DIY Sunglasses Napkin Rings — Easy, Playful Summer Table Decor
Add a fun, inexpensive handmade touch to your summer table by turning cheap plastic sunglasses into quirky napkin rings. This simple project requires only a few basic tools and gives your place settings a playful, beachy vibe.
Supplies Needed
- Plastic sunglasses (one pair per napkin ring)
- Wire snips or small cutting tool
- Sanding sponge or sandpaper (medium grit)
- Super tiny screwdriver (usually a small Phillips)
- Cloth napkins
Finished napkin ring ready on a summer napkin for a casual table setting.
Pop out lenses.
Start by removing the lenses from a pair of plastic sunglasses.
For the glasses I used, I was able to just pop the lenses right out of the sunglasses. And most plastic sunglasses will be the same. Just push, usually from the outside of the glasses toward the inside (the side that sits closest to your face).
Remove the arms using a small screwdriver so you’re left with just the eye portion.
Remove arms.
Use a super tiny (usually Phillips’ head) screwdriver to remove the arms of the sunglasses.
Cut away the bridge of the glasses so the circular eye portion can act as the ring.
Use wire snips to cut the bridge of glasses.
You could certainly use other tools to cut the sunglasses. I just happened to have some wire snips handy, so that’s what I used. Try to snip as close to the circular eye portion of the glasses as possible (cut as much of the bridge piece away as you can).
Smooth any sharp or jagged edges with a sanding sponge or sandpaper.
Use a sanding block to grind down sharp edges.
You’ll likely be left with a bit of a jagged edge after cutting your sunglass frames. Take a sanding sponge and knock down those jagged edges. If you don’t have a sanding sponge, you can try a sanding block or regular sandpaper. I’d recommend a medium to heavy grit.
Thread a napkin through the finished ring for a quick table-ready look.
Dinnertime.
Or party-time, whatever the case may be! Grab a napkin and stuff through your new DIY napkin ring!
A simple, summery napkin ring made from repurposed sunglasses — done and ready to use.
Done!