If you happen to be a Tumblr user or you follow what’s trending in fashion on Instagram or Pinterest, then you probably know just as well as we do that enamel pins are all the rage right now. These novelty little pins come in all shapes and sizes and we love them for their bright colours and how easy they are to pin on and off, making them awesome accessories for temporarily customizing your fashion. Perhaps the best part of enamel pins, however, is that they’re often made to look as random and kitschy as possible. If you ask us, the more the design makes you laugh, the better!
Enamel pins might not sound like something you can craft yourself easily, but it’s actually a lot easier to do than it seems! There are several different techniques you can use to make pins of your very own and since we’ve actually tried them ourselves, we can guarantee you that if we can do it, so can you.
Check out these 15 adorable DIY enamel pin projects that will have you making, using, designing, and customizing with enamel pins, both store bought and your own, in no time!
1. Painted enamel pins
Not every enamel pin has to have a complicated shape or an engraved design to look interesting! In fact, if you’ve got a steady hand and a lot of patience or you’re a talented artist, then you’d actually be better to keep the base shape simple. Instead, draw people’s eyes by creating your own freehand design with enamel paint, just like Rad Maegan did here.
2. Enamel pin banner
Have you already bought and created yourself a series of adorable enamel pins that are steadily growing into a rather eclectic and impressive collection? Then we certainly don’t blame you for wanting to show your awesome little trinkets off! Just in case your array is too large to fit on a single denim jacket, here’s how Felicette created a simple cloth banner for creating an enamel pin collage on.
3. Nail polish “enamel” pins
Do you have an old vintage brooch lying around that could use a new lease on life? Then you’ve already got what you need for the base of a DIY enamel pin, except that not everyone has easy access to actual enamel paint. Never fear! Scathingly Brilliant is here to show you a bit of a “cheat” technique: use nail polish to paint some details on instead!
4. Clay “enamel” pins
Are you intent on creating pins of your own but you’d really prefer to keep control over the actual shapes you make, rather than just painting on top of a pre-made pin base? Well, usually store bought enamel pins are shaped with metal working and not everyone has a metal working station in their basement, so you might have to improvise. Meg Allan Cole Crafts, for example, suggests making your pins from thin layers of clay moulded however you please and finishing them off with a gloss layer for make them look like enamel.
5. Shrinky Dinks enamel pins
Are you still looking for a way to make pins shapes however you please but you’re really not a fan of working with clay? Then perhaps it’s time to dip back into your childhood and do a throwback craft! Persia Lou guides you through the process of making Shrinky Dinks into your very own enamel style pins, letting you draw whatever design you want.
6. Colour block pinboard
Do you already have a collection of pins that you’re always adding to and now you’re just looking for a way to display them, but you don’t have cloth on hand to make the banner idea we talked about above? Try painting that old cork board you never use instead! Claireabelle Makes suggests creating a colourful geometric pattern and displaying your enamel pin collection proudly.
7. Enamel spring flower bib necklace
Okay, so perhaps this particular list item isn’t actually for making a pin, enamel paint can be used to create all kinds of accessories that hearken back to the enamel pin aesthetic you love so much! Think of how awesome this kitschy necklace will look complementing your latest denim jacket newly decorated with exciting pins! See how the necklace is made on Chic Steals.
8. Sketched enamel pins
Did you have your heart set on the real, authentic painted and textured pins just like the kind you’d find in speciality shops, only you want to make some in your very own designs? Then we’ve found the perfect answer for you! Sketchbook is a service that lets you draw and design your very own pins in detail and have them custom cut and painted according to your specific instructions by professionals with the proper equipment.
9. Ombre enamel statement necklace
Perhaps you, like us, had 3D enamel pins in your costume jewelry collection long before the current kitschy enamel pin craze was all the rage? Well, Rae Gun Ramblings is here to show you how to save those pieces and turn them into an awesomely stylish enamel necklace to wear with your latest customize pin jacket for a little bit of awesome accessorizing.
10. DIY feminist pins
Do you always prefer that your pins make a bold statement, especially if you’re going to go out of your way to make some of your very own? Then get thinking on designs and let your creativity pair up with your politics in the form of a super fun feminist pin, just like these ones made by LaMadelynn!
11. Enamel pin purse
Whether your enamel pins are vintage strays that you’ve found over the years and hoarded in your collection, shiny new store bought things that you ordered on the Internet, or homemade treasures that you’re very proud of, we think a purse is one of the most stylish ways you can possibly show them off. Check out how The Turquoise Door dotted their pins across the front surface of a purse flap to give it a little more personality.
12. DIY Disney pin display board
Many people who collect enamel pins en masse tend to have a theme to their collections. Many pins, for example, are commemorative of a particular year or thing, just like the Disney ones you see in the picture above. If you’ve been collecting Disney pins since your first visit as a child, then we certainly think you should show off your treasures for visitors to see! We love the way Disney Style painted the castle logo onto a cork board and splayed the pins around it in a whimsical way. If your pins have a different theme, go with this concept but adjust the design however you need!
13. DIY love pins
Perhaps your obsession with enamel pins has gone so far that now you’ve started giving them as gifts in an attempt to get your friends in on the fun as well? Then why not use the pins as a way to communicate how much you care about them? Edizon guides you through the process of creating DIY enamel pins that are specifically love themed to really make your friends feel appreciated.
14. Custom enamel pin denim jacket
Have you always wanted to make yourself an awesomely decorated denim jacket using all of your patches and pins but you’ve never had the courage to start get started because you’re still looking for inspiration? Then check out how adorably simple this pinned pocket and lapel design from Betties n’ Brimstone is! We love that it uses both enamel pins and patches to really communicate your personality to the world.
15. Custom enamel pin backpack
Are you crazy about the idea of not just displaying your pins but actually incorporating them into your personal fashion, but you don’t have an awesome denim jacket to work with right now? Then try pinning them all over your backpack, book bag, or work bag instead! We love that putting the pins onto a bag that you use for random tasks every day adds a little bit of fun to your daily routine. See the idea in more detail on The Fashion Foot!
