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Shrink plastic keychains

Drawings on shrink film that bake down into thick, tiny keychains that look professionally made.

Shrink plastic keychains
LevelIntermediate
AgesAges 10 and up
Time1 hour
Cost$8 to $15
Back to schoolUnder $20Things to sellGiftsGroups

What you'll need

Materials

Tick them off as you find them.

Tools

How to make it

Safety

Use real shrink film, never takeout containers, and open a window while it bakes.

  1. Step 1: Draw big
    1

    Draw big

    Draw your design about 3 times bigger than you want. It shrinks to about 1/3.

  2. Step 2: Color it
    2

    Color it

    Color softly on the rough side. Colors get much darker after baking.

  3. Step 3: Cut it out
    3

    Cut it out

    Cut around the shape with rounded corners. Sharp corners get pointy.

  4. Step 4: Punch a hole
    4

    Punch a hole

    Punch near the top. The hole shrinks too, so don't skip this.

  5. Step 5: Bake it
    5

    Bake it

    Grown-up step: bake at the package temperature, about 325°F. It curls up, then flattens in 1 to 3 minutes.

  6. Step 6: Flatten and finish
    6

    Flatten and finish

    Press it with a spatula right away. Once cool, add polish and a keychain ring.

Edie's tip

Curling is normal. Wait until it lies flat before taking it out.

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