Crafting Revisit: Alcohol Ink Washer Necklaces

Alcohol Ink Washer Necklaces Tutorial

Alcohol Ink Washer Necklaces are my most popular blog post.  There's good reason, too.  They are really cute and really easy.  All you need is a pack or two of alcohol ink (a 3 pack retails for $7-10, but you can use a JoAnne's or Michael's 40 or 50% off coupon to get an even better deal), an applicator (I made mine out of scrap wood and velcro), felt, some rubbing alcohol, and something to work on (I have a craft mat, but parchment paper would work well too). Oh and you'll need some washers and some cording to make the necklaces too.

I decided to make a few more necklaces because I have a bunch of bright alcohol inks that I didn't have when I tried this craft the first time.  I grabbed some washers from my local hardware store and a couple of large washers that I had in a kit to secure a shelf to the wall (no small kids at our house to climb on the furniture, so they were just sitting in a scrap pile).


I picked out some bright colors and dotted the felt on my applicator and started stamping.  If the surface of your washer is very smooth, you may have to stamp over your washer several times to get a stippled look. Just stamp until you like the way it looks.  The ink will darken a bit as it dries--so don't freak out if it looks too bright.


My washers looked fairly rainbow colored when they were done--they turned out pretty cute.


When they are done you can seal them with clear acrylic spray or mod podge so they don't smear if they come into contact with alcohol based liquids (like hairspray or perfume) and don't scratch. I strung my washers up with some braiding cord and layered some of my washers that were the same colors on top of each other. You could use ribbon or other types of cording and embellish with a bead or two if you like also.

I loved the way my big wall anchor washers turned out, I'll have to keep an eye out for more washers like them in the future.  Happy crafting!

Alcohol Ink Washer Necklaces

Comments

  1. These washers pendants define what a craft should be: affordable, fun, and showstopping!

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  2. Awesomeness.....what a great way to wear COLOR!

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  3. What a clever idea! I bought some of those inks but didn't know what to do with them. when I make jewelry with washers, I usually rust them. I love love love you ideas. thankyou for sharing!

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    1. None of these have rusted yet. I hope yours turn out great!

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  4. These are beautiful! How long do they take to dry? And do you stamp both sides or just one side? Our Girl Scout Cadettes will really enjoy making these. Thanks!

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    1. I usually only stamp one side of the washer. The alcohol ink doesn't take very long to dry at all. It's usually dry to the touch in just a few minutes, but I will often let them dry for a few hours or overnight before applying any kind of sealer.

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  5. Did you use a solid color base coat before adding colors?

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    1. Nope, I just dripped a few different colors onto the felt and stamped them directly onto the metal.

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    2. My colors seem to keep running together and I dont seem to get the definition you have achieved in your photos! I'll keep practicing.

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    3. Keep adding color by stamping over it until the colors look the way you like. Sometimes I even let it dry for a few seconds between layers to speed the process along.

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  6. Replies
    1. They are called alcohol inks because the ink is alcohol based. The alcohol evaporates and allows the ink to dry quickly. Because the inks are alcohol based, they can be thinned and cleaned up with rubbing alcohol.

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  7. What did you use for the cord?

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    1. I actually used some from the walmart craft section for these. Any hemp or cotton cording will work.

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  8. Do the washers need to be cleaned before applying the alcohol ink, or, can you start applying straight out of the bag??

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    1. If you're pulling them straight out of a bag, probably not. If they appear dusty or dirty, wipe them off with a damp paper towel. If there is small amount of oil or grease on them, wet your paper towel with rubbing alcohol to clean them off. I usually just do a quick wipe off of any unless they are brand new.

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  9. Is it OK to share this project(blog post) link with an Alcohol Ink Facebook group?

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    1. Sure! As long as it links back here, you're free to share. Thanks for the interest!

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  10. Might sharpies for color and alcohol spray work as well?

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    1. Sort of. You can get a similar effect from sharpies and alcohol, but it takes a bit more practice and usually more alcohol to get the colors to spread--which might be a bit tough on the small surface of a washer....but if you've got a bunch of sharpies and washers, give it a whirl. :)

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  11. What kind of sealer do you use?

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    1. I have used mod podge, clear acrylic spray, and some glosses like diamond glaze. They all work just fine to keep the ink in place. The mod podge reacts the least with the alcohol ink.

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  12. Love your tutorials!!! And of course your necklaces!

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    1. Thanks! And thanks for stopping by the blog!

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  13. Found some square washers today when I went washer shopping. Just waiting for my inks to arrive in the mail, and might go a bit silly with all this. Thanks for sharing your lovely ideas!!

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    1. Square washers!?! Now I have to find some too. :) I hope your necklaces turn out awesome!

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  14. thank you for sharing the details!

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  15. I tried this with homemade alcohol inks but it didn't seem to take...the alcohol evaporated too quickly... any ideas as to how to fix that, other than going out and buying the "real" thing?


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    1. I've only ever used the real thing. Good luck figuring it out.

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