Make a Fun Zipper Fruit Bowl

Put utilitarian zippers to a new, creative use by gluing them around wooden forms such as a bowl and fruit.

Filed under: Dinnerware, Crafts, How To

Create a unique centerpiece with this inventive zipper mosaic technique from designer Karen Davidson from Minot, N.D.

Materials Needed:

wood grapes on a wood vine
1/8" wooden dowel
power drill
1/8" drill bit
white glue
26 metal 20" zippers (assorted green colors)
scissors
screw starter
paper leaves

2 painted stem wires, 20-gauge, green
wire cutter
6-1/2" x 2" wood bowl
24 metal 20" white zippers
2 metal 20" orange zippers
1 metal 20" yellow zipper
3 metal 20" navy blue zippers
5 metal 15" jacket zippers (black with silver teeth)

Green Zipper Grapes

Steps:

1. Remove the wood grapes by pulling them from the wood vine. Do not remove the top grape. Twist the dowel to remove the grapes. Twisting may cause the dowel to break. If so, cut another dowel the size of the broken dowel with scissors and drill a hole in the grape to reinsert the new dowel with white glue.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-

2. Cut the cloth material from each green zipper as close to the edge as possible (Image 1). Pull away extra threads. Cut off and remove the zipper pull. Pull apart the zipper.

3. Cut the bottom end off the zipper forming two zipper pieces (Image 2). Repeat this step for each green zipper.

4. Apply white glue on the grape. Place the green zipper on the grape and start turning the teeth onto the grape with the colored teeth side up. Add more glue and repeat this process until the whole grape is covered with zippers. Use more than one zipper for each grape. Cut off the extra zipper teeth with scissors and press it down to secure the teeth.

5. Repeat this process for all the grapes including the top grape secured on the vine. Set aside to dry.