Who doesn't have a wallet bulging with unused credit and membership cards? Here, three crafters came up with clever ways to repurpose them into jewelry, whether your style is boho, edgy, or chic.
First up, Chloe from A Little Birdy Told Me creates feathered earrings.
1. Feather Earrings
You'll need: a credit card or old membership card cut into 4 equal strips, wire, earring hooks or studs, sharp scissors, and 4 jump rings.
Step 1:
Cut each credit card strip into a feather shape, like so.
Step 2:
Wrap wire around the tip of the feather.
Step 3:
Make a small loop with the wire and continue wrapping. Twist the loop around and cramp the wire onto the card once you have cut the wire. (This step may require pliers.)
Step 4:
Repeat the wire wrapping on each feather.
Step 5:
To make them look more like feathers and to add some texture, cut slits into the sides of each shape. This will also twist the feather a little.
Step 6:
Take two of the feathers and thread them onto a jump ring.
Step 7:
Add the earring hook and close the jump ring. Repeat with the other two feathers, and they're ready to wear!
Next up, Allison from Dream a Little Bigger fashions a personalized bracelet.
2. Personalized Chain Link Bracelet (Or Necklace!)
Gather up: an old card, scissors, two pieces of chunky chain, a strong adhesive/glue, a small drill, a lobster clasp, two jump rings, and a pair of pliers.
Step 1:
Neatly trim your name away from the card. Also, cut out a larger area that you can tack your name onto to make the bracelet more substantial. Take care when cutting out the name to go as straight as you can and use sharp scissors.
Take a permanent marker and mark around the cut edges to clean each piece up.
Step 2:
Using a strong adhesive, glue your name portion onto your background portion. Place on your wrist and trim the name tag smaller if it looks too big.
Step 3:
Using a very small drill bit, make holes on either side of your identity tag.
Step 4:
Use jump rings to attach chunky chain on both sides of the tag. Wrap around your wrist and trim the chain until it is a bit smaller than you would prefer it to be.
Step 5:
Add a lobster clasp to one side and on the other side add jump rings to extend to the correct size.
Step 6:
And you're done! A totally unique take on ID tag jewelry.
Last but not least, Emily from Delightfully DIY creates an elegant beaded bangle.
3. Beaded Bangle Bracelet
This project requires: two old credit/membership cards, eleven 12mm beads (the ones used in this bracelet are Aventurine), Stretch Magic beading cord, 1/16” hole punch, a small piece of contact paper large enough to cover one side of each card (optional), gold leaf pen, sharpie, scissors, and a ruler.
Step 1:
Start by making a 9 square by 5 square grid on the clear side of the contact paper. Each of the squares should be 3/8 inch. Put a dot roughly in the center of each square.
Step 2:
Adhere your contact paper grid to the card, making sure to line it up so all the squares fit. (You can also just do this directly on the card if you wish to skip the contact paper step. The card just looks a little cleaner if the marks are made on contact paper instead.)
Step 3:
Using the dots as a guide punch a hole in the center of each square.
Step 4:
Once all the holes are punched, cut along the grid lines and remove the contact paper from each square. Repeat the same steps with the second card.
Step 5:
Paint all four edges of each square with the gold leaf pen and allow them to dry. This dries pretty quickly so it shouldn’t take very long.
Step 6:
Cut a piece of the beading cord long enough to fit your wrist, plus a few extra inches. Then, pre-stretch it a little so that it doesn’t stretch out and loosen once you’ve finished your bracelet. String five beads onto the cord, followed by your credit card squares, and then the remaining six beads.
4. Step 7:
Finish the bracelet with a surgeon’s knot. Make sure to pull the knot tightly from both ends of the cord, as well as from the cord inside the bracelet. Cut the excess cord. For extra security, add a drop of glue.
And you're done!
Pippa Armbrester is a quilt designer and creator. Follow her adventures in quilting and in life on her website.
