How to Make a Paper Clip Tape Necklace

This project to make a paper clip tape necklace or bracelet was inspired by a conversation I had with my agent, Erica, when we were chatting about making things with office supplies. It’s been a few years since I worked in an office, but oh, how I loved restocking my desk with post-its, paper clips, and fresh pencils. Are you with me?

Why Paper Clip Jewelry is Awesome

What I love about this craft is that it’s low cost, you can make it with supplies you probably already have on hand, and it’s open-ended (variations provided at the end of this post).

Who is this for?

While I didn’t grab photos of it, my kids, ages 4 and 6 have done this multiple times. It’s great for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It would be a successful summer camp craft and it’s perfect for a lazy afternoon…for kids or adults.

Supplies for Paper Clip and Tape Necklace

Paper Clips
Washi Tape
Scissors

So easy, right?

I like to use washi tape because it’s so stinkin’ beautiful and easy to find in a variety of compelling colors and patterns. I collect our tape from local craft stores and online at places like Amazon (affiliate).

Creative Invitation

As you can see from the photos, I set this up as an Invitation to Create. For more about invitations to create, you will love these three posts that are part of the Creative Table Project, a fun TinkerLab project that’s been going strong since 2012!

An Invitation to Create with Tape and Paper

An Invitation to Create with Glue and Sand

An Invitation to Create with Stickers and Paper Frame

How to Make Paper Clip and Tape Necklace

There are a couple ways to do this:

Connect a long string of paper clips together and then wrap each paper clip with tape.
Or, wrap a paper clip with tape and then connect it with another paper clip. Repeat the process of wrapping and connecting until you reach the desired length.

Watch my newest video to see how it’s done…