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DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Safety Pin and Seed Bead American Flag

Thanks to a viewer (Sherry) for sending this one in!

Materials:

  • 10 small silver or gold colored safety pins (size #0)
  • 1 larger silver or gold colored safety pin (size #2)
  • red, white and blue seed beads
  • metal nail file or flat screwdriver
  • OPTIONAL:  needle nosed pliers

 Instructions:

  • take one of the small safety pins and thread on the beads from column one of the pattern below (5 blue, 1 white, 1 red, 1 white, 1 red)
      
  • repeat with the second, third, fourth and fifth safety pins
      
  • with the sixth thru tenth safety pins, start with red and alternate 9 beads red/white.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
B B B B B R R R R R
B B B B B W W W W W
B B B B B R R R R R
B B B B B W W W W W
B B B B B R R R R R
W W W W W W W W W W
R R R R R R R R R R
W W W W W W W W W W
R R R R R R R R R R
  • OPTIONAL:  Pinch the opening of the safety pins with the needle nose pliers so they won't pop open.
      
  • Use a nail file or flat screwdriver to stretch open the loop of the large safety pin
    • This is the toughest part of the craft -- once you've done these crafts a couple of times, it gets easier. 
    • Step back and think about this for a second -- this step makes a lot  more sense if you keep in mind that you need the pin part of the large safety pin free to pin onto your hat or shirt -- you have to get the small safety pins onto the other side of the large safety pin.
    • Slide the ends (little circles) of the small safety pins onto the large safety pin -- keep sliding all the way around the loop so it's on the other side (non pin side) of the large safety pin.  
    • Squeeze the loop back closed with pliers.
        
  • Here are some additional suggestions from viewers:
    "I just took the circle end of the pin with the beads on it and twisted around circle end of the main pin. After the first 1 or 2 it is easier then messing with pliers and you don't have to worry about them staying closed. Also, using different styles and sizes of beads gives the flag a 3D effect.  Using the same large pins for everything is a different yet nice project. "
    Thanks Fawn.
      
    "I bought the size 3 saftey pins and used E beads. 3 blue, 1 white, 1 red, 1 white, 1 red worked well, 5 rows of that, then 5 rows of alternating red white (starting with red). I also found that a staple opener opened the spring part of the pin very well."
    Thanks Tina

 

Printable version of these instructions