![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.sibo.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/beaded-curtain-2-small--498x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYou are all probably busting to know just how she used those coke bottles in this bead curtain, right? It\u2019s not that hard \u2013 but if you are a small person, please get an adult to help you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You need the following stuff: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- plastic bottles (cooldrink, water, etc – try to get different coloured ones)<\/li>
- fishing line,<\/li>
- beads and other cool stuff to thread or tie on, <\/li>
- 2 pieces of 80gm paper,<\/li>
- iron, <\/li>
- sharp knife, <\/li>
- scissors, <\/li>
- glue, <\/li>
- sharp point (a nail works well).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
First things first, wash your plastic bottles very well \u2013 you don\u2019t want sticky or oily goo all over everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using a sharp knife, make a slit in the middle of the bottle. Then using scissors cut the plastic into strips. It\u2019s easier to work with strips than huge pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Believe it or not \u2013 that plastic is sharp, so work carefully. And be careful not to leave little bits of plastic lying around either for other people to tromp on and cut themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you have the plastic cut into the shapes you want – squares, triangles, circles, oblongs – whatever! But don\u2019t make them too small \u2013 Ginny used round shapes, a bit smaller than the bottom of a glass. (Don\u2019t bother to make them perfectly round either – when you get to the next step you\u2019ll see why.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next step\u2026 again get an adult to help you and for goodness sake \u2013 ask your mom first if you can actually use her iron. Ginny has an old one that she uses for fabric painting. (Plus she\u2019s actually the mom \u2013 so if she ruins her own iron \u2013 toughies hey!<\/em>) Although we should point out that it doesn’t ruin the iron \u2013 as long as you don\u2019t iron directly on the plastic that is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heat up the iron. Not on steam setting though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Put one piece of paper on a flat surface.
Lay your plastic bits on top of it \u2013 only one or two at a time.
Put the other piece of paper on top of the plastic bits.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIron them flat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, you\u2019ll have to experiment a bit and see which way works best for you. Ginny found if she put them with the curved side on top, they shrivelled into very funny shapes. If she turned them over \u2013 they stayed flatter with just the sides curling in. Either way \u2013 she found a use for most of the plastic bits she ironed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Very important \u2013 like we already said, do not iron the plastic without a sheet of paper on either side<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve got a whole pile of ironed odd-shaped plastic bits \u2013 you can start making your curtain strings. Be sure to have a long enough piece of fishing line. Put something nice and heavy at the bottom \u2013 like a big glass or metal bead or tie on something else interesting – bells or bottle tops also work nicely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make holes in the plastic bits using the nail and thread them onto the fishing line. You can also glue beads onto the plastic \u2013 or make lots of holes in larger plastic pieces and thread the beads through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.sibo.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Emmas-key-027-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGo wild, use mirror bits, feathers, old nuts and bolds, pretty beads, old beads, piece of fabric, you can even thread bottle tops, cork and straws. Just make sure you tie or stick them properly, otherwise, they\u2019ll fall off at some stage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, you don\u2019t have to make a curtain either \u2013 you can just make a pretty mobile or dangly thing for your room, or for a friend. Or even Christmas decorations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.sibo.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Xmas-tree-949x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMain\nthing to do is have fun in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n