shrink plastic ring tutorial
Thank you to everyone who requested a shrinkydinks ring tutorial! I hope this will answer all your questions. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions etc, or link to pictures of your own rings!
I’ll answer some questions from the comments on my previous shrinky rings post before I get started, and add more hints and tips throughout the tutorial.
Shrink plastic, for the uninitiated, was originally marketed as a toy for kids. It starts life thin and flexible. You draw on it and then bake it in the oven, and it shrinks to become about 1/3 of the starting size, but 9 times as thick. This thickness makes it strong and hard. It will not bend after baking, so if you try to pull your ring open, or stand on it, it may snap, but it is strong enough to withstand regular use as a ring.
The last step (bending the ring into shape) is the most difficult, so I highly recommend that 1) you read through all the instructions before starting, and 2) practice on a blank piece of shrink plastic so you can get a feel for it and test your size and bending technique before putting too much effort into your design!
Full tutorial instructions are after the jump…
1. Find your shrink plastic
I use I use Shrinky Dinks Frosted Ruff N’ Ready, which accepts rubber stamped images beautifully. Any transparent shrink plastic will work. If you use the coloured opaque shrink plastic, you would have to decorate the outside of your ring instead of the inside. You could also use the inkjet printable type of shrink plastic.
Note: If you are looking for sources, search for “shrink plastic” (generic term) not “shrinkydinks” (brand name) and you may have more luck. For example, for you UK people, googling ‘Shrink Plastic UK’ (without the quotes) will give you lots of online stores that sell it. You’re looking for large sheets of it, not pre-cut shapes.
2. Measure and cut to size
Note: Different brand of shrink plastic may shrink by different amounts, so you might want to try baking a plain test piece to make sure you’ve got the size right before spending time on decoration.
If you know your ring size, you can use a ring size converter to calculate the desired circumference of your ring. The circumference in this case will be equal to the length of your strip of plastic (after shrinking). Shrinkydinks shrinks by approx 3 times, but I found I had to allow an extra 10% in the length measurement to compensate for the curvature in the finished ring. For my rings (finished size approximately US 6, UK J, and 6mm tall) my starting dimensions are 14.2 x 1.6cm.
To cut the plastic, I like to use a guillotine (paper cutter) to get straight lines, but it’s probably not good for the cutter blade (I use an old cutter blade). You could also use an xacto knife and metal ruler, or just cut the plastic with scissors.
The corners can be very sharp, so I like to round them off slightly with scissors before baking (don’t worry if you forget this step; you can file or sand them down after baking).
3. Decorate shrink plastic
Follow the decorating instructions that come with your shrink plastic. Here are some ideas:
- Rubber stamps + alcohol-based permanent inks (be warned: other types of stamp ink will smudge)
- Fine-point permanent marker (e.g. Sharpie) to draw or trace your designs
- Coloured pencils (use in combination with the above to add colour)
- Print designs directly onto your plastic (inkjet shrink plastic ONLY)
If you’re using the frosted type, remember to decorate the rough (frosted) side.
I used peg stamps to decorate my first rings. The designs are only 1cm tall so fit my rings perfectly. Below I have also tried some other rubber stamps:
Don’t forget to let your ink dry before adding any coloured pencil embellishments, and remember that colours will become more saturated and vibrant after baking, so less is more in this case.
4. Find a suitable form to bend plastic around
Here’s a useful tip to find an object of the right size to create your ring: take an existing ring, and try to slip it over various thin cylindrical household objects, e.g. marker pen barrel, wooden spoon handle, lip balm tube. You are looking for an object that is a tight fit inside your ring. If you don’t have anything suitable, you could buy a short length of wooden dowel of the right diameter. Your object will come into contact with hot plastic, so don’t use any treasured possessions for this step.
5. Shrink your plastic
This is the fun part!
Preheat a toaster oven or conventional oven to the temperature specified on your packaging. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area so any fumes don’t build up.
Note: Please read the instructions below all the way to the end before baking your ring – the shaping happens very quickly after baking so you need to be ready…
Place your strip (decorated side up) on a piece of brown paper on an oven tray, and put it in the oven. Keep watching… this is where the magic happens. Your strip will begin to curl up and wiggle about as some parts heat more quickly than others and so begin to shrink more quickly. Don’t worry if it looks like it’s stuck together – in my experience it always flattens out as it continues to shrink. When it has finished shrinking, leave it in the oven for another 30 seconds to heat through evenly.
Here’s an animation of the shrinking process:
6. Shape your ring
When your strip comes out of the oven, you will have to work quickly – you only have about 10 seconds before it has cooled and becomes rigid. Disclaimer: to protect your hands from the hot plastic, you should probably wear a thin glove (for more control) or an oven mitt (for better protection against the heat) but I don’t bother – it is hot, but the plastic doesn’t stay hot for long enough to burn skin.
Remove the brown paper from the oven. Wait for about 2 seconds (so it’s not too hot to touch), then carefully wrap the strip around your forming tool, with your decorated side facing in towards the tool. Hold it in place for a few seconds until it becomes cool and rigid.
