DIY Soda Tab Lei

The lei strikes again! This time - made with soda tabs!

Penga-Mom handed over a gallon sized milk container full of soda tabs she'd collected over the last bajillion years. Off to work we go! You'll need about 140 soda tabs and six feet each of two ribbons.

First, the soda tabs had a sharp edge where they were torn off from the can.  It was too hard for us to cut them off, so instead Sak bent it back flat.

First, place some tape sticky side up.

Place a row of tabs, all facing the same way, on the sticky tape, leaving the top holes off the tape.

Add a second row of tabs (wrong sides facing each other) in an offset "bricklaying" pattern.

Then lay another piece of tap on top, sticky side down.

Now, weave one of your ribbons through the holes. Tweezers might help. Pull it most of the way through so that the long end is on the right and about 6 inches remain on the left.

Now cover the top row with another piece of tape.

Carefully remove the bottom row tape, and weave your second ribbon through the loops the same way as the top was done. Remember to pull most of the ribbon through so that the long end is on the right, and about 6 inches remain on the left.

Now, remove all the tape and knot the left end of your ribbon!

A successful start!

To continue the chain, first line up another tab. Pull both ribbons down through the holes created by the overlapped tabs.

Now flip the entire shebang over on it's back and do the same thing - line up a tab and pull the ribbons down through the overlap!

Continue on and on and on until you have a nice sized lei!

This one uses 120 tabs, a wee bit short. The next one will be longer!

Fun! Save all your soda tabs!  You could make a funky bracelet or garland or bandoleer or something with this weave even if you don't want a lei. I'm glad my mom had all the tabs though - we don't definitely don't drink enough soda on our own :P

Have you done any soda tab crafts? I remember painting them with nail polish and making bookmarks from them in junior high!

(Want to make other ribbon leis? Check out the DIY Project tab for more!)