First of all I have to say------save your #6 plastic containers (like the clear containers from the salad bar). Save the whole container, even the textured sides and bottoms. It all works and flattens out nicely. The ridges on the sides give a nice space to color! Yes, I know it now throws a kink in your organizational advice to cut off all the sides of the plastic containers so the plastic could be stored flat. We burned up most of the afternoon making DIY shrink plastic and used every bit of my large stash of #6 containers and were left wanting more!
How to make homemade shrinky dinks (shrink plastic)
It is really an easy activity. All you need is:
- permanent markers
- regular hole punch
- #6 plastic
- oven
- cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper
- scissors to cut the plastic
Cut a shape out of the plastic (plastic shrinks about 1/3 of the original size). Our 2" circle became about 3/4" when shrunk.
Color one side of the shape with permanent marker. The color becomes more intense once shrunk. If you are wanting to attach your shape to something don't forget to punch a hole before placing in the oven.
Place the plastic on a thin cookie sheet (not the insulated type) covered with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake plastic at 350 degrees for 2- 3 minutes. Each oven is different so watch closely. You will see the plastic curl up and then it will flatten back out. It does give off some fumes so we left a window open for ventilation!
We added a jump ring to some of our shapes and strung on cording along with beads to make necklaces.
Some of the small shapes we placed on id wire rings along with some beads to make beverage markers.
Ball started as a 2" circle, finished size was about 3/4"
Tag started 3" long by 1 3/4" wide, finished size was about 1 1/4" long by just under 3/4" wide
On a larger shaped tag (starting size 4" long by 2 3/4" wide) we placed a clip so it could be a zipper pull. Punch two holes side by side to make the finished hole big enough for the clip. I think these zipper pulls would make the cutest Valentine's -attach a note that says "You pull at my heart!"
Then we really got rolling and made rings. They are just too cool. For directions on how to make professional looking rings visit Planet June. She has a wonderful tutorial. (The links for the tutorial are currently unavailable I will keep checking) Ours are a bit sloppy but we are still wearing them. It took some trial and error to find the right size. For my size I started with a strip 5" long by about 1" to 1 1/2" wide. Pull it immediately from the oven and quickly while it is still very hot wrap it around a Chap-stick tube. My son needed to make his 5 1/2 inches long and I (an adult must do this part--it is hot and you must work fast!) wrapped it around a child's chunky marker. If you make a mistake and get a miss-shaped ring or it is too long just send it back into the oven. Once it is warm it can be trimmed with scissors, it will also flatten back out and you can give it another go.
After we had used every piece of plastic my son said ---------bracelets! We could make bracelets. So we are now saving more plastic!
Notes:
- I was able to use a regular ink pad and stamp designs on the plain plastic with great results!
- Look for the #6 stamp on the bottom of the clear containers
- #6 - PS: polystyrene is used in takeout food containers. It has been found to leach styrene--a neurotoxin and possible human carcinogen--and has been banned in cities like Portland, Ore. and San Francisco. Okay so there is a downside to the craft!
- I remember my grandmother melting white Styrofoam cups in the oven enough to make them look like hats. I think she did something for Mother's Day with them!
- I did think the melting plastic left a lingering odor in my oven. Before using my oven for food I turned it on to 400 degrees and let it bake for about 20 minutes to get rid of the smell.
Updating...
One other tip I forgot to leave in my earlier post. Be sure to seal the artwork side as those finished items scratched quickly to my 5 yos shagrin (mine too). Triple Thick gloss glaze by DecoArt from Michaels worked great as it left a thick coating in one coat and left NO brush marks. I’ve always wanted to try this diamond glaze and here was my chance. I’m sold.
Has anyone tried to fuse two pieces together with something encased between the two layers? I thought of small metal charms or someother color plastic…?
[...] pull at my heart!” – How about a shrinky dink zipper [...]
how did you actually cut the #6 plastic?
I will be linking to you! Love this idea. Thanks for sharing!!! Seriously, contagious!
great idea, I love shrinky dinks when I was a kid.
I’ve been itchin’ to try this you originally posted this, but I couldn’t entice my daughter. Today she agreed we could make “jewels” for the cookie tub she rescued from pre-school to become a treasure box. Yippee! She had lots of fun and made a bunch of cute charms. (We did fail with acrylic paints. Apparently it’s too dense and the plastic doesn’t shrink well.) THANKS!!!
wow. cool! when i saw the “bella” example, i freaked out! i luv twilight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3
[...] had a huge black plastic catering tray (and clear lid) that were both #6 plastic, ideal for shrinking in the oven. I did a few little experiments with the clear lid (also worth posting – they warped badly. [...]
Well, I thought we werent supposed to use the number six, but after further research that the one we are supposed to use, but carefully I guess. Sorry.
[...] are two great tutorials at: Skip To My Lou and [...]
On the rings example they come out better when you round the corners on the edge before you bake, they’re less likely to pinch an adult or child! Great ideas…Thanks
I’ve been a fan of your blog for some time now. I love all of your ideas. You are awesome. I finally got around to trying this one out. My son loved it. And I did not experience any fumes in my house. I will be trying this again. Thanks for the instructions.
I just did this craft with my kids. They loved it. One tip- we wanted to use colored pencils so I took some sandpaper to the plastic first and then we colored it. Worked like a charm!
I love the way you write. “Ours are a bit sloppy but we are still wearing them.” So cute. I have to read this blog more.
[...] Homemade shrinky dink of a Family Tree. Instructions from Skip to My Lou. [...]