I’m not going to lie, this step is tricky. You really do have to work quickly, and not make any mistakes, otherwise you won’t have time to wrap the entire strip around your object before it cools. But don’t lose hope! There is a magic fix for a badly-formed ring like the one below…
Pop your misshapen ring back into the oven on the brown paper, balancing it upright on its curved surface so the join is at the top (as in the picture above). After a minute or so, the plastic will relax back out of its shape, and revert back into a flat strip… I told you this stuff was magic! Let it heat through for about 20-30 seconds, then try to form the ring around your tool again.
Left: unsanded edges; Right: sanded edges
That’s it! You can sand down the edges to give a smoother finish, but this may partially obscure your design. You could also paint the edges after forming for a different effect. For more durability of your design, use a clear coat to carefully varnish the inside of the ring (one coat should be enough).
You can make matching earrings, charm bracelets or necklace pendants – just punch holes for the jewellery findings before shrinking the plastic, and remember that the holes will also shrink, so don’t worry that they will be too large.
Enjoy your new jewellery!
Jessica Said,
February 24, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Thanks so much for getting this tutorial up for us. It all looks like great fun, I think I shall go now and buy some shrinky plastic so that I can have a play.
sue Said,
February 24, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
you so rock!!!
thanks for your talent and time too.
sue
Amy Said,
February 24, 2008 @ 4:03 pm
This looks like so much fun, I will have to try and find some shrink plastic and brush up on my stamping skills.
laurakate Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 2:50 am
thank you!!
actually going to try it right now, i’ve had a mini packet sitting around for ages, i hope they’re big enough pieces.
x laura
futuregirl Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
Great tutorial! I’m going to have to try this now … you make it look so easy.
lulu Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
wow, you make this look so easy I really want to give it a try. Thanks so much for showing us how to…. even if I do think mine wont look a bit like yours
; )
kara Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 2:16 pm
Thank you!! I have a TON of shrinky dink material (I never got to play with it as a kid so now I do!) I am excited to try this:)
elowezil Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 2:24 pm
Thank you SOOO much for doing this tutorial. I can’t wait to try some rings and will also a bangle. You’re a star! Thanks.
Marlies Cohen Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 2:57 pm
This is so cool, now I can experiment with my shrink plastic and make something else. Thank you so much for your tutorial. I will add a link to my site to this.
Marlies
http://www.mcuniverse.com
Jaime Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 3:16 pm
Thanks June! I was wondering how to do that… I wondered how to get started so that was a great tutorial!!
sarahhh Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
thanks for this!
I tried to do this about a year ago, and I burned the bejeezus out of my fingertips…. if the plastic sits for the couple of cooling seconds that you recommend, does this increase the chances of malformed rings?
June Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
sarahhh, as long as you’re quick after letting it cool for a couple of seconds, it should be okay. Otherwise, I recommend finding some thin gloves to wear so they don’t get in your way too much but do offer some protection for your fingertips!
kim Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
I’m thinking about doing something like that only roll it up so theres a smaller hole then overlap the rest(like how you make paper beads) the stamping is a good idea
msHandiworks Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
My son’s girlfriend makes necklaces and earrings from Shrinky Dink. She inspired me to buy SD and try it. Have to say, your rings are so pretty and easy to make. Thanks.
Stephanie Said,
February 25, 2008 @ 10:59 pm
Oh thats awesome!!
Heather Said,
February 26, 2008 @ 8:14 am
Can you also use a heat tool (embossing gun) to do these and what would be the process for that? I don’t have a toaster oven so I am looking for a baking alternative.
June Said,
February 26, 2008 @ 10:16 am
Heather, you could use a heat gun to shrink the plastic, but you have to take more care, and it is more dangerous. As you can’t regulate the temperature, you’ll have to judge how far away to hold the heat gun from your ring to get it to shrink. If it gets too hot, shrink plastic can melt – not the effect you are looking for!
To use a heat gun, put the shrink plastic on a piece of brown paper on a heatproof surface – you don’t want to burn your tabletop. Aim the heat gun at the plastic and wait. You’ll have to move the heat gun over the surface to get the entire strip to shrink, but don’t worry if one end shrinks before the other – it will all shrink eventually when given enough heat. Once it’s all shrunk, keep the heat gun moving over the surface to make sure the entire strip is evenly heated through.
It is somewhat dangerous – you’ll have to judge when it’s warm enough to bend into the ring shape without being too hot to handle or to start to melt the plastic. I would recommend you definitely wear gloves if you’re going to do this – if you have overheated the plastic, you could burn your fingertips by touching it without protection.
If you find it’s not pliable enough to bend into the ring shape, heat it some more and then try again. I would definitely recommend you use a toaster oven, or even your regular oven, before you try using a heat gun. Please take care if you try this method!
Jacqueline Said,
February 26, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
I just love it , thanks !!!!
