Liz makes a recycled pop top belt

Hey there! Today, my mom helped me make this cool pop top belt. All you need is a baggy of pop tops and a roll of 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. It's a little complicated to explain/learn, but it gets really easy once you get started. I think it looks really cool, kind of futuristic or something. Here's how you can make it too:

You'll need to collect quite a few pop tops. Have some friends collect them with you so you'll save more quicker. You'll want them to be the same size, color and shape (eg: round, square, green, silver).

You'll also want them to look like the ones on the right. The ones on the left still have some aluminum on them from the soda/beer can. You could cut them off if you wanted to. In order for that not to happen, make sure when you're taking them off the soda/beer can, to fold them back and forth plenty of times until it falls off. 

Grab your ribbon. Since a spool of ribbon is 6 yards, and you'll need two strands that are 3 yards long, go ahead and take all of the ribbon off the spool, find the middle and cut. Tie a knot about 5-6 inches in.

Thread a pop top through both of the ribbons.

Thread another pop top on the ribbons. Make sure to overlap the pop tops, so the ribbons go through the top of the first pop top and the bottom of the second pop top. I liked my pop tops to be one upside down, one regular side up, one upside down, etc. It makes a scalloped edge on both sides that way. 

Through the back, thread the ribbon through the top of the second pop top. 

Keep going and going and going... If you wanted to make a bracelet like the one my mom made here, then stop when it's long enough to go around your wrist. Follow her directions in order to make a bracelet.

But if you want to make a belt, go ahead and use a ton of pop tops. I probably used more than 100. Of course, this will depend on how small/big your hips are. When you're done, tie a knot on the end you just finished and cut off the excess.

Weave the belt in your belt loops and tie a bow.

And wear it proudly! PS, sorry for showing some skin!

Pretty cool if you ask me. Cheap and easy. My mom did about half of it and I did the other half while watching a movie. It took a little while, but it was really easy. I'd love to make a purse out of these things. Once, my mom made a messenger bag out of them! I took it to school and used it as a bag for my books. I was such a cool kid.

Anyway, have a great weekend. Tyler and I are taking a two week vacation in Kentucky to see his mom starting on Monday. We're staying in a hotel in St. Louis, MO on my birthday! Can you tell I'm excited? 

Would any of you like to see road trip pictures? Please let me know and I'll be sure to post some.

-L