Every once in a while an idea comes along that is so obvious and so simple you say, Why didn't I think of that? Well, I didn't think of it, but I am going to pass along the home made version of this idea and if you don't find yourself making this for yourself--you could be making it for your teenagers or your other half or your dad or just anyone who picks up their earphones and has to spend 5 minutes or longer untangling them before you plug 'em into your music device...
Just browsing across the internet, looking for stuff I came across this particular product - they call them zip up headphones...
(thats my husbands wrinkledy chin)
As I worked out a homemade version, I took pictures as I went -- now this is so very easy, it barely needs an explaination, but I will give you my little system for putting them together. If you can thread a needle and make a running stitch you have all the expertise you need to make these for yourself...My photos are not so great today cause it is dark and rainy and cloudy which makes the inside lights look really yellow... Anyway, any questions, leave a comment at the end. I love this idea and I think that anyone who can sew this together deserves to have one, so my homemade version has no restrictions or copyrights or rules. I don't know if there is a copyright or restrictions on this idea, so for now, I say it is a free idea until someone sends me a nasty letter... I think they would be a bit tedious to go making dozens to sell, but hey, you never know, someone out there may have the time and inclination...
Anyway, Go get a needle and thread and hunt up a really long zipper -- 42" will cover the job from one end to the other, but 22" will work okay too. Or any zipper in between, but 22" is about as short as you can go without leaving too much out to tangle itself... Oh, Zippers aren't cheap -- unless you find them at the second hand store, or you have an old hoodie that you want to carefully take the zipper out of -- but if you use a jacket zipper, you might have to do some extra stitching at the bottom so that the zipper pull doesn't go all the way down and come undun and all your stitching will be for naught...
Here is the second set of zip-up headphones that I made compared to another pair that doesn't have the zip-up treatment. (the zipper is stiff enough to keep the ends from twisting and knotting)
To start this little project -- It should take you less than an hour --- first, lay out your headphones on a table or on your lap, make sure they are straight and together -- no knots. Next, get your zipper and unzip it for about 6 inches. Thread your needle, use a regular sewing needle, not too big but not tiny either, tie a knot at the end and sort of hem the rough edge in. Working on one side of the two halfs of the Zipper, fold over the top bit of the zipper and sort of wrap it around one headphone wire right up near the ear piece, sew the fabric so it goes around the wire. This is a bit of a tricky manouver but fiddle with it and you will get it. Now if you can see in the photo below once you have the zipper fabric wrapped and sew just below the earpiece it is quite easy to continue covering the wire with the zipper fabric part.
Sew along the wire, make sure your don't nick the wire with your needle, you just want the wire encased in that bit of folded over fabric -- also keep the fold clear of the zipper teeth, cause you want to be able to easily slide the zipper up and down later.
When you get to where the two wires join, stop at this point and secure your thread and knot on the inside of the fold over. Now, start the same thing with the other ear phone and wire -- you need to make sure that the teeth of your zipper are facing, if you twist it, you will end up with a problem and you won't be able to close up the zipper.
This photo shows pretty clearly how the wires fit in the fold over that you are stitching.
When you get to the "Y" joint, bring together the two sides of the fabric and making sure to keep the wire inside what is now a tube, sew all the way to the bottom of the zipper. Finish off the bottom by folding under the ends and making it look neat.
You got this, just by looking at it, RIGHT?
Let me know if you didn't, I am so excited by this idea, I had to put it out to my readers TODAY!
Oh and to see the stitching a bit better just clik on each picture and the photo will open larger for you, then just clik on your back button to get back to these sorta instructions...