Cindy Said,
February 26, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
Thanks so much for sharing this helpful tutorial! I have some shrinky dinks at home that I can’t wait to try this with now!
vanna Said,
February 27, 2008 @ 11:52 am
i want to make these so bad, it brings tears to my eyes!! i will have to wait til i shovel out my craft room to find my shrink plastic… i have all kinds of ideas to make rings to match my outfits!
Lori Said,
February 27, 2008 @ 12:19 pm
I’ve seen your beautiful rings highlighted on the Craft blog and so I was so excited to see that you put up a tutorial!! Thank you!! Now to get some shrink plastic…
Honey, I know how to shrink the jewellery. « Said,
February 27, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
[...] 28, 2008 by Sarah Remember these? PlanetJune now has a tutorial for making your own ShrinkyDink [...]
Didi Said,
February 27, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
Wow love the idea.
Thanks for sharing it, I will try for sure =)
AdornmentCraft » Blog Archive » Shrink Plastic Flower Pin Tutorial Said,
February 28, 2008 @ 12:28 pm
[...] you like the looks of this project, also check out Planet June’s Shrink Plastic Ring Tutorial.) « de Cor’s Handmades Wired Chinese Knot [...]
Shrink plastic ring « Lady Lulu’s Braindump Hut and Craftarium Said,
March 8, 2008 @ 10:05 pm
[...] March 8, 2008 Shrink plastic ring Posted by Lu under she’s crafty | Tags: jewelry, shrink plastic | I am still feeling under the weather, but I really wanted to make something today. I went to my old standby, shrink plastic. I decided to follow PlanetJune’s shrink plastic ring tutorial. [...]
SewDelish Said,
March 10, 2008 @ 7:28 am
Thanks, Just what I was looking for!
Jill Said,
March 15, 2008 @ 8:09 am
I just found a great site with the ‘rough’ shrinky plastic super cheap! $5 for 10 8×10 sheets
http://www.goestores.com/catalog.aspx?storename=shrinkydinks&DeptID=34365&ItemID=695466&detail=1
den2 Said,
March 19, 2008 @ 11:45 am
hey! ive been looking everywhere for a tutorial like this! good stuff! ^_^ now i just need to find the stuff.
Tahnee Said,
March 31, 2008 @ 10:26 pm
Oh wow this is awesome– just started getting back into shrink plastic and was wondering if making rings was even possible. Nice tutorial
Nicole Said,
April 6, 2008 @ 9:12 pm
I tried making these years ago, but i didnt think to find something to wrap it around. Instead i used the finger in question. Ouch. another tip, forming it in the blast of a hot hair dryer or heat gun will give you some extra time. I sometimes use my heat gun instead of the oven for more control to shape while shrinking.
Foodaholic Said,
April 8, 2008 @ 8:26 pm
Those are beautiful! I can’t wait to try making some rings. I love customizing my own accessories. Thanks for the great instructions.
Ella Said,
April 12, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
These are beautiful! Hey anyone else tried to make them? Id love to see what their’s looked like!
Mary Lou Said,
April 15, 2008 @ 11:50 am
Hi,
My question is this…do I have to apply a coating to the inside ? and what kind would that be ?
The rings are awesome !
Mary Lou
Katie Said,
April 21, 2008 @ 9:15 am
I had a party yesterday and I got this kit with that stuff in it and it is such a fun thing to play around with.
katharine hearts more links « katharine hearts the internet Said,
April 23, 2008 @ 4:30 pm
[...] shrinky dink rings (looks fun, but could be frustrating to get that perfect circle) [...]
Aly Said,
April 26, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
You are a genius; I now mourn the loss of all the projects I tossed out because they fused together. But now I know to wait longer so they’ll fold back out =)
June Said,
April 28, 2008 @ 9:27 am
Mary Lou, I haven’t applied a coating to the inside of my rings, and I haven’t noticed any problems – how permanent it really is probably depends on the type of ink you use. If you do want to seal the inked surface to be safe, you could use any brush-on acrylic glaze/sealer (not a spray as you wouldn’t be able to coat the inside evenly) – just don’t use clear nail polish as it may eat into the shrink plastic!
Aly, if they are really stuck together and don’t uncurl when you reheat them, when they are hot you can use a chopstick (not fingers!) to help free them, and then they will straighten out again
Riechan Said,
April 29, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
Hello, Thankyou sooooo very much, I just love them !!!!!
But I don’t understand one thing very well, how big does it has to be when you measure it on your plastic. If I measure my finger and than take that measurement and enlarge it 3 times it should be the right measurement + 10% ??
Giulia Said,
May 1, 2008 @ 6:01 am
Genial!
Isabel Said,
May 2, 2008 @ 4:04 pm
I love The Dinks and have been doing fun craft projects with them for years. But I never thought about doing this with them. I love it.
Okay, so what do I do with the pack of opaque dink paper I have? I can’t figure out what it’s good for! Any suggestion?
