Potato Chip Bracelet

Potato Chip Bracelet

This is a real potato chip bag shrunken down to fit as a bracelet. Its been melted to the point where it feels like thicker plastic in the oven. You take 2 chip bags and lay them flat on an OLD cooking pan, you take another pan and lay it on top so it creates a bit of a dome around the chips.

What you need

Potato Chip Packets
Leather Cording
Jewelry Clasp

Instructions

If you have your oven on 350 degrees it should take about 5-8 minutes to shrink the bags right down. BE CAREFUL, and check them every 3-4 minutes. After they’re shrunken down to the size you want them just take them out, and to quick cool them you can pour water on the hot pan carefully. This makes the chip bag EASY to peel off the pan.

I figure that this is an excellent way to recycle.

The back of the first bracelet. I may come up with a better way of making it into a cuff. I just like the X over style of the leather strapping.

Potato Chip Bracelet

Always melt these down in a well ventilated area, but it is quite safe to make these inside your home.

Comments

  1. that sounds cool. i think i’ll try it sometime.

  2. I’ve dont this several years ago, but made magnets, there can be a small amount of fumes. I would open a window or leave door open if fumes bother you, it’s a fun craft and really looks nice afterwards, be careful with laying a pan on your melted chip bag, it can and will ruin and stick to the pan if not careful, or if you remove it to fast. let cool really well, kids love these neat crafty idea’s and we enjoy making magnets, you can use candy wrappers but again use same precaution when melting. they make cute keychains. gotta love recycled crafting!!!!

  3. After reading all of the comments, all I have to say is – Why did someone read through the instructions, look at the pictures and not leave the page if they disliked it? It’s not like you can’t exit, go back, or leave some other way.

    I don’t personally like it, but my nieces would love it. I agree, the instructions should be clearer, but it’s not like people only have two or three bags and they’ll never get more – EXPERIMENT!

    I think the candy wrappers are more girly and that’s why some people say they’d like a candy wrapper bracelet over a chip wrapper.

  4. Yeditepeist says

    Turkish please 🙁 🙁 🙁 but it is beautiful

  5. How do you finish the bracelet , the instructions how to attach the fixing to make the closure was not listed. Please let us know how you made the closure to fasten it. .

  6. FloraPhotographer says

    im really confused with the instructions…but all together this project is awesome!! its so unique! 🙂

  7. How do you mean dome and how do you lay the bags together ? why two? Im really interested in doing this but the instructions arent clear, please speak up and let us know what you mean? Thanks, this has endless possibilities, anyone who’s negative is about as square and narrow minded as they come.

  8. I need more specific directions. Why 2 bags? Do you stack them 1 on top of the other? How do you add the cord? Can you use juice pouches?

  9. I am on the fence. I kinda like the looks, but I’m with the “COSTUME jewelry for that price?!” crew. Clearly I am not in Prada’s target demographic.

  10. What size page should you use? Lik’a family size Lays or a regular one?

  11. Kewl, odd but really creative! It’s also a good way 2 recycle. & just a Qu. 4 all yhu h8rs posting negative comments, do yhu not have anything better 2 do?! Save the posting 4 supporting messages… 🙂

  12. Oh cool! I love chips and junk food, and I usually collect the wrappers and put them in a bag, especially if it’s a limted edition style, and keep them. I’ll try this with M&Ms and Skittles.

  13. this is an old idea from when I was a kid 30 years ago, and my daughter and I think it’s cool.!!!

  14. I love it and i also love shrinky dinks. Love, love, love it.

  15. Girl Scouts have also made these to use for SWAPs to pass along to other scouts………..I plan to try it with my troop. :o)

  16. My first thought was… lame! And then… I thought about it some, and the more I thought, the more I liked. It seems like something my teenage friends would actually like… or maybe it would just get a chuckle out of them. 🙂 Either way, it’s kinda cool. I’m also wondering though, are plastic fumes toxic? I mean, sure it won’t kill you, but if I end up with cancer in a few years, I’m blaming you. 🙂 Tehee. (All in all, I like the idea.)

