Lots of us have sat before, likely from boredom, and strung paper clip after paper clip to make a huge “rope” of paper clips. It’s so easy to do: you just connect one paper clip after another until you have an entire chain of the clips. Nowadays, paper clips come in an array of colors, like blue, pink or even gold. These colored paper clips – or even the ordinary silver tone ones – are perfect for creating a unique “beaded” curtain that adds interest to a closet, hallway or other doorway. If you can hook two paper clips together you’re on your way to creating the dazzling curtain.
With other beaded curtains you’re forced to sit for hours and slide on beads, buttons or other embellishments, onto strand after strand of twine, then faced with how to hang the finished curtain. With a paper clip curtain you’ll find that each strand takes only minutes to make and each paper clip chain takes only a few seconds to hang. You won’t have to deal with twine and threading on beads; you won’t even have to use lengths of wood to hang the finished curtain. A few tacks or nails is all it will require to make and hang the entire production.
It’s going to take a whole lot of paper clips to make the curtain. If you use large clips, of course, it will take much fewer clips than if you use paper clips of an ordinary size. You can use clips that are all the same color or you can alternate colors of paper clips to create something totally different. To assemble the curtain you’ll simply make chain after chain of the clips. The easiest way is to create a large chain of clips, hold it to the doorway, and make sure it reaches the floor. The paper clips should not actually drag the floor at all so stop when they are an inch or so above the floor. At the top, the chain should reach the doorframe above the doorway. The curtain should be hung in an area where there is no door.
When you’ve created the first chain, and you’re sure it’s long enough, simply hammer in a tack or small nail above the doorway. Slide the nail so that it is all the way over at one edge of the door frame. Hang the finished chain on this nail. Hammer in the next nail to prepare for the next chain of clips. Each nail should be positioned so that it’s right beside the previous nail, leaving just enough space to hang the paper clip on it. Do not leave large gaps between the chains of clips. As you finish each chain, hang it on the nail, then proceed to make the next and next chain until done.
Although the paper clip beaded curtain can be left as-is there are many things you can do to it to make it look much nicer. One simple way to change the look is to cut small squares of decorative paper. Cut each square so that it’s just long enough to wrap around the middle of the clip. Glue or tape it in place. With this technique you add color and design to the paper clip chains without having to spend much money. The rounded ends of the paper clips will still show after gluing or taping on the paper pieces. The paper squares can be applied to each and every paper clip or can be attached to a selected few.
Other things you can glue to the paper clips include buttons, magnets, fake jewels, large sequin, small foam shapes and similar craft items. Mix and match embellishments to add the colors, patterns and designs you want for the finished curtain. Glue on small, puppy dog foam shapes to make a curtain for a child’s room. Or, glue on old playing cards to announce the entryway to your game room at home. Teens can add small magnets to the back of lightweight framed pictures and display them on the unique curtain.
Use other techniques to create still more options for the look of the finished curtain. For example, tape or tack long ribbon pieces to the doorway, between each set of paper clips, and cut the ribbons off even with the paper clips at the bottom. This paper clip and ribbon arrangement, no matter how you embellish it, is uniquely beautiful and eye-catching. You can curl the ribbon from the doorway to the floor or just let it hang straight. You can embellish just the paper clips or the ribbons as well.
It’s easy to make the paper clip curtain because you don’t need planks of wood to attach it to the door frame and because paper clips are very inexpensive. Purchase them at a discount department store, rather than a craft store or office supply place, and you’ll save even more. Check dollar-theme stores for cool embellishments you can add to the finished curtain. You’ll often find novelties, in packs of several or many, for a buck at these stores. It makes it cheap and easy to create sports themes, floral chains, pet themes and much more!