June Said,
May 2, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
Riechan, I can’t tell you the exact measurement you’ll need, as different brands shrink by different amounts, plus they shrink a slightly different amount in each direction. I would say start with your best guess and shrink a test piece without decorating it to see if it’s the right size (that way you haven’t wasted your time decorating it if it’s wrong).
Isabel, you could still make rings with the opaque shrinkydinks – just decorate the OUTSIDE
Otherwise earrings, napkin rings, wine glass charms… You have tons of options!
potiron Said,
May 3, 2008 @ 5:21 am
Thank you for your idea!!! I love shrink plastic and am always looking for ways to do better than the little stuff I’ve done and not worth showing!!!
The tricky part will be to find something my finger size (as I have very small fingers)
I’m going to look up your other tutorials. I’m happy I found your blog!!!
Take care
potiron Said,
May 3, 2008 @ 8:08 am
I just tried my first ring -not easy calculating the correct lengths….
Anyway, your rings never join, do they???? There’s a space??? or am I understanding this wrong
Thanks for your help,
Potiron in France
June Said,
May 3, 2008 @ 11:45 am
Potiron, some of my rings get closer to joining than others – ideally you want the ends to just about touch but not overlap, but as long as the gap is quite small, it’s not a problem to have a gap. You can wear the ring with the gap on the inside and it looks fine and isn’t uncomfortable.
It’s all a bit of a trial and error method – it gets easier with practice!
Hopie Said,
May 6, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Hi There! Thanks for sharing your tutorial!
What a great little idea there – I do have a query:
Do you glaze your work?
If yes, before or after you have baked?
Super stuff – thanks again!
Hopie
Hopie Said,
May 7, 2008 @ 3:34 pm
Hi! Just saw your post on acrylic glaze sealer – thanks again for the great tutorial.
elowezil Said,
May 9, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
Wonderful tutorial and your results are awesome! Thanks so much for sharing the instructions. Am off to play …!
nat Said,
May 16, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
Cool!thanks for your tutorial. im going to try that soon.
do you use your normal toaster oven? will it be safe to
use (for food) after baking those plastic?
wonderment » Blog Archive » Crafty Linkfest Said,
May 18, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
[...] Shrinky Dink Rings (from PlanetJune), which we’ll be making next week at SNB – if you’re in need of the plastic, you can try the ReadyMade store (though I bought mine at Michael’s) [...]
Getting Crafty » Blog Archive » Shrinky dink report Said,
May 20, 2008 @ 1:25 am
[...] for jewelry made with shrink plastic, the first thing that caught my eye was Planet June’s tutorial, which I shared earlier. A search on etsy revealed the beautiful rings of Dillon [...]
afrolunatika Said,
May 29, 2008 @ 4:45 am
hello friends well a saw this tutorial. i wanna put artwork in the shrink using the printer what paper i need to use clear or translucid? because i print a artwork in clear shrink and the paper dont absorb the tint of the printer what i cant do to put image of my computer in shrink? (sorry for my english)
June Said,
May 29, 2008 @ 7:18 am
nat: it should be safe to use the oven for food after shrinking your plastic. Just make sure the plastic only touches the brown paper – don’t put it directly on a tray you will then put food on.
afrolunatika: there is a special type of shrink plastic you can buy that is safe for putting through your printer. The packet will say if it is the right type. This type has a special coating that allow the inkjet ink to stick to the shrinkydinks – if you use regular shrinkydinks, the ink will smudge.
Heidi Said,
June 3, 2008 @ 7:27 pm
I, too, found your instructions after seeing the beauties on Etsy. Thanks so much for posting them! I had the frosted plastic in my drawer and stamping fabric paint that is well over 10 years old, but it worked fine. I did have an issue with the piece turning on its side while baking. I’ll have to work on that. I tried resting the wooden spoon handle over the piece, but even though it doesn’t touch, the part under the handle doesn’t heat as fast.
I baked mine on baking parchment. When it’s done, you can use the paper to start wrapping around your dowel or form. Just make sure you complete with the ends wrapped and trapped under the dowel so they end up flattened and level.
This is a great reason to haul out those old tiny stamps! Thanks again.
Rachel Said,
June 10, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
wooowwww….. I’ve had about a zillion sheets of this stuff for YEARS that my grandmother gave to me when this stuff was real popular, and all I ever made was kiddy stuff. I didn’t know you could make something so elegant and simple with it! I’m definitely going to try this out.
Anita Said,
June 14, 2008 @ 9:43 pm
This is wonderful! I love shrinky dink, and you make the rings look really simple. I’m going to do a ring this weekend!
starr Said,
June 15, 2008 @ 10:47 am
My jaw is hanging open from how beautiful these rings are.. they look like frosted glass! You rock June
rachel Said,
June 23, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
it looks easy and fun! i will try it ater today though it is probably harder than it looks!
Make Shrinky Dink Plastic Rings | Crazy4Crafts- Crafts and Art Projects Said,
June 27, 2008 @ 6:50 am
[...] full tutorial for making these nice shrink plastic rings is on the blog Planet June. Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and [...]
