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Cost
$ $ $ $ $
Difficulty
• • • • •
Time
40 mins

Macaroni...it's not just with cheese!
No, I'm not regressing...but this is a really cool update on an old school medium...macaroni!
We're going to color them using some common household supplies. You can use the finished beads for jewelry or make a funky collage out of them. The one thing you must keep in mind is that these will not be edible once they have been immersed in the rubbing alcohol. Real alcohol maybe, but not this time. Seriously, for those who might want to do this project with kids, do not let them put these things in their mouths. Yucko.

Posted by Impybat from North Andover, Massachusetts, United States • Published See Impybat's 32 projects »
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  • How to make a recycled necklace. Macaroni Necklace - Step 1
    Step 1

    Add a handful or so of macaroni into the cups. If you want to make more beads, add more. Pour a small amount of the rubbing alcohol into some of the cups. You do not need a lot. I didn't measure, but be sure to put enough in to cover the macaroni.

  • Step 2

    Choose your colors. Here is where a little color theory comes in. Remember your primary colors? They are red, yellow and blue. Actually, they are magenta, yellow and cyan. But no matter. This is macaroni beads we're talkin about. Add more or fewer drops depending on how intense you would like the colors to be. Mix the colors together for more shades. Get crazy if you want to.
    Here is a mini-color guide to refer to (it came from the back of the food coloring package...thanks, Durkee!

    Orange: 2 drops red, 3 drops yellow
    Turquoise: 1 drop green, 4 drops blue
    Lime Green: 3 drops yellow, 1 drop green
    Salmon: 3 drops red, 2 drops yellow
    Violet: 2 drops red, 2 drops blue
    Pistachio: 1 drop yellow, 4 drops green

  • How to make a recycled necklace. Macaroni Necklace - Step 3
    Step 3

    Swirl the cups around the get the drops good and mixed and the macaroni saturated. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes. This would be a good time to get your supplies ready for whatever you're planning on creating with the macaroni. Check the cups every so often and mix the macaroni to make sure they are getting evenly colored.

  • How to make a recycled necklace. Macaroni Necklace - Step 4
    Step 4

    Drain the macaroni into a colander or strainer and arrange them in a single layer on paper towels to dry. This could take several hours to dry thoroughly, but mine seemed OK to work with within an hour or so. Perhaps I was a little impatient, but they were fine.

  • How to make a recycled necklace. Macaroni Necklace - Step 5
    Step 5

    All the pretty colors: Clockwise-red, orange, yellow, lime green,
    kelly green, green-yellow, blue, violet. Note: the colors are much better in real life
    than on the computer screen.

  • How to make a recycled necklace. Macaroni Necklace - Step 6
    Step 6

    There you have it! You colored your macaroni and you get a gold star :)

    Here is my finished project using my colored macaroni~ Macaroni Twist Bracelet.

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Comments

Impybat
Impybat · North Andover, Massachusetts, US · 34 projects
Ya know something...I apologize. I never gave the instructions for making the actual piece of jewelry, only the macaroni beads. The title of this project is misleading. And the last photo shows a bracelet, not a necklace! Sorry, crafters!
Reply
Jessi H.
Jessi H. · Vancouver, British Columbia, CA · 1 project
i don't get how you make it ? :/
Reply
Ophelia
Ophelia · Varese, Lombardia, IT · 9 projects
Dove c'è Barilla c'è casa!

I'm in love with that bracelet!
Reply
deni m.
deni m. · Varna, Varna, BG · 18 projects
Great Idea! Love it! Happy Im going to the kitchen for some macarony Happy
Reply
Skylar
Skylar · Tucson, Arizona, US · 4 projects
wow, now I have someting to do with my old macaroni
Reply
Hellogoodbye!
Hellogoodbye! · 2 projects
most awesome!
Reply
cole c.
cole c. · 1 project
oh yeah, this is right up my alley! the colors are so vibrant! watch out pasta cubboard, im a serial colorist..wu hahaha! i cant wait to make stuff to match all my outfits!! woohoo!
Reply
Impybat
Impybat · North Andover, Massachusetts, US · 34 projects
Lady Lolita,

So far it hasn't!
Reply
Lady Lolita
Lady Lolita · Taft, California, US
That's great! Does the color rub off the macaroni after it's all said and done?
Reply
Impybat
Impybat · North Andover, Massachusetts, US · 34 projects
Thanks everybody! I had so many tuts on my blog, I needed to share. I'm working on some new ones too.
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