Beware- if you read this you will start compulsively checking plastic containers to see if they can be made into shrinky dinks! This is what happened to me when I first read about homemade shrinky-dinks. The poster said to use number 6 plastic, and it turn out that’s a little bit hard to come by!
The other day I found a cracker container with a number 6 on it. My first #6 find! I wondered- could I make shrinky dinks with rippled plastic??
I started experimenting- sometimes it’s worth it to spend a little time experimenting before getting the kids involved. I rifled through my recycle bin and grabbed a few other containers just in case they would work. Soon I had determined:
- Number 1 plastic shrinks a little, but not much and also sometimes just turns white and curls.
- I read that foam is #6 plastic so I gave this a try with craft foam- sure enough, it shrinks like mad too. It does not, however get stiff. I did not try meat trays, though they are number 6 as well.
- The #6 plastic with the ridges has a pretty neat effect when shrunk. I like that it adds a texture to the little beads.
Here’s how we made homemade shrinky dinks:
We cut out squares and heart shapes from the plastic container to decorate. Each piece we hole punched, and then colored with permanent marker before shrinking in the oven.
For more detailed instructions:
Please see the post where I orginally found out about this idea: DIY Shrinky Dinks
We put them in the oven at about 350ºF. I put them on a baking tray on parchment paper, but you could make a tray out of tin foil too.
After about a minute- oh no! They’re curling!
After about two minutes (maybe three?)- they uncurl, and that’s it, they won’t shrink any more.
I was worried about the fumes, and I did turn on the hood, but I didn’t really smell bad. In fact I think I got more fumes from the permanent markers than from the plastic.
I discovered that it’s not too expensive to just buy a Shrinky Dinky kit: Make Your Own Shrinky Dinks, but as for me, now I’m on the look out for more plastic I can recycle into my homemade shrinky dinks!
This craft is featured in the heart project. Find out how to get your copy of this gorgeous crafts book, which is raising funds for an important cause [here]
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TOTALLY AWESOME! Glad you figured this out and posted the fab tutorial
Know anything about melting #6 plastic in terms of toxicity? Just curious. Not that it will necessarily stop me!
What a great idea! My son would love this! He’s not quite ready for big cooking or baking projects, yet, he has Down syndrome. But this he could do! And learn (again) about hot stove–don’t touch, but it’s OK to peek in the little window to watch! I pinned your post on my Pinterest here http://pinterest.com/lnmontessori/
Very cool!
Ah I love this! I had a real plastic melting phase a while back where I made vinyl record bowls and bizarre things from those little green army men!
This is such a great way to use old bottles!
love this! i have wanted to try it since i read about it, but you’re right! #6 is hard to come by!
Styrofoam cups can be colored with permanent markers and shrunk to make Barbie size doll’s hats. You can also cut into creative shapes and color before baking.
VERY fun and totally being added to our to-do list! Pinned
I was looking for a way to make shrinky dinks for my girl scout troop to add to their homemade snow globes. I found that you can buy 8″x10″ #6 plastic sheets at Home Depot for $2 a sheet. I love this idea better from now on we will be using recycled plastic. However if you are in a bind and “need” it quickly the sheets from Home Depot worked GREAT!!
LOVE this! I remember Shrinky Dinks from when I was a kid. And having a use for plastic in a crafty way? Priceless!
Now to find some #6 plastic….
Guess what else is made of #6 plastic? Those cute sunburst-shaped containers of cherry tomatoes that are in all the grocery stores. At least the bottoms are, not sure about the tops. Some disposable drink cups are #6 as well.
Wow, I never knew you could do this! Thanks for the great idea.
What is the purpose of the hole punch?
We punched holes in ours prior to shrinking them so that we could use them like beads. Once the plastic is shrunk it would be very hard to get a hole into it unless you used a drill.
Those plastic drink cups you can buy at the grocery store are #6 plastic, some are white, red, blue, clear, etc. Have used the white ones.
Most of the clear plastic containers from the bakery (that contain muffins or cookies) will work too. I also discovered that if you lightly sand one side of the plastic, with steel wool or a fine sandpaper, then use colored pencils to draw or trace your design, on the sanded side, the colors get more vivid after it’s shrunk. This way you don’t have to deal with the fumes from permanent markers.
Thanks for the tips about sanding the plastic!
You can also find #6 on those foil baking pans that are disposable. The lids are usually #6. They are so cheap you can find them for a $1 or 2 and it gives you a pretty good size of plastic that is flat and no ridges to work with. I use those pans a lot for taking food to my mom’s so I just save the lids when we are done.
You can use the white foam meat trays. They shrink really well. Only thing I’m not thrilled with is they feel “hollow” sort of. Gotta’ use the permanent markers on them. I too am excited about the #6 clear plastic!
I love this idea I am already awful when it comes to throwing things out this will make me even worse
I really like the idea as it is great to up-cycle items that are usually thrown away. I am pinning to my up-cycle board!
Does it matter how large of an item you’re trying to shrink? I tried this the other day with a pretty large (6″ x 8″) drawing of my dad’s that I was hoping would shrink up and I could make a key ring out of it……. it just curled in on it’s self and never un curled…. any tips for Large shrinkies???!!!
Hi Brandy, I’m sorry, I’ve never tried making something that large, maybe that’s the type of project that would require a commercially available shrinky dink material so that the plastic would be a uniform consistency. I just don’t really know!
Solo cups are #6 plastic!!
the containers from Taco Bell that you get natchos are also #6 plastic at least the clear plastic lids are
Hello there .,.. we are fundraising and someone had the weird sense of contributing to our confusion at this time of yes – they sold us a Shrinky Dink to resell. If you want it, email me and perhaps we can arrange something. The unit is missing the plastic but everything else is there.
Good luck to you all.
Here’s my email: unityoffaithcc@gmail.com
What I’ve read is that it is dangerous to put the styrofoam plastic #6 into the oven since the stuff it is made with will cause poisonous fumes — toxic. Also would be wary of melting plastic #1, regardless of whether it would melt.
I also have tried it with a microwave, not oven, but will use oven from now on, as it smelled bad. It might be the marker, but still not okay. Please be careful. A minute of throwing caution to the wind could cost you your health, now or down the line.
Thanks Laura, definitely wise to take our long term health into consideration. Doing anything like this certainly requires adequate ventilation.
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