WOW!!!!!! I am sooooooo excited! I have been searching all over town for plain shrinky dinks sheets for my sons to make into christmas ornaments for gifts to NO avail. So tonight I am on my trusty Mac doing some research to locate them and lo and BEHOLD! I have found this site. Thank you. I cannot wait to try this with my kids tomorrow!!!!!
wow i was going to buy my sis a shrinky dink set but now we will just make them!
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by dreamsakes: RT @unschool Know you can make your own shrinky dinks with # 6 plastic? Here’s a link: Skip To My Lou http://bit.ly/ZxhuK...
i’m having trouble finding plastic #6 i live in holland-all my salad containers,bakery boxs,cheese packages etc are all #1. Can you help?
traciesadie: try yoghurt cups if available; they are usually made from polystyrene. You can also use styrofoam trays (they are #6 too) for a different effect). Also clear lids from takeout are usually 6. Hope this helps.
We used most of the bottom of a square salad-sized container for a luggage tag. Ours shrank to more like 1/4 of the original size. We left 1/3 inch or so of ridges all the way around, which was a great effect. The square shape gives a really funky look for a luggage tag, and the addition of a little ball chain makes it seem legit somehow.
Re. the fumes, I moved a toaster oven to a screened room when hosting a playgroup party at which the kids made charms and pendants with #6 plastic.
[...] make shrinky dinks from no.6 plastic – skip to my lou [...]
I found an old toaster oven at a yard sale…works great…sold because it was ugly…it is now my designated craft oven. Shrinky dink, polymer clay, all works great and you can watch it at eye level.
OK, I am totally hooked! Making pendants, earrings, bracelets, etc. On top of the world yesterday with this new craft. UNTIL….du-du-u-duuuuuuhhhhhh, I wore my FAVORITE pendant and found that towards the end of the evening the ink had rubbed off. I was touching it, as I am a figeter, and much of the ink had rubbed off. Too bad, so sad. Now I am trying to perfect this craft. Any ideas how I can make the ink permanent. Truly permanent? I was thinking a coat of clear nailpolish would do the trick, but it too removes the ink. Ideas???Ideas???
Sassy Sue:
We use colored pencils, they dry hard and do not rub off!!
Hmmm…very excellent to discover out, there were without a doubt various points that I had not concept of before.
I love shrinky-dinks! I did them once with my kids. They loved it too. i found the plain sheets at walmart once, now the only place I have found them is Hobby Lobby. Where can I get the containers? I don’t get alot of take out…
I just linked you, love your ideas!
here’s the link from planet june:
http://www.planetjune.com/blog/shrink-plastic-ring-tutorial/
I just made these with my daughter and the plastic curled up. Is there a way to keep that from happening? Did we take them out too soon? I even tried putting them back in the oven with the other side up and that didn’t work
[...] Did you know that you can use plastic labeled as “6″ for recycling as shrink film? Neither did I! I’m fairly certain that my local grocery store uses this type of plastic as a clamshell for cookies, rolls, premade sandwiches, salad bar containers, etc! I’m going to use a sharpie to decorate a piece with another of those horse silhoettes (I think there are a dozen different ones), punch a hole in the top, shrink, and put on a sheer ribbon with some beads on it to be a necklace for Alyssa. For a tutorial on this, visit http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/01/07/how-to-make-shrinky-dinks-with-recycled-6-plastic/ [...]
@Amy–If yours curled up, you took them out about 2 minutes too early–if you didn’t throw them out yet, put them back in the preheated oven and they will finish up just fine!
Another note to all–check out the Lucky Squirrel website!! It’s unbelievable, and goes WAYYYY beyond what I have ever done with shrinky dinks! Really, great stuff! (And–if you are having problems finding the plastic, Michaels, Joannes and Hobby Lobby stocks it in small amounts, but you can buy it in all kinds from Lucky Squirrel and from Amazon!)
Love the idea, I know what we will be doing during spring break:) And just to let you know the link for the rings is only malfunctioning because your link is before it. I know I didn’t explain that right.. when clicked this is how it shows up in the address bar http://www. skiptomylou .org/2009/01/07/how-to-make-shrinky-dinks-with-recycled-6-plastic/www.planetjune.com/blog/shrink-plastic-ring-tutorial/
[...] Use #6 plastic containers (the clear deli container kind) for the shrinky plastic (how to) [...]
Can’t wait to try this. Have been saving containers too.
Though am a little apprehensive about using the baking oven….i think i’ll still have to try this.
One question: Can i place something between 2sheets and try and fuse them when i bake? Anybody tried?
Want to avoid the fumes? Hot water will shrink this plastic. I discovered this when I reused a salad container to hand wash some clothes. The large container shrank to a flat surface. An idea might be to put it in a freezer zip lock, squish the air out then hold it under some hot water with a spoon.
I will right away grab your rss feed as I can not find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
I just tried this with some #6 plastic cups I had left over from a birthday party. They make cute little circles. I am going to have my preschoolers decorate them to make “stained glass” window charms for Mother’s Day. Yippee!!
[...] some shrinky dink tags to decorate and identify knapsacks, shoes, house keys, pencil [...]
So if this type of plastic is known for leaching styrene…does anyone not worry about that fact that usually happens when polysterene (aka plastic #6) is heated. If you are putting this plastic in the oven, etc., are you not creating the perfect environment to contaminate your home with these scary chemicals?
It sounds like a cool idea…just worried about the chemical reaction that is actually taking place here.
Thanks!
[...] collected a nice little bin full of #6 plastic since this summer, when I learned that you can use it as Shrinky Dink paper. I originally find the idea on Skip to my [...]
Thank you, I have just been looking for information about this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve discovered till now. But, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you positive in regards to the source?