Hair elastics for closures

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Sloan Howard

Sloan Howard

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Hair elastics make excellent button loops, and they’re perfect for many other embellishments as well. I use a simple circle elastic joined with crimped metal, glue, or stitching. The elastics give a professional finish to a garment, and they come in an extraordinary array of colors, patterns and finishes. They can be sandwiched between the facing and the fashion fabric or added as an embellishment on the outside. Use them intact, or cut them for smaller loops.

Loop one over a button on one side of a jacket opening, and twist, stitch, or knot it in the middle. Then loop it over a button on the other side so that the elastic holds the two sides together without having to bother with buttonholes.

Use thicker elastics to fasten handbags and totes using a plain, chunky, or oddly shaped button to complete the closure. I’ve learned to be careful not to sew over the crimped or glued section of the elastic, and I’ve found thinner elastics are much easier to work with when stitching by machine. I often keep a variety of elastics on hand, ready to incorporate them in my sewing projects.

—Margaret James, Kingswood, South Australia


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Comments (3)

BLANCHED writes: I use them to add some breathing room to the waist button of my pants or skirts.
Posted: 7:39 am on February 8th

fun2designs writes: OMG I do that too! on my little pouches. never saw it done before. But I don't get out much.
Posted: 10:05 pm on September 24th

Jetmuis writes: funny i use them always as an closering help for a lot of my crafting projects,
and i used the thick ones for hair too, because of the sweet colours they always have,
Posted: 11:38 am on August 22nd

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