This shrinky dink keychain is REALLY EASY to make and it looks so cool! Color your shrinky dinks with Sharpie markers, then use rubbing alcohol to give them a “tie dye” look.
It’s so fun watching the colors blend together and it’s even more fun to watch the shrinky dink film shrink in the oven! This is such a fun craft for both kids and adults. Give your keychain as a special gift, or keep if for yourself!
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How to Make Shrinky Dink Keychains
Materials:
- Clear Shrinky Dink film
- Coloured Sharpie markers
- Rubbing alcohol (make sure it's 99%)
- Split key ring with chain (with jump ring)
Equipment:
- Cookie cutters (at least 3 inches wide)
Check Out The Video Tutorial:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies.
Step 2: Cut out and colour the keychain shapes
- Place a cookie cutter on the Shrinky Dink film and trace around the shape with a gel pen or Sharpie.
- Cut out the shape.
- Colour the Shrinky Dink shape with 3 to 4 different colours of Sharpie markers.Add small patches of different colours until you've covered most of your shape. Small gaps are okay, but the tie dye effect is best when most of the film is coloured.
Step 3: Drop alcohol on the keychain shapes
- Use an eye dropper to drop rubbing alcohol over top of the Sharpie coloured shapes.
- Make sure you don't use too much alcohol, or it will push the ink off the plastic. Start with a few drops and add more if needed.
- Allow the alcohol to spread out and then let it dry for at least 20 minutes.
- Punch a hole in the Shrinky Dinks with a single hole punch. This will be where the keychain is attached.
Step 4: Bake the Shrinky Dinks
- Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 325F.Set the Shrinky Dinks on a tin foil lined baking pan and place them in the oven.
- Bake the Shrinky Dinks for 1 to 3 minutes. The time needed will depend on how big your shapes are.It's normal for the Shrinky Dinks to curl up as they shrink. They should completely flatten out the longer they bake. If they get "stuck" in a curl, use a spatula to separate the areas that are stuck together so they can flatten.
- Once the Shrinky Dinks are completely flat, wait another 30 seconds before removing them from the oven.
- As soon as they're out of the oven, use a flipper spatula to press down on each shape to make sure they're completely flat. This needs to be done immediately after they're removed from the oven, before they have a chance to cool.
Step 5: Add the jump ring and keychain
- Allow the Shrinky Dinks to cool for a few minutes before handling.Meanwhile, use needle nose pliers to open the jump ring.
- Attach the jump ring through the hole in the Shrinky Dink.
- Add the keychain chain to the jump ring.
- Use the pliers to close off the jump ring.
- Your shrinky dink keychain is complete!
What are Shrinky Dinks?
Shrinky Dinks are sheets of thin, flexible plastic that are made of polystyrene aka recycled plastic #6. When the shrinky dink film is placed in the oven it shrinks down to 1/3 of its original size and becomes thicker.
Shrinky Dinks were invented in the 1970s, and reached their height of popularity in the 1980s, but they can still be bought today! It’s super fun to colour something and then watch it curl up and shrink down in size. Shrinky Dink film is often used to make keychains, zipper pulls, ornaments, and jewelry.
What type of Shrinky Dink film should I use to make my keychain?
We recommend using Crystal Clear Shrinky Dinks. The tie dye effect shows up really nicely on the clear plastic.
We tried making Sharpie tie dye on white Shrinky Dink film, but it was very matte and the tie dye look didn’t show up as well, so we didn’t love the look.
How much do these Shrinky Dinks shrink?
The clear shrink film shrinks to one third of its original size and become 9 times thicker. Our star keychain started off a little over 3 inches across and it was 1-1/4 inches in size after shrinking!
Can I use other markers besides Sharpies?
We’ve only used Sharpies, so we can’t say for sure, but you should be able to use any type of alcohol ink permanent marker. Washable markers will not work for Shrinky Dinks.
What type of rubbing alcohol do I need for Sharpie tie dye?
For best results use a high percentage isopropyl alcohol such as 91% or 99%. A lower percentage, like 70%, probably won’t work. We tried to make our Sharpie Dyed Tile Coasters with 70% rubbing alcohol at first, but the ink didn’t run until we used 99% rubbing alcohol.
What if I don’t have an eye dropper?
If you don’t have an eye dropper you can use a small measuring spoon (1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon) to drop small amounts of rubbing alcohol. Just be very careful not to drop more than a few drops at a time.
Where can I buy a keychain ring and chain?
You can buy keychain supplies at Michaels or another craft store, but Amazon will have the largest selection of split key rings with chains.
If you have an old keychain you no longer use, you can also upcycle the ring and chain and use it for your Shrinky Dink keychain.
I love the colours of these shrinky dink keychains and it’s so cool that each one is unique! Make a keychain in school colours or in the colours of your favourite sports team. Or make a keychain as a gift for your best friend in their favourite colours!
Here’s even more fun craft ideas:
Shrinky Dinks Powerpuff Girls Jewelry
How to Make a Macrame Keychain
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |  Barnes and Noble |  Books- A- Million |  Indiebound |  Indigo |  Amazon Canada
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