Pocket-Sized Mosaic Box From Plastic Bottles

I wanted to make an unusual small box from the simplest material - plastic bottles. I decided to decorate this box with a mosaic of pieces of colored plastic (from plastic bottles too). I was inspired by stained-glass windows.

I needed to figure out how to connect the pieces of the mosaic. I decided not to use glue, since it would be visible. I decided to use threads and beads (knots). It's my idea. I liked the result. I already plan to use this technique to make a mosaic lampshade.

P.S. I'm tired of fighting with sites that steal my instructables regardless of the license (which is indicated in the upper left corner). Sorry but I decided to add attribution to my photos. I know it looks a little annoying, but it annoys me even more to see my works under someone else's authorship or for sale.

plastic bottles of different shades of color - 3 green, 3 blue, 2 brown, transparent,

transparent two liter plastic bottle,

threads #36,

small beads 2 mm (I used polichrome chameleon beads - blue/green/brown),

a zipper 13-15.5 cm long,

a needle,

scissors,

a ruler,

paper,

a pencil,

a felt-tip pen,

an awl,

a mat or an old fat magazine,

cotton wool / a piece of fabric and alcohol (to clean plastic from traces of the felt-tip pen),

color pencils (optional),

a knife (optional).

You need to cut out from plastic bottles pieces with a flat surface. It is mainly located in the middle of the plastic bottles. Therefore, remove labels, wash the bottles (if necessary) and cut out the middle (strip) of the plastic bottles.

Draw the template of the box on paper (see photo with dimensions).

Put a transparent strip of two liter plastic bottle on top and use a felt-tip pen to mark the contours of the box. Do not forget to mark the points for stitching (put under a mat or an old fat magazine). Cut out it with scissors or use the ruler and the knife.

Draw the picture of the future mosaic (see photo). You can use a picture of any stained-glass window.

Sign and / or mark colors with colored pencils. Now you need to cut out the pieces of the mosaic from plastic of the corresponding color. Put the plastic on top, circle the outline with a felt-tip pen and cut out using scissors.

Using cotton wool or a piece of fabric and alcohol clean the surface of the pieces from traces of the felt-tip pen.

Put the front part of the box on top of the mosaic pattern. Put a piece of the mosaic in the appropriate place according to pattern. With an awl, make several small holes for stitching in two layers of plastic - in the piece of mosaic and in the front part of the box (don't forget to put under a mat or an old fat magazine).

Put the thread in the needle, make several knots (to make a big knot). String a piece of the mosaic onto the needle, then a plastic of box, then one bead. Poke the needle back through the hole, tighten the thread and on the reverse side make 2 knots around the first knot. Cut the thread.

Fix all parts of the mosaic in this way.

As a result, you will get a beaded smooth plastic outer side of the box, and all the pieces of the mosaic will be under it - inside the box.

Using cotton wool or a piece of fabric and alcohol clean the surface of box from traces of the felt-tip pen.

Connect the parts of the box using thread and beads as in the previous step, but without poking the needle back through the hole. Tight the thread and make final knot around the beads (it will be not so easy).

First connect the bottom, then the side. Add beads to another side too.

Add (sew) the zipper: make base stitch in one direction, then turn the box and make the base stitch in the another direction (see photos). Repeat it for another part of the zipper.

Your unusual pocket-sized mosaic box is ready.