How to Bend Popsicle Sticks

Create DIY bracelets or napkin rings

Rubber stamp popsicle sick

 The Spruce / Kate Pullen

Crafters are ingenious—who else would look at a popsicle stick and see a piece of jewelry? Because a popsicle stick (also known as a lollipop stick or wooden craft stick) is made of wood, all it takes is a little patience, time, and water to slowly bend it into a circular shape. Then, you can decorate your new original bangle with glitter or a sharpie design, or even use it as a napkin ring for your next dinner party.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Saucepan or pot
  • Glass or mug

Materials

  • Popsicle, or craft, sticks
  • Dishwashing detergent
  • Water

Instructions

  1. Take the popsicle sticks and put them into a saucepan with a dash of dishwashing detergent. This will act as a softener, reducing the surface tension of the water and helping it to soak into the grains of the wood.

    Soak the popsicle sticks
    The Spruce / Kate Pullen
  2. Put the saucepan onto a heat source until the water begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat source and leave the sticks in the water to cool.

  3. Remove a stick from the water. Working carefully, start gently bending the stick into a circular shape. At this stage, you are simply flexing the wood.

    Tip

    Work with one stick at a time, leaving the remaining sticks covered in water. This will prevent them from drying out before you have time to work on them.

  4. Take a glass, mug, or another receptacle which is the correct size. Carefully push the popsicle stick inside. You may need to exert pressure to get the stick into the glass. Leave to one side for the popsicle stick to dry.

    Note

    Because the stick will take the shape of the glass or mug, consider what you want the final shape to be when you choose your shaping receptacle.

    Bend the popsicle stick around a glass
    The Spruce / Kate Pullen
  5. Allow the stick to dry in place in the glass. This will allow it to retain its curved shape because it allows the wood grains to "set" into their new curved position. Once dry, it can be removed from the glass.

    You can then decorate the new curved wooden shape in a variety of ways, including stamping, painting, or wrapping with fabric to create an attractive bracelet, bangle, or napkin ring.