  17. clever :] i love it, and i guess ppl who wouldn’t wear this are not bold enough to do so! i’m going to make one after i finish my cheetos

  18. I think turning the chip bags that have silver linings inside out and maybe trimming them after would very nice. I like the idea. It is amazing how brazen people will be when they are anonymous….my mother always said “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all”. A lesson that seems to be lost on many!

  19. looks too trashy and too plain and too simple and too ugly!:(

  20. tacky.

  21. It is helpful to have a second oven in a well ventilated area specifically for crafts. Make sure you have an exhaust fan. NEVER bake a cake in the same oven you just melted plastic.

  22. helpful

  23. it is kinda neat… havent u seen people buy jewelry etc w food logos etc on them anyway? so this is just a good recycling way to make smtg kinda neat… 🙂 especially if its ur fave candy or smtg!

  24. jazroxkc says

    One of the worst ideas yet. If we continue with this trashy trend we’ll be making clothing out of used garbage bags!

  25. Awesome! This is such a great way to recycle!

  26. woot!

  27. I’ll make some for my friends!
    they’ll love them!

  28. lucygoosey14 says

    THAT IS SO COOL!
    HOW DID U EVER THINK OF MELTING THEM 2 SHRINK THEM, OR DID SOMEONE TELL U? WELL… THNX 4 THE IDEA!

  29. craftykid101 says

    ist wierd looking i did it once but it was a key chain and looked way better

  30. Such a cool idea! I cant wait until I find some cool bags that I want to use… I love the blue skittles wrappers!

  31. tacky. very tacky. recycling & wearing trash are 2 different things.

  32. How about making a recycled bag from old plastic food bag it would look so cool!!

  33. i can’t wait to try this.

  34. When I was doing Girl Scouts, we made the chip bags into key chains. We slipped the ring through the bag and then added a key chain. The adults flipped over these moreso than the children. Now we have a chip bag bracelet to add to it. Great!!!

  35. omg

  36. photobug1982 says

    that rocks!!!!

  37. we are going to use this for a class project. This is a great way too recycl chip bags.

  38. such a good ideal, so much fun for the pre teens to share with friends

  39. Good idea. It’d be cool too if they were used for key chains. And it’d be fun to use the shrunken down bracelets and attach it to the cuff links of a jacket. Or just sew (if possible) on jeans and stuff to make it look cool, funky, and unique.

  40. Very cool

  41. I LOVE this idea. it is soooo cute and I can’t wait to try it.1!!!!!!!

    Thanks for the great poast

  42. SoccerFreak2014 says

    Ugh.. obviously you clean it out. You aren’t just wearing nasty trash on your wrist. It’s a new vintage-ish bracelet. Get over yourself if you don’t like it. You can state your opinion, and we can state ours.

  43. it is a good idea but neats more work on

  44. i love it.
    i make these for necklaces and i’ve made tons of them for friends and people at school.
    it’s super creative and different. (:

  45. I really loved this. It was amazing. Those people who think wearing trash is tacky, are definately WRONG!!

  46. Ummmm…. I don’t get this. Recycling is one thing, but wearing garbage is another.

  47. wow…haaahhaaa

  48. I think that it’s very creative and it’s a great thing to keep you busy for a while.

  49. craftykid101 says

    its cool and really nifty and orinal!

  50. i love this! its a new unique way to recycle-not to mention its an awsome fashion statement!!!

  51. that is soo cool..talk about recycling

  52. it is so stupied i mean who would wear this out i would not in my life go out of my house i may not even wear it in my own house

  53. Whats next a trash bag skirt pattern, maybe even a white shopping bag wedding dress?
    Please thats NASTY

  54. truly i love it it is very unique and FREAKIN AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

  55. Very creative experimentation!

  56. Pretty tacky for a bracelet. they make cool key chains though

  57. they r soooo funky u can av loads of cool colours

  58. that is soooooooo cool!!!!!!!!! i love it! i am sooo going to try it! keep giving the best ideas!

