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You can turn cleaned soda-can tabs and a length of cord into a woven belt, then use the same overlapping technique to make a bracelet. Make:’s project uses 110 tabs and a 100-inch shoelace or nylon cord for an example 25-to-30-inch waist, with a planning guide of 13 tabs for every 4 inches of finished belt.
Materials and quantities
| Item | Amount or specification | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Soda-can tabs | 110 for the published belt example | Cut or sand off rough edges before assembly |
| Shoelace or nylon cord | 100 inches | Forms the closure loop and connects the tabs |
| Scissors | 1 pair | Cut the cord |
| Measuring tape | 1 | Check waist or wrist length |
The project appeared in Make: on April 26, 2011, as an excerpt from Tiffany Threadgould’s ReMake It!: Recycling Projects from the Stuff You Usually Scrap, identified there as a Sterling Publishing book.
Choose the finished size
Measure the waist or wrist where the piece will sit. Make: says the belt design can be scaled and gives a planning rule of 13 tabs per 4 inches of belt. For a rough tab estimate, multiply the target length in inches by 13, divide by 4, and round up. Because the tabs overlap and the finished belt should extend a few inches beyond the waist for fastening, treat that calculation as a starting estimate rather than an exact count.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The published belt example uses 110 tabs for a stated 25-to-30-inch waist range. A bracelet uses the same construction at a shorter length, so measure the wrist and stop when the linked tabs fit around it with enough extra length to pass through the closure loop.
#1 Best Overall
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Prepare the tabs and cord safely
Inspect every tab and cut or sand away sharp, rough edges. The source specifically instructs makers to work with adult supervision while bending, cutting, or sanding the tabs. It does not provide a more extensive safety protocol, so handle the prepared tabs carefully and discard any piece that remains dangerously sharp.
How to make the tab belt
- Make the closure loop. Find the center of the 100-inch cord. Tie a loop about 1 inch long there and secure it with a double knot. This loop is the belt’s buttonhole-style closure.
- Start the first tab. Hold a tab with its back facing you. Pass both cord ends through its openings from back to front, following the threading direction in the Make: project.
- Add the next tabs. Place the next tab so it overlaps the first, creating the beginning of a two-layer, staggered arrangement. Thread the cord through the openings as directed, keeping the tabs aligned so the rows resemble brickwork.
- Build the belt. Continue adding tabs in the same overlapping pattern. Keep the layers even and pull the cord snugly enough to hold the tabs together without distorting them.
- Check the length. Compare the growing belt with the waist measurement. Continue until the tab section is a few inches longer than the waist, allowing room for the closure.
- Finish the cord. Tie the two cord ends together in a tight double knot. Trim the excess cord with scissors.
- Put it on. Wrap the belt around the waist and pass the knotted end through the 1-inch starting loop.
Make a matching bracelet
Use the identical loop, threading, overlap, and knotting method for a bracelet. Measure the wrist first, then add tabs until the linked section wraps around the wrist and leaves enough length for the knotted end to pass through the starting loop. The source does not specify a separate tab count for a bracelet; its quantity depends on wrist size and the amount of overlap.
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Adjustment and troubleshooting
The piece is too short
Untie the finishing knot if possible and add more tabs in the same staggered pattern. Recheck the fit before retightening the knot.
The tabs shift or gape
Keep each new tab overlapping the previous layer in the same direction and pull both cord strands evenly after every addition.
Rank #3
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The edges still feel sharp
Stop assembly and rework or replace the offending tab. The tabs should be smooth enough to handle before they become part of the belt or bracelet.
The closure will not pass through
Make sure the starting loop remains about 1 inch wide and that the finishing knot is compact enough to pass through it without forcing the tabs.
Quick Recap
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- Round Nose Pliers for Jewelry Making: The round jewelry pliers are a specialized plier characterized by their rounded, tapering jaws and most commonly used for forming loops in wire, this is especially handy when doing any wire wrapping and also for creating your own eye pins and jump rings
- Jewelry Wire Cutters: Flush-cut pliers for soft/medium jewelry wire up to 1.0 mm and flexible beading wire; flat blades cut right to the edge—even in tight spots—to minimize finishing; for ≤1.0 mm jewelry wire only (not for thicker/hardened wire); after each use, wipe clean, store dry, and lightly oil the jaws/joint to prevent rust and dulling
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