Duct tape is more than the reliable tool that can fix anything it’s applied to. A little known fact is that this super durable tape’s properties are not limited to taping up the taillights of a car of fixing electrical wiring; duct tape is actually the most versatile substance ever created. Its uses extend from wallets to dresses to flowers to jewelry.
In fact, the only thing that limits the number of uses duct tape has is your own creativity. Duct tape can make pretty much whatever you can imagine.
I make duct tape everything. Let me tell you, it’s not as easy as it sounds, but with a bit of practice anyone can do it. Here are some of the basics.
There are two different kinds of duct tape art – form art and non-form art. Form art is the stuff that requires a mold to make it– for example, a purse. No form art is the duct tape that anyone can do, usually without practice. These are linear, flat surface things that don’t require a model, like a wallet or a piece of art.
The trick with duct-tape art is that the sticky sides can’t face out. You have to use two pieces of duct tape for everything; putting two pieces on top of each other, sticky sides together, so that only the colored sides are facing out. It’s all about creating a sheet of duct tape – sticky side up – and cover the sticky side. From here, you can make anything.
When you’re making something with a form, you have to take this one step further. Wrap the duct tape around your form, sticky side facing out, and then cover it and decorate. For example, if you’re making a clutch purse, two VHS tapes taped together make a great model. Wrap and stick, it’s as easy as that.
I make dresses, personally. This is a hard art and takes a lot of practice. The confusing thing about dresses is that you can’t make them on a model. They have to be totally linear, completely flat, and when it’s time to wear them, they have to be literally taped them. The reason for this is that if they have any sort of shape before you put them on, they will retain that shape and not bend to your body.
There are pros and cons to going places in a duct tape outfit… on the good side, you’re never going to be in a situation where you have the same outfit as someone else. It’s unique and cool and seems to make you instantly popular. However, on the down side, it’s also really uncomfortable. It doesn’t breathe, so it’s either way too hot or way too cold. It’s also impossible to sit down – My friends think this is the funniest thing in the world, because whenever we drive anywhere I have to lay down on backseat and not move until I roll out of the car. Overall, I think the discomfort is totally worth it for such an awesome outfit. To me the only con that matters is that duct tape outfits can only be worn once – to get them to stay on they must be taped so tightly that the only way to get them off is to cut them. Sadly.
Of course, not all duct tape apparel is so uncomfortable – For an easy project, you can make a duct tape tie, which is awesome, unique, and comfy. Here’s how you do it.
Measure the length from the neck that you’d want the tie to be. Then put tape two strips of tape together, sticky sides of both facing out. From there, cover it in whatever color you want your tie to be and cut it out in the right shape. Finally, fold down the top to make a loop and put a piece of elastic through it. Voila, duct tape tie!
It pays to be creative with duct tape, too- the Stuck at Prom contest is a $10,000 scholarship that is given to a selected couple who wear a duct tape dress and a duct tape tuxedo to Prom. Go to their website –www.stuckatprom.com. The dresses the winners make are amazing!
The bottom line is, duct tape isn’t just for patching things up. Duct tape is an awesome art form that can be made into anything – the sky (or your creativity) is the limit!