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recycle PET bottles into christmas ornaments
Materials needed:
-plastic bottle
-candle
-scissors
-knife
-nail or needle
-wire or thread (I used invisible thread)

(I made 36 icicles out of 2 bottles, and I'm not counting those first few that I threw away because they were warped or burned)

This is so easy, I can't believe there is no instruction on it yet :)
I had this idea last year, when I saw those expensive glass icicles in stores, and wondered if they make plastic ones too (so they'd be catproof =^.^=).
End of the story is, I looked on ebay, found they were either ugly (opaque white plastic with gold glitter, anyone? or maybe yellow glow-in-the-dark???) or expensive (15€ for some cheap cast plastic?!), and decided to make my own :P
You can hang them on a tree, or make a garland out of them. They could look great on a wire chandelier as well, AND they make great hairsticks! I even made some tiny ones as earrings.

Posted by n k. from Germany, Pennsylvania, United States • Published See n k.'s 18 projects »
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  • How to make a Christmas decoration. Icicle Ornaments From Plastic Bottles - Step 1
    Step 1

    1. remove the top and the bottom of the bottle (with the knife) and get rid of the label.
    2. cut the bottle in thin strips (about 1-1.5cm at the wider end) that taper at one end (the shape of most bottles will do that automatically! You'll only have to trim the end so it's really pointy). Don't worry about any patterns and bumps in the plastic, they'll be barely noticable at the end.

  • How to make a Christmas decoration. Icicle Ornaments From Plastic Bottles - Step 2
    Step 2

    3. starting from the tapered end (leave a piece unheated so you can hold it), heat (HEAT not melt or burn) the strips over a candle while moving and twisting them.
    You have to pull a bit on both sides so they don't get warped and crooked.
    4. when you reach the end, keep pulling it straight until it cools.

  • How to make a Christmas decoration. Icicle Ornaments From Plastic Bottles - Step 3
    Step 3

    5. OPTIONAL: now you can either cut the thin non-twisted spike at the thin end, or leave it there. (Click picture to see both versions)
    you can also cut the top (the wider end) of the icicle to a rounded shape.
    6. heat a needle or nail over the candle and poke a hole through the top of the icicle.
    7. put a piece of thread or wire through the hole, make a knot, and hang it somewhere :)

  • How to make a Christmas decoration. Icicle Ornaments From Plastic Bottles - Step 4
    Step 4

    PRACTICE! the first ones I made were so ugly I had to throw them away ^^
    You'll soon find out at which temperature the plastic gets soft but doesn't melt and drip yet.
    The candle should not smoke or flicker excessively, and there should be no "burned plastic" smell either. If the candle produces smoke or soot you should trim the wick.
    If you make larger icicles (like, from 2 liter bottles), i suggest that you stop at the middle and let it cool first. Then you can hold it better to start again, so you can twist them in a more controlled way. But this takes practice too, as you have to reheat the plastic evenly.
    It helps a lot if you've worked with glass before.

    if you make a lot of them and want to keep the threads from getting tangled while you store them during the rest of the year, you can hold them together with a rubber band.

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Comments

Linda C.
Linda C. · Cleethorpes, England, GB
Love
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Brigit
Brigit · Baltimore, Maryland, US · 2 projects
Very Nice!Shock
Reply
Marysia T.
Marysia T. · 's-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant, NL · 7 projects
I must try this! Thanks for sharing!
Reply
joanne.sherratt.7
joanne.sherratt.7 · Newquay, England, GB
Amazing! I must try this as I also have a catTongue Tongue
Reply
Steph.
Steph. · Reading, England, GB · 212 projects
Awesome! They look just like some that my teacher bought off eBay for £10 for a pack of 7!! O_O
Reply
jacqueline.caldwell.921
jacqueline.caldwell.921 · Cripple Creek, Colorado, US
I am going to try this.. they are so 'cool' looking! Thanks so much for the free instructions & ideas!! EVERYTHING costs today, I appreciate it!
Reply
Dawn R.
Dawn R. · Franklin, Pennsylvania, US
These look incredible! I will definitely try this for the Christmas tree. Thanks!
Reply
Linda Hopkins
Linda Hopkins
Want to make some for the tree.
Reply
Summer
Summer · Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, DE
Looks fun to make Happy Might try this one!
Reply
noche-estrellada
noche-estrellada · 4 projects
Awesome. Gonna make a few for my room this year Happy
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