp tool (to make holes in the caps)
- Candle
What to do:
Measure the opening where you would like to hang your curtain and cut the dowel stick to size. You can paint the dowel stick or leave the natural look but if your curtain is going to hang outside, paint with a clear varnish first.
Measure the length of the opening and cut your gut or string accordingly and set it aside. Remember to cut an extra few centimetres to allow for knots.
Clean and dry the caps if needed. Make the holes in the caps. You can use a very thin drill bit but I found the easiest way was to hold my punching tool for a few seconds in the candle flame and melt a hole through the plastic.
Most of my lids came from an ice lolly factory and it was relatively easy to make the holes as the plastic was quite soft. Try to avoid the Coca Cola caps as the plastic is much denser than most other caps.
Make two holes in each cap, on opposite sides. Make a hole in the centre of the cap you are starting with, and tie a knot to avoid the rest of the caps slipping out. Milk caps worked well for this as the plastic is softer in the centre.
String the rest of your caps and set them aside.
I did not follow any patterns for my curtain as I specifically wanted a crazy mix of colours. Your children might enjoy making patterns and it is a good educational opportunity too.
Once you estimate you have enough strings, start tying your strings to the dowel stick. Because I used different sizes and didn’t follow a pattern, some strings were slightly shorter than others but I liked the overall effect. Space your stings closer for a denser curtain or a bit further apart if you want to let more light through.
Once you are happy with the look, tidy the knots at the top and bottom and hang your curtain. I suggest using two cup hooks and simply hook your dowel stick.
A fun recycle craft to do with the help of the kids and you have a pretty- and unique, bottle cap curtain to brighten up an area.
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