Jeannine Said,
June 27, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
I have just found your site via an entrecard user who had your link on her site. I am so happy to have found your site. I totally enjoyed this shrink art ring tut..So well done!
Madison Avenue Said,
June 28, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
I LOVE Shrinky Dinks. My kids and I played with them when they first came out but I recently rediscovered how much fun shrinking is. I made some pin-head covers for bulletin/notice boards. Fun!
the lost_poet Said,
July 3, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
Pretty nifty hack. Very creative. Kudos.
Iris Said,
July 17, 2008 @ 5:51 pm
I finally tried these today and had a blast doing it!
At first I had some trouble with the forming. Perhaps I’m more sensitive to heat than others but by the time I could touch it without hissing with pain, it was too late to form properly (there’s a very short window, as you mentioned). Finally I had an epiphany and dug out my cotton gloves – they’re the kind you use at night to hold in lotion. They’re easy to maneuver with and made shaping much simpler!
Thanks for the tutorial!
Joey Said,
July 21, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
I have heard that #6 recyclable plastic works too.
Shrink plastic rings « Joniphippin Said,
July 23, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
[...] is a great tutorial at planetjune . I find placing the pre-shrunk ring on a strip of tin foil to shrink, then using it to roll up the [...]
sam Said,
July 31, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
WOW – i would love to try this !!!
where can i get this stuff from, i live in the uk and have never heard of this shrinky stuff before???
Thanks
ReadyMade » Blog Archive » Go see a shrink: Getting practical with kitsch Said,
August 1, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
[...] such projects as dog tags and key fobs (thanks, Making it Lovely, for the how-to) as well as the rings pictured above (tutorial à la Planet June). Considering the current chaotic state of airline [...]
Artisan Love | Weekend Projects :: Shrinky Rings and Save Your Old Chair Said,
August 2, 2008 @ 12:14 am
[...] Shrink Plastic Rings at PlanetJune Save Your Old Chair at Ikea Hacker [...]
Cindy S Said,
August 4, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
You’re a peach for sharing this tutorial! They look so elegant and not “kiddie”. There’s no reason you couldn’t make a cuff bracelet. Will a metal ring mandrel work? I also have a metal bracelet mandrel. Thanks again!
June Said,
August 4, 2008 @ 8:28 pm
Cindy S: yes, if you have one, a ring mandrel would be the best tool for the job! I just assumed that most crafters (like me) don’t have such specialized equipment.
The only thing limiting a cuff bracelet is the size of shrink plastic you can buy. A strip cut from a regular 11″ long sheet will shrink to under 4″ in length. But you need to leave room to get the bracelet on and off, so it should be fine!
Marcy Said,
August 5, 2008 @ 6:27 am
This looks fantastic. I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for sharing your technique
Judy Frizell Said,
August 5, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Thank you for the great idea, How about using glue to add a rinestone or big bead to fill in the gap,
Plastic - Homemade Shrinky Dinks (Weekly Unplugged Project) | Unplug Your Kids Said,
August 30, 2008 @ 8:28 pm
[...] gorgeous, funky rings: Shrink Plastic Ring Tutorial from [...]
Madeline Said,
September 9, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
That’s so cool! I bought the Shrink Dink Jewelry book and was going to try and make the rings except I lost my ring roller! I love the rings they are so pretty!
Here are some pics of earring I made!
http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/beadexchange1/?action=view¤t=msoF33A5.jpg
http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/beadexchange1/?action=view¤t=msoE14B2.jpg
http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/beadexchange1/?action=view¤t=mso9C164.jpg
http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/beadexchange1/?action=view¤t=mso1B832.jpg
P.S Is that a OPI bottle? That’s genius!
LollyChops Said,
September 15, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
Wow! This is really cool. I cannot wait to give it a try!
Lolly
caro Said,
September 16, 2008 @ 3:19 pm
where i can finde the plastic ?? and if dont find it can i use other ??
This is cool! | A Touch of Scrap Said,
September 23, 2008 @ 8:09 am
[...] Shrinkydink Ring Tutorial [...]
Cute, Quick, and Easy Shrinkydink Ring tutorial · Jewelry Making @ CraftGossip Said,
October 10, 2008 @ 1:50 am
[...] adorable shrink plastic ring tutorial by Planet June. I really like her simple yet modern black on white rings in the picture, but you [...]
Creative Activities 2 « MOPSNZ Term Four 2008 Said,
October 12, 2008 @ 5:40 pm
[...] Shrink Plastic Ring – tutorial with photos [...]
Caroline Said,
October 13, 2008 @ 2:25 pm
This looks like so much fun.
Talli Said,
October 15, 2008 @ 10:45 am
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kukeit/2943840571/
with a quote from alice in wonderland.
Thank you!!
babychan Said,
October 15, 2008 @ 11:47 pm
very cute
Tina Said,
October 22, 2008 @ 10:46 pm
OMGasher!! OMGashers!! OMGashers!! I totally love this I am definetley making one of these this weekend I love LOVE LOVE this idea!!!!
