My daughter recently asked me to help her make paper plate puppets. In the past, we have used metal brads which we usually have in large supply to attach the arms and legs so that they can move. This time though, I couldn’t find any anywhere in the house.
My husband swooped in to save the day and offered me some of his cotter pins. Also known as split pins, their common function is to hold bolts in place within machinery. In my opinion, this is a sadly narrow application for these little dynamos.
There Are Many Crafty Uses For Cotter Pins
There are so many other craftier and pleasant ways to use them.
For example, you could use a cotter pin to keep glue fresh (idea from Jewelry Making Journal).
Or, you could craft your own Neon Statement Necklace by following this tutorial from Pitter and Glink.
Don’t forget the matching earrings! Again, courtesy of Pitter and Glink.
Why not follow the directions at Cutout and Keep to make a Tin Can Knitting Loom?
Use the rest of your tin cans to make these Tin Can Flowers from We Made That.
And for those of you who are really crafty, you might enjoy this tutorial from Craftbits to help you make your own Baby Pip Teddy Bear.
Creative! Love posts like this – keep them coming. Those flowers were great.
Wow! Love the necklace very creative! Thanks for sharing.
Good call on using them to keep glue fresh, I HATE when they get all dried up and useless.
Those are very creative uses for them! I wish I was more crafty!
Hum-cotter pins-never heard of them-guess you can tell how crafty I am not! Love all the different things you can make with them.
I love love tbe necklace! I’m also intrigued by the can knitting loom.
Very clever ways to use cotter pins. I love the knitting loom and tin can flowers.
WOW, how creative. Love it!!!
It’s been a while that I haven’t done any crafts. These tutorial list of yours are amazing! I’ll save the link.
I love the tin can flowers! That is a great idea and looks like a really fun project. I honestly didn’t know what a cotter pin was until I saw this. Thanks for the projects!
Oh my so crafty. I bet there are a hundred or more uses for cotter pins. Thanks for sharing.
I love the neon statement necklace!! And I still have no clue what a cotter pin is!
Those teddies are so cute – I think I might have to give it a try making those 🙂 x
I like the necklace the best!
What fun uses for a product that is not normally thought of in this fashion. I’m thinking my daughter and I have some new fun projects! Thanks for the ideas.
Everything is cute, and I bet it would be fun to create your own teddy bear!
I love that necklace!! and the flowers are adorable too =)
Had never heard of or see a cotter pin, LOL! Some great and creative ideas here, love the can flowers.
Wow, very nice! The flowers are so cute~!
I love the flowers! Great ideas!!
I know my Hubs has lots of cotter pins in the basement. I need to make something cute out of them. Love the necklace!!
Thanks- I didn’t even realize the name of those pins
Those tin can flowers are seriously awesome. I’m not particularly crafty, but I love the ideas you’ve put together.
Love that necklace! It’s so cute and crafty! I am not very crafty, but I bet I could do that!