15 Simple Pop Tab Projects
Updated on September 28, 2017
We talk about recycling and upcycling all the time and we’re always willing to reuse different kinds of household things in as many different creative ways as we can possibly think of. Sometimes, however, we have so much fun transforming a particular thing into something new and useful that we get a little bit hung up on that one idea for a while and find ourselves wanting to make new things out of that particular new crafting supply over and over again. That’s how we’ve felt about pop tabs lately! Besides being fun to save up and work with, we also just find the aesthetic of things made from pop tabs kind of industrial and awesome looking, so we just keep making them.
Check out these 15 totally cool pop tab crafts that you can wear, use, or simply enjoy the look of, whether you have hundreds of pop tabs to work with or maybe even just 10!
1. Pop tab bracelet with woven ribbons
Do you have a small number of pop tabs but an edgy sense of style that you love including DIY elements into? Then this cool vertical pop tab bracelet design is definitely the one for you! We like the way Taking Off At Nine gave the edgy appearance of the metal a bit of a girly flair by weaving a bright pink ribbon through the tabs rather than a dark or black one, but you could fasten your bracelet on with any colour of ribbon you choose!
2. Wire wrapped coloured tab cuff
Perhaps you’re very into the pop tab cuff idea but you’re not really a huge fan of the ribbon element and would rather just slip the cuff on and off? In that case, All Things With Purpose has a great alternative for you! They fastened their pop tabs together with clear jewelry string (you could also use thing jewelry wire) and added colour by collecting special edition coloured tabs too, instead of just silver ones. You could always paint some of your tabs if you can’t find any that come brightly coloured already!
3. Woven pop tab purse
Are you a weaving craft enthusiast, like a knitter, crocheter, or embroidery lover? In that case, you already have the basic skills (and probably a lot of the supplies) it takes to create a cool little pop tab purse just like this one from Erika Creativa! We love that the “fabric” made from the tabs looks almost like chainmail, giving the purse some serious attitude.
4. Pop tab butterfly trinket
Maybe you’re looking for a little craft or trinket that’s much simpler to do and might be easy enough for your kids to try, as well as easy and little so you can hang their work up proudly when they’re finished? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll enjoy making these cute little butterfly trinkets from Cut Out and Keep. All you need are pop tabs, thing jewelry wire, and some ribbon.
5. Soda tab lampshade
Have you been crafting with pop tabs for quite some time now, so you’re feeling up to much more of a challenge and looking for a piece that’s really unique and makes a statement? In that case, you need to check out this super cool pop tab lampshade idea from The 3 R’s Blog. It’s the kind of project that you’ll be able to use for years and it’ll never stop being a conversation piece when guests visit your home.
6. Pop tab and embroidery floss belt
Did you love the idea of making a pop tab project that involves a bit of weaving but you’re not sure you’re quite ready to tackle the larger task of making an entire purse? In that case, perhaps you’d prefer just a straight typing belt instead! We love this idea because it calls for bright shades and cool colour combinations and, as you can see in this example from True Blue Me and You, you can even embellish with longer ties, braided ties, or tassels on the ends!
7. Pop tab Christmas ball
Does the glinting silver of a bunch of pop tabs gathered in one place remind you of winter thanks to the way so many Christmas décor schemes use silver to mimic the frosty weather outside? Well, it might not be Christmas time just yet, but don’t think that doesn’t mean we haven’t started already crafting trinkets and ornaments so we can transform our house anew this year the second snow starts falling! This pop tab tree bobble from The 3 R’s Blog is definitely on our “To Make” list for this year’s Christmas tree.
8. Ribbon and pop tab purse with tab flowers
Are you still thinking about how cool the pop tab purse was but you’re just not sure that using the smaller embroidery floss or yarn you saw in that tutorial is quite how you’d like to go about the project? In that case, check out this chunkier ribbon woven clutch instead! Besides being constructed in a different shape than the previous tutorial we showed you, this design from Alyssa Beth’s Vintage guides you through the process of making and adding a cute flower too.
9. Vintage inspired pop tab chain clutch
Do you love the idea of making a flowered pop tab clutch but the examples we’ve shown you so gar still don’t quite hit the nail on the head when it comes to the style of purse you’re looking for? In that case, maybe you’d prefer this vintage inspired construction instead! Erika Creativa guides you through the process of weaving pop tabs together attached to an old fashioned decorative purse clip.
10. Pop tab knight’s armour
Were you intrigued by the part where we commented earlier that sometimes many pop tabs woven together looks a bit like chainmail because it made you think of Medieval knights? Well, what if you were to take that idea even further actually make yourself look like a knight on purpose? This tutorial from Instructables, which guides you step by step through the process of making many different elements of knight’s armour, might be one of the most impressive ideas on our list yet!
11. Pop tab bracelet with ribbon and pearl beads
Are you still thinking about the cute cuffs we’ve already shown you because, while you like what you’ve seen so far, you’re still convinced that adding a bit more flare or detail would be a neat idea? Then you should definitely check out the way Crandalian added fun pearly beads to their design! We think it creates just a touch of class that contrasts in a really cool way with the metal of the pop tabs.
12. DIY Antoinette pop tab granny square
Are you an avid crochet enthusiast who’s always looking for ways to marry your DIY skills in new and different ways? Then we certainly suggest taking a look at the way Erika Creative used basic crochet techniques to create a granny square made from fanned out pop tabs in the centre! We love the shape it creates no matter what kind of stitches you do around the outside, and we also love that you could get creative with you own pattern if you’re very skilled at crochet and not afraid of doing a bit of design work yourself.
13. Pop tab poster hangings
Perhaps you’ve been browsing this list looking for a way to use your pop tabs in a much more practical manner than bracelets and purses? Maybe you’re just keeping an eye out for ways to help your home décor efforts out in more affordable tactics? In that case, this pop tab poster hook idea is the one for you. Simple Practical Beautiful shows you how to attach a pop tab to the corner of a wall hanging to give you something to hook onto wall hooks or nails for hanging.
14. Embroidered pop tab snowflake
Did you love the granny square idea but you spent many of your beginning crochet years doing granny squares and you’re feeling kind of over them now? Then perhaps you’d prefer this more decorative pop tab snowflake idea instead! This is a great opportunity to practice working with finer yarn and the adorable finished product is absolutely worth the effort of counting stitches and positioning the tabs. Get the full pattern on Known Valley!
15. Soda tab and bottle cap pendants
Have you crocheted yourself a little shape that you like using yarn and pop tabs but now you’re not entirely sure what to do with it? Well, there are endless options if you use a little bit of imagination, but one of our favourites is this necklace pendant from Trashthetic! We love the way they added a bottle cap in the centre because it really drives the “upcycled chic” style of the whole piece home.
Do you also love making creative things pop tabs but you’ve got some favourite projects that you’ve tried before and don’t see on our list? Tell us all about them in the comments section or link us to pictures of your work!