THANKS! Can’t wait to make a ring
k. Said,
October 23, 2008 @ 10:39 pm
This is great :}
A friend of mine got a shrink plastic kit and we made pendants.
pencils work equally as well on the plastic :}
Shirley Said,
October 24, 2008 @ 9:35 am
That is the coolest thing! I would have never thought of shrinky dink rings!
Ryan G Said,
October 26, 2008 @ 8:34 am
Great idea for effective yet inexpensive presents.
Arzu Musa Said,
October 27, 2008 @ 8:57 am
very nice tutorial. Thank you so much for sharing….
rick Said,
November 8, 2008 @ 1:36 pm
What a great tutorial. Your skills are saving money for the bills.
Weekend Wrap-Up | Words Unspoken Said,
November 9, 2008 @ 1:37 am
[...] Shrink Plastic Rings – GORGEOUS rings! Very creative, and you could customize them to match any outfit! [...]
ashleigh Said,
November 17, 2008 @ 9:17 pm
this is a great idea. I have a friend that has a really old family heirloom ring made out plastic, but part of it is broken. I was curious if you thought that this shrink plastic technique could be used to try to fix it. Thanks for your help!
Shabbar Said,
November 22, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
Excellent. Thanks for sharing.
Regards
Shabbar
lisa Said,
November 27, 2008 @ 8:26 am
nice !! I am adding your tutorial to my blog
claudia Said,
November 28, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
That was a very good tutorial but i have a question.what temperature does the oven have to be at?
June Said,
November 28, 2008 @ 4:55 pm
Claudia, check the instructions on the shrink plastic packaging – it may vary from brand to brand and I wouldn’t want to give you the wrong information! For Shrinkydinks brand, the temperature is 325F.
rosa Said,
November 30, 2008 @ 10:25 pm
Oustanding!!
I doubt i’ll take the time to do this but is good to know i can with your instructions!!
Thanks.
Seth Said,
December 2, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
I’m going to have to send my wife this way – those rings are nice. She loves projects like this and is always looking for something different. Definitely giving 1 thumb up on Stumble!
Shrinky Dinks!!!! « Domestic Geek Said,
December 5, 2008 @ 6:27 pm
[...] For those of you too lazy to go to a Borders or who don’t want to drop the $7 on a Shrinky Dink kit, heres a helpful page for making your own Shrinky Dinks using some plastic containers you probably have lying about the house. Also if you want an interesting idea for a cool Shrinky Dink project check out this guide to make adorable Shrinky Dink rings. [...]
Pathojen Said,
December 17, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
I am just awful at this, but thank you so much for the tutorial. I’m working on a set RIGHT NOW, and they just won’t turn out. Try and try again, I suppose. :]
June Said,
December 17, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Pathojen, it is a bit tricky to get the hang of the bending part because you have such a short time to work with the plastic before it becomes rigid. But do stick with it – keep trying and you’ll get there
Pixie Said,
January 11, 2009 @ 1:39 am
I am an artist, and I have been looking for a way to make my pieces accessible to more people. I’ve never seen this before. I am very excited to make pieces like these with my own original designs. I had to order the plastic online as my local craft stores didn’t carry it.
I can’t wait to try this out and put some finished pieces in my store. It’s a great way for me to get my original designs out in way that people can carry with them.
THANK YOU!
Nikki Said,
January 25, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
Does the ink wear off over time? If you wash your hands with the ring on will the ink wear away? I love your tutorial thanks for sharing.
joycrusher.org » Blog Archive » Friday Link Round Up#2 Said,
January 31, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
[...] Shrink Plastic Ring Tutorial When I was really small I used to put Hula Hoops on my fingers, draw on them and pretend they were really awesome rings. I always used to get upset when they crumbled off These Shrink Plastic Rings are not only prettier but will last longer. I doubt they’ll taste as good though. [...]
cybilbird Said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:42 pm
Thanks for the tutorial. I just hosted craft night with 2 of my friends and we thoroughly enjoyed. Determining the right length was a challenge. We started with the math and conversion chart, they were generally too long and we worked back incrementally from there. We used Shrinky Dink brand plastic. Don’t take “well vented area” lightly- we should have turned the fan on earlier. But I can quote my friend in saying “You know you’ve had a great craft night when your throat burns.”
Chahat Said,
March 2, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
Is it safe to shrink the rings in the same oven you use for food? Are the fumes toxic?
Leah Said,
March 4, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
Do you have any ideas for marking black shrink plastic sheets? I would like to make some black rings, but I don’t know if there is any way to make a design on them. Please let me know if you have any ideas.
June Said,
March 4, 2009 @ 3:58 pm
Ooh, more questions to answer! I’m so happy you guys are still finding this tutorial useful! Here goes:
Nikki: The ink should be permanent after the piece has been shrunk. Having said that, I do try to take my rings off to wash my hands, just in case. At the end of the day, it’s a plastic ring, not a family heirloom – it probably won’t last forever, but it’s easy enough to make a replacement!
