Fancy Twisties
With a pipe cleaner and some decorative materials, you can creatively embellish your flip-flops, hair accessories, bracelets, bags, hats, or even your pencils!

Safety Tips

  • Small craft materials such as beads or wiggle eyes are choking hazards. Not appropriate for use by children below the age of three.
Fancy Twisties craft

Materials

  • Pipe cleaner or craft wire
  • Buttons
  • Craft foam
  • White glue or glue gun
  • Scissors
  • Decorative materials: wiggle eyes, beads, clay, rhinestones, etc.

Steps

Step 1 Fancy Twisties 1. Cut a piece of pipe cleaner or craft wire to a length of at least 3 inches.
Step 2a Fancy Twisties 2. Create a base either from:

a.) Buttons
Step 2b Fancy Twisties b.) Craft foam - cut out into small shapes and punch out a pair of holes at the center.
Step 3 Fancy Twisties 3. Bend the pipe cleaner in the middle and insert the ends through the holes on the button or craft foam shape.
Step 4 Fancy Twisties 4. Think of a neat design that would look nice on your flip-flops, bracelet, or on whatever wearable article you intend to accessorize. Draw the basic shape for your design on construction paper or card stock. Cut it out and trace around the shape on craft foam or felt.
Step 5 Fancy Twisties 5. Cut out the shape.
Step 6 Fancy Twisties 6. Decorate the shape by drawing on it or coloring on it with crayons, markers, puffy paint, or glitter glue. You may also glue on a variety of materials such as wiggle eyes, beads, sequins, etc.
Step 7 Fancy Twisties 7. When you're happy with your design, use white glue to attach the decorated shape on top of the button or craft foam base. For a quicker drying time, use glue gun (ask for an adult's help) instead of white glue.

Proceed to Step 10 to see the many creative ways to wear and use your finished fancy twisties.
Step 8a Fancy Twisties 8. You may actually decorate directly on the button or craft foam base if your planned design will eventually conceal the tiny portion of pipe cleaner poking out from the center of the button/craft foam base. After Step 3, you may decorate on the button/craft foam base using a variety of materials. Here are some examples:

a.) Glue on small colored aquarium rocks onto a medium-sized or large button.
Step 8b Fancy Twisties b.) Glue on rhinestones, plastic gems and beads to make very fashionable accessories.
Step 8c Fancy Twisties c.) Pompoms are a great way to incorporate cute bugs and animals into your design. Provide details with wiggle eyes and paper (legs). Use puffy paint to draw dots or stripes.
Step 8d Fancy Twisties d.) Fill the button with self-hardening clay and embed decorative objects onto the clay. More details and creative ideas can be found in our Easy Button Rings craft.
Step 9 Fancy Twisties 9. Colorful buttons can be the main design instead of just merely being the base. Insert the ends of the pipe cleaner through 1 or 2 buttons. Cut out shapes from craft foam, felt, or fabric and punch a pair of holes at the center of the shape. Insert the ends of the pipe cleaner through these holes to position the shape right beneath the button.
Step 10a Fancy Twisties 10. We have come up with some fun and exciting ways to wear and use your finished work:

a.) Flip-flops

Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner around the straps of your flip-flops or sandals. Creating a number of these fancy twisties can be a nice and economical way to embellish and match your flip-flops with your summer outfit. Make some cute and wacky cartoon character designs or go for a pretty and fashionable look.
Step 10b1 Fancy Twisties b.) Bracelets

Twist the pipe cleaner ends around the middle of a length of ribbon or lace. Tie the ends of the ribbon together as you wear the bracelet.
Step 10b2 Fancy Twisties Embellish a plain bracelet or bangle with your sassy creation. Teen-agers and grown-ups can use craft wire instead of the more conspicuous colored pipe cleaner.
Step 10b3 Fancy Twisties Do not cut the pipe cleaner in Step 1 so that the ends are long enough to make a bracelet. You may even string some beads along the length of the pipe cleaner.
Step 10c Fancy Twisties c.) Rings

Shorten the pipe cleaner ends and twist the ends together to make rings. More ideas can be found at our Easy Button Rings craft.
Step 10d Fancy Twisties d.) Hair Accessories

Fasten the pipe cleaner ends around headbands, barettes, hair clips, and hair elastics.
Step 10e Fancy Twisties e.) Pencil Toppers

Wound the pipe cleaner ends around a pencil to create cute pencil toppers.
Step 10f Fancy Twisties f.) Bags, hats, and more!

Use them to accessorize your purse, bag, hat, belt, or shoelaces. You can even attach them to baskets, napkin holders, or key chains.

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