Oh, just me, is it?
Well, I am a box collector. I have quite a few, of many varied shapes and sizes, but the box in question, that precipitated this whole project, is one I've had for eighteen years; it was a senior gift from my high school the year I graduated, and over time, it's served as a pencil box, trinket box, necklace box, bead box, storage box, empty-box-sitting-around-looking-pretty box... you get the idea.
I also collect rings. I rarely wear them; they get in my way when I type, and when I get hot and cranky, my hands swell and the rings get really tight and uncomfortable. But I love collecting them, especially unique ones. Like these ones.
And so, I made this:
You can, too, and for under $10. More likely, it'll be under $5, depending on if you already have felt at home or not.
You will need:
- a keepsake box
- 3/4ths inch poplar dowel (round or square, doesn't matter), 3ft / 36 inches
- tape measure
- small saw and WD-40 (If you don't mind a little extra sawing, a pocket knife saw is fine)
- cheap emery board for sanding (You can also use sandpaper, but emery boards are easier to use because they're small like the dowels.)
- 1-3 yards of felt, depending on the size of your box.
Steps:
1. Measure the INSIDE of your box. (Mine measured 8.25 long by 4.25 wide by 2.25 deep, so these are the measurements I'll be referencing. Yours will differ.) This is a very important step.
2. Measure your dowel, marking it in increments slightly lower than the length. (For example, I measured my dowel in 8 inch lengths, giving me four dowels with a few inches left over.) DO NOT CUT THEM THE EXACT LENGTH OF YOUR BOX.
3. Carefully cut your dowel at your marks and sand the edges smooth.
4. Measure your felt to match your box. I cut mine 8.25 to 8.5 inches wide, and about three to four inches in length. I suggest drawing a paper square to lay over the felt and wrap around the dowel section before you cut the fabric, to make sure you've picked a proper size.
5. After you've marked and measured your felt, cut out as many squares as you have dowel pieces.
6. Wrap each dowel in felt, and tuck it into your box. No need to glue anything as the excess felt on the ends will hold the piece in place. This is also the reason why Step 2 warns you not to cut the dowels the exact length of the box. The dowels need the extra space for the felt to hold them in place.
7. Continue wrapping and tucking until all dowels are wrapped and placed in the box.
Add rings and enjoy!
Notes:
1. this can be adapted to any size box, so long as you keep the ratio of the measurements accurate. If your box is six inches wide, then you'd cut your dowels to 5.75 inches.
2. Personally, I prefer square dowels to round. It really doesn't matter which you use. I found the square dowels worked better when it came to wrapping, but if you like round? Go for it.
3. Felt can be any color. I had red left over from a Christmas project a year or so ago, and so that's what I used. The yard measurement is just an approximation. Most craft stores sell it by the sheet, 8.5x11, and chances are, you'll be okay if you buy two to three sheets, five at the absolute most.
4. If an adult is there to supervise, or is there to pre-cut the dowels, then this is a great activity for kids, especially for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Christmas.
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