Chahat: Yes, it’s safe to use the same oven you use for food. Maybe don’t use it for food immediately after taking out the plastic – give it a few minutes first if you’re worried. Open a window or turn on the hood fan while you shrink the plastic to keep your kitchen ventilated. Shrinkydinks are sold as children’s toys, so they shouldn’t be toxic.
Leah: For black shrinkydinks you can use white or metallic coloured marker pens or stamp pads. Just remember not to use water-based inks, which will smudge. Permanent/alcohol-based inks should work well on the black shrinkies.
sue kremer Said,
March 13, 2009 @ 9:51 pm
Wow, this is great info!! OH, the places we can go!! (Dr. Seuss,LOL) Thanks for all the great tips & ideas
Sue
Petra Said,
March 22, 2009 @ 6:09 am
Thanks for the tutorial!
Aksaraini Said,
March 29, 2009 @ 11:40 am
Thank you very much much much muccchhhh
guy m s said Said,
March 30, 2009 @ 11:06 am
this is exciting-i’ll go looking
EJ Hall Said,
April 2, 2009 @ 8:04 pm
Love this idea. My niece are going to make matching jewelry for all the ladies in our family. I found that old fashioned transparency paper, not the kind for printers or copiers, works just great for shrinky dink paper. You just have to rough one side up with sandpaper to hold the color. I found a box laying around the office and tried it on a whim. It worked.
Jessica Said,
April 5, 2009 @ 1:28 am
I just love your tutorial, except I use a recyclable #6 plastic, most commonly found in plastic food containers. The plastic does need to have a sanded side for stamping or drawing with non permanent markers.
Christine Said,
April 6, 2009 @ 10:30 am
Fantastic! Can’t wait to try this. They look so classy. Just wondering… I’ve never tried shrinky dinks before, and I read a few comments from people saying they’d made shrinky dink keychain charms and pendants and they didn’t last very long before breaking. Just wondering if you’ve had the same problem with these rings?
christina Said,
May 8, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
thank you so much for this tutorial…I wanted to make some rings, but was at a loss at how to do so…this solved the problem! thanks again
Etsy, Playdough & Shrinkydinks! | Tickly Moo Said,
May 13, 2009 @ 7:08 am
[...] to attach the little discs to. I have found some great tutorials for pins from Tutti Frutti, for rings from Planet June and I yet to try anything as complicated as Jessica Poundstone’s YouTube [...]
toni Said,
May 13, 2009 @ 5:14 pm
Thank you! You are incredible! I’ve been looking for a pictured step-by-step and you’ve done an amazing and clear job. Thank you sincerely and all the BEST to you!
ERIKA Said,
May 24, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
Great tutorial, thank you so much!
guy m s said Said,
June 17, 2009 @ 10:41 am
whaat a smart idea-good luck
Mambo Said,
June 24, 2009 @ 7:05 pm
Thanks for the tutorial, i have had a go, had a few problems though!!
i have been trying to make necklaces out of these, but the ink from the sharpies came off on my skin and using glaze made the pen bleed into my design. what arethe best inks to use that wont do this?
June Said,
June 25, 2009 @ 8:48 am
Mambo:
1. You must use a permanent (alcohol-based) ink. Make sure you’re using a permanent marker, not a water-based marker!
2. You have to draw on the frosted (rough) side of the Shrinkydinks so that the ink will set.
3. If you’ve done both of the above, the ink should be permanent after shrinking, so it won’t rub off on your skin and you can safely glaze it if you want without the ink bleeding.
Hope this helps!
Kelsey Said,
June 26, 2009 @ 11:12 am
I’ve had a blast making pendants and charms with my Shrinky Dinks, but the shiny side of my designs always comes out blotchy. The center of the design (the part that stays on the baking sheet when the rest curls) is smooth, but the edges are scratchy. It really ruins the look. Any ideas?
Photojojo » Make Photo Necklaces, Earrings, Magnets and More Using Shrinkable Plastic Said,
June 29, 2009 @ 4:51 am
[...] long thin pieces into custom-fit rings as soon as they come out of the [...]
athena Said,
June 30, 2009 @ 4:08 am
awesome.
question: what did you use for glazing?
thanks!
Living Locurto – Creative Ideas & FREE Downloads » Blog Archive » Shrinky Dink Jewelry Said,
July 1, 2009 @ 12:12 am
[...] Planet June made these awesome rings. [...]
June Said,
July 2, 2009 @ 9:05 am
Kelsey: I’ve never heard of this happening, but I’d suggest you try putting your shrinkydinks decorated side DOWN (shiny side up) instead and see if that helps.
athena: I didn’t glaze my rings and I haven’t had any problems with them. I’m thinking that if you do want to glaze yours, the easiest way may be to form the ring with the decorated side facing out – that way you could put the ring over a dowel or similar and use a spray glaze/sealer on the outside. Let us know what happens if you try it!
photo jewelry Said,
July 6, 2009 @ 11:03 am
This is a cool tutorial. Your rings are cute! I do photo jewelry on my site also so I am always interested in blogs posts like yours.
