Our modern take on the classic pasta craft is bright, bold, and colorfast.
Getting started
First dye the pasta (see shapes below for each project). For each color, have an adult assist with pouring 5 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol into a ziplock plastic bag. (You can substitute distilled white vinegar for the rubbing alcohol, but the pasta will become a bit more brittle.) Add 15 or so drops of food coloring. Seal the bag and swirl it to combine. Add 1/2 cup pasta, then seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Move the pasta around so that the color is evenly distributed. Let it sit in the bag for 15 minutes, then pour the pasta onto a cookie sheet lined with foil. Use a skewer or toothpick to spread the pieces into a single layer to dry completely, about an hour.
For the neckaroni
Beaded necklace: Thread pasta (we used rigatoni, ziti, and wagon wheels) onto a cord. Tie the ends together.
Penne-dants: Glue pasta pieces (we used ziti, wagon wheels, ditalini, and a star) together with tacky glue. Let them dry on waxed paper. If needed, adhere a piece of ditalini to the back to provide a hole for stringing.
For the earrini
Straight earrings: String a piece of ditalini onto a 7-inch length of craft wire. Fold the wire in half with the ditalini in the center. String a star onto each wire end, then insert both ends through a piece of ziti. Top with a mini wheel and a ditalini, then twist both ends around an earring wire.
Circular earrings: Loop and twist one end of a 5-inch length of craft wire around an earring wire. Thread stars and ditalini onto the craft wire, bend it into a circle, then loop and twist the end around the earring.
