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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

All Tied Up!


Chris From Canada wrote:

Don't pitch broken shoelaces from until you have:
  • cut the ends off about 2/3" down the lace from where the plastic or metal thing-a-ma-jig ends, assuming they're still there and aren't the reason for changing the laces. Coat the thing-a-ma-jig with paint or nail enamel in the desired colour, and shred the shoelace stump with a pin right up to the thing-a-ma-jig. Trim the threads evenly to between 1/3" and 1/2", and you have an old-fashioned duster. AND
  • examined the lace to determine whether it is a hollow knit tube or is joined together. If it is a tube, you can make use of the good parts from the wider ones for small knit items like a baby/child's hat, undershirts, panties, and adult socks, leggings, and long sleeves. Dye or decorate (if desired) with food colouring and water, water colours or marker, then measure, mark, cut, treat edges with glue or Fray Stop and hem (or not) as desired.
The round laces for dress shoes, although usually hollow, are generally too tiny for clothing except maybe as an evening gown in 144th, but could possibly work as a body for a snake in a 1:12 museum or zoo scene with the aid of some marker or paint and some stiff reddened thread for the tongue. I can't think of much the flat joined laces could be turned into except perhaps a 1:12 scarf, or a QS doormat, but I am sure someone can come up with something else.