Meredith Said,
July 7, 2009 @ 7:36 pm
Beautiful rings. I was just looking at my pack of shrinky dink paper and wondering what to do with it…
I initially had trouble with the edges rolling in and then fusing together. I think it was because I was using a large oven (no toaster oven) and it was perhaps a little too hot. I ended up reaching in with chopsticks and pulling apart any stuck curls.
I tried again with the oven set a smidge cooler with much better results. Only one ring became stuck. Yay!
Love them! Here’s a link to a pic of my first one http://www.flickr.com/photos/54416353@N00/3699666228/
Monica Marie Said,
July 16, 2009 @ 12:46 am
thanks June. I’ve featured your rings on my blog and linked it back to you!
http://www.thecraftjunkieblog.com/2009/07/how-to-make-shrinky-dink-rings.html
Events Said,
July 19, 2009 @ 5:36 am
Great little rings!
Fiona Said,
July 27, 2009 @ 11:55 am
What lovely rings! I love the idea of using them as wine glass charms as well.
Fiona
Karen Said,
July 27, 2009 @ 3:52 pm
This is a great tutorial! I have a question: I have problems with making marks on the plastic as it cools with my fingers. What is the best way to avoid this? Thanks!
Christine Said,
August 3, 2009 @ 6:01 pm
Wow, this shrink wrap ring is a really neat craft. I never thought you could make things out of something like that. The wine glass charm is a really clever idea too!
June Said,
August 6, 2009 @ 9:33 am
Karen: do you mean you’re leaving fingerprints on the plastic while it’s hot?! I’ve never experienced this! I’d suggest you try letting it cool for a couple of extra seconds before trying to bend it, or wear thin gloves to protect the piece from your fingers.
Poze Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 9:31 pm
Very nice tutorial, the ring looks great. Thank you.
Elbie Said,
September 22, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
You made this look so easy!! Nice tutorial.
Is there any way to join two sheets together? I want to make a 4″ circular(ish) shape but the sheets are too small. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
June Said,
September 23, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
Elbie: I know you can fuse shrinkydinks together by overlapping it and baking it at higher than normal temperatures (then you’d have to let it cool and then reheat at the normal temperature to bend it – you’d run the risk of being seriously burnt otherwise), but it would leave a big bump at the join and probably wouldn’t look very good.
Your best best would probably be to make the piece in 2 separate sections and make the join a part of the design, e.g. for a bracelet you could punch a couple of small holes at the end of each piece, then connect them with jump rings or lacing after baking. Without knowing what you plan to make, I don’t know if that would work in your case! But that’s my best suggestion – hope it helps
And now I really want to try making some curved shrinky bracelets…
Mary Said,
September 28, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
Thanks so much! We’ve been working with shrinky dink plastic in my Jewelry class but so far we’ve been limited to tassels and jewelry pieces, I wanted to learn how to make rings and the like. Once again, Thank you!
Laura Said,
October 6, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
I stumbled upon your tutorial with google, and I can’t wait to try it, I do have a question though.
Bangles?
I think a strip cut diagionally form an 8×10 sheet would be long enough (between 12 and 13 inches pre-shrunk) since you would need a siginifacantly larger gap then with a ring. Is my brain functioning correctly, or does that make no sense? Also I was wondering, if I were to try a bangle, would tradition shrink plastic be thick enough or should I opt for the new “SHRINKY DINKS ULTRA THICK MISTY WHITE” (pardon the caps, it was a copy/paste)?
In the end I want to more or less replicate this
http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/acce/ka/92ka-13170/92ka-13170.html
and I knew polymer clay wouldn’t haev the right look.
michelle Said,
October 15, 2009 @ 10:43 pm
does anyone know what type of ink is in that picture?????
I used to have an ink pad just like that and LOVED it but I cannot remember where I got it or what brand it was.
ANY HELP would be great!!!
OneDay Said,
November 21, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
Excellent tutorial. These look amazing and very fashionable.
Embarking On New Adventures In Life…Like Shrinky Plastic - Stickers and Donuts Said,
January 4, 2010 @ 12:39 am
[...] this tutorial as a guide, I first made a ring. IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE ABOUT THIS TUTORIAL: Different brands of [...]
D2 Said,
January 15, 2010 @ 7:58 pm
This rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
katkaif Said,
January 18, 2010 @ 12:34 am
Wow! Thats so cool. Thanks for sharing this nice and interesting product.
laura Said,
January 23, 2010 @ 7:15 pm
that is very cool
Caitlin Said,
January 26, 2010 @ 8:55 am
Hey thanks I am 12 and me and my friend are going to sell a whole bunch of crafts we made, mostly jewelry, like friendship bracelets so I made many rings, well like 7 last night until 10 ‘o’ clock and I was having so much fun. The first 2 I made I broke because I forgot to read the tip that said I could reheat them. Oops! Well now I know. THANK YOU!