  59. it is soooo cool!!! everybody who tries it will like it!!!

  60. That is a great recycling project. Excellent job!!! I love it.

  61. purplemittens says

    I think its a really cool idea for recycling but are you sure this is safe? The plastic fumes could be toxic. Were did you find the information saying it was safe? If you painted them and put designs on them it would be even more cool.

  62. just not that good. kinda tacky
    🙁

  63. everyone gets sooo upset so easily. New things scare some people. Be proud that your not ashamed of your creativity. Fun 4 kids 2.

  64. it is so awesome its the coolest thing evr

  65. This is so trashy dirty and tacky. It looks horrible and ugly.

  66. ok everyone that is saying that it is tacky and what not are stupid. its a good way to recycle and its a good way to be unique. i like it personally. but thats me. i am very unique. so tell everyone that is saying that it is weird to shut up.

  67. meh it looks kinda stupid and is tacky i dont think the chip ones work but the skittles one is cute

  68. Interesting idea. I probably wouldn’t use a chip bag…the skittles one is cool,though =].

  69. eww… i think this is a dumb idea, it looks so tacky!!!!

  70. sweetshelley says

    different, very different.

  71. You don’t tell how to put the holding string to the chip bag. Or, how to fold the bag to make the braclet. Great idea just very short on instructions.

  72. I love this, it is such a great idea, it’s a wonder how people can come up with this sort of thing, I’m going to make some for me and my friends, kinda like our special friend ship bracelet thing. I love the idea, thanks a lot!!! Well, gotta go make em!!!

  73. fantastic

  74. Very cool idea!

  75. interesting idea, funky but kinda ugly. i wouldn’t be caught wearing it, though i might try it for the fun of it.

  76. this is great I’m trying it now

  77. Despite what others say, I think its great to step out of “people’s boxes” and come up with something new. That is why it is called being creative. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. We used to put these on key chains with our keys!

  78. This looks really cute. The keychain idea sounds like a winner too.

  79. Great idea thanks I am going to use it for the Girl Guide Unit as a craft project

  80. its a bit lame, but i suppose some people will like it

  81. ithink this is a very clever recycled craft you thought of proud of you keep going.
    proud reader

  82. i think its really cute, and i know ill be making a few cuz my brother is addicted to doritos lol

  83. The idea is kinda tacky; maybe try it with candy wrappers and it will look kind of cute.

  84. I was just wondering if you have to use big bags and if you have to stack the bags on top?
    Please reply.
    Awesome idea 🙂

  85. craftygirlxoxo says

    its tacky… but a great idea, mabye looks better with more florecent packageing

  86. great recycle craft

  87. very good idea

  88. well done

  89. good 4 recycling
    but that would be it!

  90. you guys are so cool i love it i would give it a very good Nekara

  91. i think you are very smart!

  92. dumb as heck! ewww…

  93. i hate this you wont gimme the exact info

  94. who would wear that

  95. This is a very good idea, but the article is sub-par. Do you take the chips out of the bag? How do you attach the cording? Are holes made in the bag when melting, or do you have to punch holes yourself? Do you punch them before or after melting? etc.

  96. that is so cool!

  97. Kids may enjoy it, but it’s not my cup of tea. Kudos for recycling though!

  98. It looks a little tacky. =/ Interesting concept though.

  99. I believe this is quite creative and could do a lot more with them..just like shriny dinks…and peices to a keepsake box…do up an old note book..barretts…yeah you could do kind of a lot with this really…

  100. i give you credit for finding a way to recycle…but i still think its weird..

  101. I have not done it yet, but no one knows how excited I am to actually do this!!! :o)

  102. it does not appeal to my liking >=(

  103. It’s ugly, people will ask why are you wearing a chip bag??? Then they’ll think your really werid!!

  104. I’d totally sport a skittle bracelet! I do like the idea of turning them or cutting them so they are inside-out though.

  105. ewwww

  106. you could do way better than that i’m just joking i think it’s neat

  107. I love this Project its so unique
    But a Question how do u connect the cord? and what size chip packet do u use ?

