By Recycled Crafts Contributor, Anitra from the blog “Coffee Pot People”.

Can you think of anything more mundane and ordinary than a paperclip? And yet, like most ordinary, mundane things, we use them all the time. And if you’re like me, there’s always a small search that goes into finding one, too. (I’ll tell you why that is later!)

Well, it occurred to me the other day that ordinary things can be extraordinary, with just a little effort. That definitely would apply to paperclips, which, after all, are just a couple of wire loops. So I made my own!

Here’s what you’ll need to follow suit:

• Sturdy wire—18 to 20 gauge—colored, if you have it
• Headpins, 1.5″-2″ long
• Small beads
• Basic jewelry-making tools, including wire cutters, flat-nose pliers, and round-nose pliers

To make your own paperclip, first cut a piece of wire about 4” inches long. Then follow the steps in the picture below, beginning at upper left, and going clockwise:

1. Make a loop on one end of the wire

2. Using your flat-nose pliers, made a spiral

3. Showing the spiral

4. Make another loop with the free end

5. Put some beads on a headpin and attach them to the outer loop of the spiral

Your paperclip is ready to use!

One of the best things about making your own paperclips, aside from the fact that they’re so special as to make a great gift for the office worker in your life, is that you can have fun with the shape. Experiment! Here are a few I came up with:

At the top of the page, I told you I’d tell you why paperclips are often hard to find. It’s a very little-known fact, but true: Paperclips are the larvae of wire coat hangers! Left to themselves, they migrate to the nearest closet, where they grow and propagate, which is why you always have wire coat hangers, with no clue how they got in your closet!

Now, are you like me? ‘Cause I’m wondering what sort of wonderful coat hangers my paperclips will grow up to be!