Learn how to drill holes in shells to hang shells and make garlands.
If you are serious about drilling holes in shells, then the Dremel tool is your friend. It's a small speedy and very handy plug-in drill that's easy to work with.
I dressed up a bottle with the small shell and hung the large shell on the curtain rod. The shells I used to Make a Simple Shell Garland, already had holes when I found them on the beach.
For the thick sturdy quahog shell I used a regular drill bit to make the two holes. For the more delicate thin shell, I chose a tiny drill bit. Push slightly down on the shell, but be careful not to crack it. Start with a test shell to get the feel for it.
And just to be safe, wear a safety mask and glasses.
This was my test shell. You see a close up of the drill bit I used on the right. If you want to make the hole larger, the grinding bit (on the left) works great.
Another way to make a hole in a shell is using this ancient no drill technique: grind down an area on the shell with a rock until thin enough to puncture a hole. This takes patience.