  108. YUCK!!!!it looks like you got it out of a trash can!if a wanted to wear a potato bag on my wrist ldd go to a trailer park!

  109. Love this but one Q? If my chip bag has a shiny inside does that mean it has aluminium in it and is that safe to use? Oh and do you us a big bag or little bag for this project?

  110. Is this made with big bags or little bags because I would like to know if it is possible to make ones with the little bags and it shrink down little enough to make charms (Is this possible please please please tell me it is)

  111. I think this is just about the coolest thing ever. And very different.

  112. this is so cool
    and im only 11 years old

  113. Try sslitting the bags and turning the silver side out great project if you punch with hole punch to add beads. With 7 grandkidsd this was a great rainy day project. used a craft designated toaster oven. Use your imagination!!!!

  114. Used this to make girl scout swaps with the chip bag.

  115. I think its very creative but i dont think that if u were trying to sell it, that you wouldnt sell that many. but very creative!! ~Brittany

  116. Using Spray paint would be more toxic than this..
    Great Project for teens…

  117. CraftBits (Shellie Wilson) says

    This project is NOT toxic, the amount of fumes that come off these packets will not do you harm unless you intend on making 100’s of them. It is safe to make these in your own oven. If a project was very toxic and harmful we would not add it to the site.

  118. HELLO? This type of project is a)unsuitable for an oven that is also used for food preparation; and b)emits potentially toxic fumes. NOT a home-friendly craft!

  119. Old Dutch! Clearly canadian! I like it, people eat chips all the time, what the heck, why not proclaim your favorite chips! (I like the Old Dutch Tacos..haven’t had them in a long time!)Good idea.

  120. what size bags? snack size of larger? My 9 year old says “I WANT ONE OF THOSE!!!””SWEET!”

  121. loved it there so kool and wicked

  122. Hi, I really like this project I like making/wearing recyclable things. But anyway, how do you attach the holes, what are they? just two holes punched before putting it in the oven? Just curious, thanks for the awesome project!

  123. it’s okay i suppose but i can’t see me/mates wearing one coz it’s ugly and wer’d ya get tha cord from?

  124. chinchilla_chilieboy says

    thatz UGLY!!!!!and i dont think that it would get some of the reviews that it iz gettin…..super stpid…layerz josie

  125. Along time ago i was trying to find this but never did.
    but… then i found your site and i was delited to find it.
    the bags are soooooooo cute when there small! :3

  126. egyptologist9 says

    very ugly

  127. Do you place the two chip bags on top of each other? Do you use a flat or round pan on top? Why did my bags get holes in them?

  128. all my friends asked me “where’d ya get the braclet?” when i wore it to school I now have three in different skittles bags!

  129. As a kid I did this all the time, but I made key chains out of the chip bags. I punched a hole at the top corner for a metal ring and attached it after the bag was shrunk. Fun stuff for the kids!! I can’t remember how we kept the bag from curling? Help

  130. i like to do them in the microwave also
    do it for 8 seconds on the high settings if you want to do it in the microwave.. the get realy wrinkled though and you cant make a braclet

  131. Yay, another site made for little girls! But I have to admit I like it XD

  132. It’s great to divert waste but the last thing we need is to be covered in advertising.

  133. Tottaly rad!

  134. truleelee says

    cool for kids!

  135. Not something I would wear at 32, but my daughter age 14 loved it, wore it, and then had to make 12 more for her friends…now they sell them at school events to raise money for the art club.

  136. How do you get the chip bag to not curl up?

  137. Awesome job!Did you start witha big party bag for the skittles? Why do you say to do two bags ontop of one another? Do they melt together?

  138. Its a diffrent project…

  139. Hmmm…seems a bit tacky!

  140. I hate it!!!!
    Amber

  141. CraftBits (Shellie Wilson) says

    The leather strapping is fixed in a figure 8 method through the holes and then the clasps are attached

  142. juju_sew11@comcast.net says

    I really would like to make the braclet. How do you attache the leather cording

What do you think of this project? Let us know!