
Image borrowed from http://www.stylehive.com/bookmark/fork-bracelet-299684
If you want a truly unique piece of jewelry but do not have the money for it, here’s a great DIY jewelry project for you. The handles of many utensils are embossed, carved, and done with pretty patterns especially if they are from a matching set. If your fork, spoon, or butter knife is slightly dented and scratched but has a nice handle, don’t throw it away! You can make striking jewelry from it with just a little know-how and the proper tools. What’s great about utensil jewelry is that you’re not likely to run into someone wearing the same thing, because it’s one of a kind and not store-bought
For a fork bangle or bracelet, you will need the following tools:
a stainless steel or copper fork because they’re easy to heat and be bent into shape
a pair of protective goggles
a vise grip or locking pliers
long-nose pliers
some sticky tape
a pair of work gloves
a small propane torch
some spray paint or enamel paint
some decorative beads
a glue gun with glue stick
To make the fork bangle or bracelet:
Put on the protective gloves and goggles and make sure to work on a heat-resistant surface so you won’t burn anything. Use the locking pliers or a vise grip to hold the fork in place, tines down. With the small propane torch, start bending the fork by using a consistently moving flame to heat the fork. Don’t go closer than two inches with the heat to the fork or you’ll end up with unattractive scorch marks on the metal. Let the metal cool for a few minutes.
Wrap some sticky tape on the teeth of your long-nose pliers to prevent them from scratching the fork’s metal finish. Bend the handle of the fork using long-nose pliers gently to form a loop. Check if your whole hand can go through the loop and how it fits your wrist. If it’s too snug a fit, adjust the loop’s circumference. You’d want the bangle to dangle (haha) and not cut off circulation from your wrist, nor be too loose that you have to keep adjusting it while wearing it.
You can opt to use two forks for bigger-looped bracelets, or if you like a layered look for your bangles. Do the same procedure on the second fork, but bend the two sets of tines so they intertwine with each other in spirals or coils, as pictured above.
Use canned spray-paint in any color you like to give the fork bangle a totally different hue, or just hints of color to go with the silver or copper finish. Set on old newspapers to dry. Coat with more colors if you desire.
You can also use decorative beads or chains and other charms to accentuate your new fork bracelet. Glue them with a glue gun in strategic places. Don’t overdo it or your fork bracelet will lose its vintage-looking charm.



