Retro Cassette Tape Wallets

 Hi Teens! This is Nikki taking over today’s blog with another fun craft that you can do at home! They make a cute gift or you can make one to keep for yourself! This craft is also budget friendly and you might even have some of the materials lying around your house.  Yay Recycling! I love recycling things that can be made into something else! So let’s get started!

Materials you will need:

 1) Cassette tape (Your parents or grandparents might have one that they do not want any more so ask for permission if you can recycle it! If you do not have one, you can buy one online if search the internet, or search local thrift stores).

2) Screwdriver to take apart the cassette tape. You will only be using the outer part of the cassette tape, we will be taking the inside stuff out.

3) Paint (optional) If you do not like the color of your cassette tape you can use paint to change the color! You can even paint it to look like the mix tape from Guardians of the Galaxy.

4) One zipper in the color you desire. It will need to fit around the tape, so make sure to measure.

5) One piece of felt in the desired color (you can match it to the zipper if you like) or you can use scrap fabric or a pair of old jeans!

6) A pen or fabric chalk to mark the felt

7) Hot glue and glue sticks

8) Scissors

How to make it:

Step 1: Take your screwdriver and unscrew all the screws holding the cassette tape to open it up. Throw out the all of the insides of the tape.

Step 2: It’s painting time!! Paint the outside of your cassette tape any color you like and let it dry. You might have to do more than one coat to cover the entire thing well.

Step 3: After your paint has dried completely, measure the felt or fabric for the inside, this will be your lining of the wallet. To do this, take both of your tapes and place them on top of each other lined up like in the picture below. Then trace with marker or pen the outside so you have rectangle shape and cut it.

Step 4: Now it is time to start gluing, so fire up your hot glue gun. Start by having the front of the cassette tape facing to the outside to the left. Now start dabbing hot glue little by little on the side of the cassette tape while adhering the fabric part of the zipper (do not unzip just yet leave it close). Make sure to not get glue on the zipper part or else you will not be open it for the next step.

Step 5: Unzip the zipper and glue the other half of the cassette the same way you did the first one, by gluing the zipper on the side. Make sure to test if the zipper can open and close.

Step 6: Glue the felt or fabric inside the cassette’s one side at a side. Just place some glue lines on the inside of the cassette tape little by little, then fold it and do the other side. Then, if you want to cover the bottom just add a piece a felt so you don’t see any glue. And you’re done!