Make your own flexi 8 type hairclip! Or modify a flexi!

**chen bao jun** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:14 PM

I know a lot of us are doing this--let's show our flexis to each other and pass along hints and creativity!
Also, those who design a flexi and send it off to the company to get a custom made are welcome here, too (Yes, I mean you, Nightshade!)
Let me start by posting the ones I made so far (with a lot of help and advice) and later I will try to somehow get my posts up which describe what I did and also ask those who gave me advice if I can repost their advice.
Hope this one flies!

**chen bao jun** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:17 PM

[img]https://i1280.
photobucket.com/albums/a481/uloma1/100_2413_zps40c830cb.jpg[/IMG]

**chen bao jun** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:18 PM

And action shot:

**neko_kawaii** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:25 PM

Yours look great Chen bao jun!

I made a few with stone and "ocean glass" beads. They are floppy as they were not made with memory wire.

**Sparklylady82** · June 14th, 2014, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by neko_kawaii

Yours look great Chen bao jun!

I made a few with stone and "ocean glass" beads. They are floppy as they were not made with memory wire.

I really love your style of flexi! I don't have one yet but I must figure out how to make one now!

**kaydana** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:26 PM

Ooooooooh great idea for a thread!

Here are mine:

I wore this one to work today and so many people stopped me to compliment me on "that thing in [my] hair." Made me very happy.

Bonus stick photo, because why have one hair toy in a picture when you can have two?

I've lost this one, it makes me so sad. No idea where I've put it. It was one of my favourites too

**eadwine** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:30 PM

Where on earth did you get that small pin?

**chen bao jun** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:35 PM

Might as well post my instructions over here. These are by no means original to me (kaydana and others helped me a lot), anyone feel free to post further tips and instructions.
"thanks stachelbeere.
There are people who have been doing this much longer than I have (who helped me) so I hope this is not presumptious, but here is what I have learned about making my own flexi 8 type hairtoy. I posted this already in the flexi 8 thread but it really belongs over here, if anyone is interested.
My thoughts on the process and pros and cons:
Pros: They can be as inexpensive or as high end as you want.If you'd like to use real jewels for beads and sterling silver beads, you can. If you wnat to use low end beads from Joann or ebay (which can be very pretty), you can also do that. Just make sure they are beads for wire stringing (that the hole is big enough, although there is a tool that can widen holes in beads.
2. They can be as custom as you want. The flexi sizing problems disappear for those between sizes. Especially if you decide to use hair sticks to close them with (without fastening on the stick). On the other hand, you can fasten on a stick if you want (which of course has the advantage of it being impossible to lose the stick then, if this tends to happen to you).
3. It is not one of the harder crafts in the world, in fact it is very easy. You just push wire through a hole in a bead, how hard is that. I do recommend getting the tools (see below).
4. You can be as creative as you want. You can knock off existing flexis, or design your own or just do what I do and use whatever happens to be lying around the house.
Cons: Takes time. Not a lot of time, but some time. It would be an easy thing to do while sitting in front of the tv though. However, some may not have time to even sit in front of t he tv.
Lots of little beads around, you'd have to be careful if you had young children about storage.
I honestly can't think of another con.
Hints (others can chime in to correct me, especially the lovely people who helped me with the process and have more experience): Do use memory wire. It has just the right texture. You can buy it in a craft store or on Amazon or on ebay. This is what I used (but I bought it at Michael's cheaper):
http://www.amazon.com/Beadalon-Silve...ds=memory+wire
you can also get it in much larger amounts:
http://www.amazon.com/Circles-Silver...ds=memory+wire
ABSOLUTELY do get the memory wire cutting tool (I got mine at michael's with a coupon)
http://www.amazon.com/Beadalon-Memor...ds=memory+wire
BE VERY CAREFUL cutting the memory wire especially small pieces which can fly around and hurt people. Think especially about your eyes. I hold the end I am about the cut off so that it stays in my hand.
Get a jewelry making tool such as this:
http://www.amazon.com/Jewelry-Beadin...t+jewelry+tool
Look at youtube tutorials for help in using the tools. Theres even one specifically on making flexi knockoffs (though she's a bit annoying, keeps being interrupted by her kids, doesn't show what she's doing well and uses the sort of wire of flops, still it was useful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB75ULrGIQI
There are also cool, short tutorials on working with memory wire, making bracelets, finishing it off, etc. which are useful, you can extrapolate.
Remember if you use buttons, make sure they have a shank. And that the shank is going to be on wrong, so get buttons that it doesn't matter (unless you don't mind a sideways butterfly).
I am sure that using e6000 and gluing on findings will also get you amazing results, but I didn't try that with this project so let others weigh in on that.
Remember that flexi 8 is a registered trademarked product so if you decide to make some to sell or something, do not call them flexi 8s, and look into the ramifications of doing that carefully. I am sure that if you just want to sell beaded figure 8's that go with hairsticks, you'd be fine, but if you end up using these so that its more of an actual knockoff
https://www.etsy.com/listing/7731821...ef=favs_view_5
be a bit more careful about selling.
I haven't had mine a long time yet (obviously) but they do seem to be a very, very sturdy product."

**kaydana** · May 22nd, 2014, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by eadwine