Paper Bead Knockoffs and Duck Tape Cuties–a Tutorial

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Barbara Darrington • 0 Comments

One day while I was in the public library in town, I saw a display of crafts made from Duck Tape. One especially caught my eye. Someone had made a necklace and earring set from what I would call brown leopardskin patterned Duck Tape. It was beautiful, and I was hooked. I found several sites on Pinterest that explained how to make paper beads, and included patterns for different styles of beads, but there was nothing for Duck Tape beads, so I was on my own. I bought a roll of tape (later many more of different patterns) and began to see what I could do. Now, I share with you a way to create your own necklace and earrings using that infamous good for fixing anything tape.

For this tutorial I purchased a sheet of Duck Tape (WalMart) that looked like peacock feathers.

Tools that I needed for making the beads included marker, ruler, scissors, some stirring straws, a chunk of styrofoam, and an acrylic glaze. (Clear fingernail polish or clear polyurethane  will work also.)

Step 1. We will be marking the back of the Duck Tape sheet and cutting the strips.

Turn the page over to the back side which is already marked in a 1/2 inch grid.

Using the ruler, measure off five 3/4 inch increments on both long sides of paper. Draw a line connecting them to make 5 strips.

Now draw diagonal lines, making two triangles from each strip. Cut them apart and set aside for the moment.

Measure four 3/4 inch strips and cut them apart. Set aside.

 

On the remaining three inch piece, measure one inch intervals and draw a line to connect the dots. Draw the diagonal lines to make triangles, and cut these apart.

Step 2. Creating the beads.

We will be wrapping the duct tape around the stirring straws.   This can be done 3-4 strips to a straw.  They can be wrapped fairly close together- just so they don’t touch, but there needs to be about an inch of the straw at the bottom to stick into the styrofoam.

Pull the paper backing away from the Duck Tape down about 1/2 inch.

Wrap the wide edge around the straw, then keep wrapping, keeping the strip in the center of the wrap the entire way.

Wrap the next beads the same way.

You will have three kinds of beads, 3/4 inch bicones, 3/4 inch cylinders, and 1 inch bicones.
When the beads have wrapped on the straws, they are ready to be coated with a sealer such as the clear varnish I am using here (Delta brand)  I am using here, the clear fingernail polish, or the polyurethane sealer. The straw is then stuck in the styrofoam so the coating can dry. Be careful that the beads do not touch each other while drying.

Even though beads may seem dry to the touch after an hour or so, I will check to make sure they do not need any touch ups in spots, and then let them set over night to make sure they are really dry and ready to go.

In the second half of this blog, we will learn how to prepare the beads and make them into jewelry.  While you are waiting, you may want to see what you might have in the way of beads and trims that might accent  the colors you have on your beads.   You will also need:   a permanent marker that matches the color of your beads; some waxed linen, tiger tail wire, or 1 mm Stretch Magic stretch plastic; two jump rings: two crimps; some type of clasp (I have barrel clasps, a toggle clasp and a spring clasp here);  two head pins; two ear wires; accent beads; and a pair of round nose jewelry pliers. I also use a pair of flat nosed pliers.  See you tomorrow.