Total Time 30 minutes or less Ages school-age
Make your own Mardi Gras beads this year using drinking straws and duct tape! These easy to make beads are perfect for bracelets and necklaces and can be made big or small, whatever you like. This is a great Mardi Gras make and take project as well!
by Amanda Formaro
What you'll need
- Duct tape: green, purple and yellow (or gold)
- Drinking straws
- Scissors
- Yarn or string
- Cutting mat (optional)
- Craft knife (optional)
Helpful Tip:
A self healing cutting mat is a must for anyone who plans to make duct tape projects on a regular basis. While it's not required, it makes working with the tape a lot easier!
Notes:
Here's a fun fact: The colors of Mardi Gras have meaning and were chosen way back in 1892! Purple represents justice, green represents faith and gold represents power.
How to make it
1. Measure out one strip of each color duct tape on your cutting mat.
2. Cut the strips in half lengthwise so that you have two long strips for each color. Now cut the strips of tape to match the length of your drinking straws.
3. Place a straw on the edge of the tape and roll it up, covering the straw completely.
4. Use scissors to trim the ends off of each straw, then cut them into whatever lengths you want your beads to be.
5. Cut a long length of yarn, long enough to make several necklaces to fit your child. Use a piece of tape to hold one end of the yarn down on the cutting mat so that the beads do not fall off the other end when you string them on.
6. Wrap the opposite end of the yarn with a piece of tape to make it easier to string the beads on.
7. Thread beads onto the yarn string, making the necklace as long or as short as you like. When finished, cut and tie off. You can use all one color on each necklace like traditional Mardi Gras beads, or use multiple colors, whatever your preference!
