In the summer of 2020, I bought a pack of cheap hair loops. I had two reasons for this.
First - my hair was getting long and I wanted to tie it back. I was in Norfolk with Rosie- my hair ties were in Dorset with Bob [not that he needed them!]
Second, I'd seen a hack online about making easy masks.The mask idea didn't work for me - I could not keep the loops over my ears. My hair shorter now, but I have found lots of alternative uses for the loops.When travelling, they keep the lids on small bottles
I've not done this myself - but it is a quick way to turn a regular bra into a 'racerback' should you need to. Just pull the straps together and tie up.If your jeans are too tight, you can gain a bit of breathing space by looping the band through the buttonhole and round the button [yes I did do that once, before the diet!]Wearing an elastic band on your wrist and snapping it when stressed is said to be an anxiety reliever [Nadiya Hussein uses this technique] Hair loops are more comfortable to wear than regular elastic bands, and less prone to breaking.
For tying up bags for long term storage [eg bags of spare curtains, soft toys etc which you want to put up in the loft] a hair loop is much better than a rubber band which will degrade, and go brittle. And this week I came up with my own hack - the elastic loop on my turbie towel had lost all elasticity and was useless. I simply unpicked it and replaced it with a new stretchy hairloop. 
I am sure these little loops have got lots more uses - I have around a dozen left in the pack! Do share any good tips you may have for them
I've used one when I made a bag. I used a decorative button and I just slipped the loop over the button to fasten it. I'm planning on some covered notebooks this year and will use the same technique. They come in such good colours for crafting.
ReplyDeleteOh I love the idea of a button-loop for bags and book covers. Wilko do a lovely pack of children's hair loops in all sorts of colours (inexpensive too)
DeleteI used them as makeshift ankle clips for cycling when I was wearing loose trousers that kept getting caught in the pedals and needed a quick fix. It wasn't ideal but helped.
ReplyDeleteI used them to keep kids on tins too.
Also an old sock top works for all these purposes too!
I hope that's a typo for "lids". I'm amused by the thought of your pupils being attached to tins!!
DeleteMy hair has never been long enough to need them but with two granddaughters with long hair I may need to get a stock in!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely!
DeleteI just use them for hair ties!
ReplyDeleteSome brilliant ideas, with super short hair I have never thought to buy any but they could be a useful standby thing to have. Elastic bands seem to deteriorate very quickly these days so using hair loops is a brilliant tip.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a good standby
DeleteThey sound like the sort of thing I need.....the jeans button trick sounds like it would be very useful!
ReplyDeleteMust get some asap!!
Especially if you plan on eating lots of French patisserie in coming days!
DeleteMy pandemic long hair ties were smaller, fuzzy stretchy ones and I passed on most to DDIL and DGD. (DS looked hurt because he also has long hair in a pony tail but I think they shared the black ones with him.). I like your ideas, especially to replace rubber bands. Now, what do I do with my collection of rubber bands from broccoli, green onions, etc.?
ReplyDeleteMy broccoli and spring onion bands live in an egg cup at the back of the egg rack. They are waiting for me to find a use for them!
DeleteKeeping knitting needles in pairs. I rarely use straights now as I prefer circulars. You can also wrap a tie a few times around the end of a needle to keep the stitches on. I've also used a tie wrapped around a needle to mark where to increase when it's 'make one every other row'. Some good ideas here. I shall come back and check the comments.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lyssa, these are good tips
DeleteI put one round my slim diary in my handbag.
ReplyDelete