I am a late-life clothespin convert. We spent many years apart, but now I can’t get enough of them. Literally. Every time I see a big pack of them at the store (usually for under a dollar) I just get them because I know I will use them for everything but laundry. Craft projects. In the office. In the pantry. In the basement. On my fridge…everywhere. And while there is nothing wrong with a humble wooden clothespin, I like to dress them up with a bit of dye.
Now, can you think of a time of year when you have small quantites of dye laying around with nothing to do?
Oh yeah. Hello, Easter eggs!
And hey now – if you use food-safe dye, you can use the clips on food. Here I used those teensy clothespins as drink markers. Make a bunch in different colors and clip them onto glasses before your next party – now everyone will be able to spot their drink in the crowd. Works just as well on wine glasses as it does on red plastic cups. They also work great on paper plates and double as a nifty way to keep paper napkins in place when it comes to eating outdoors.
You can also use them in place of those chip clips that people pay good money for. Seriously, why pay $2 for a single chip clip when you can buy 80 clothespins for that same price? Stop the madness!
Want to make a batch for yourself?
After you are done dyeing the eggs, let the clothespins soak in the dye. Ten minutes will give you a pale pastels, while overnight will give a brighter, more vivid hue (just be careful if you buy clothespins with non-galvinized hinges as they may rust if you leave them for too long (but this is usually not a problem).)
Lay them out to dry on a paper towel to dry, and whamo! You’re in business. Not a bad way to double up on that leftover Easter egg dye, huh?
Do you have any interesting ways you like to use clothespins? Let me know. I would love to hear!
This post is brought to you by Paas, America’s favorite Easter tradition. Be sure to check them out on Facebook and see all the other cool things you can do with Paas!
I use clothespins in my studio all the time, mostly for holding things together while glue dries. I’ve been painting them with whatever excess paint I have from projects, but drying them looks much faster!
I keep several clothespins (and some binder clips) in my travel bag. They’re great for clipping hotel room curtains closed (because those stupid things NEVER close all the way and I don’t usually want to put on a show), for hanging up my loofah to dry in the shower (why don’t most hotel bathroom shave some sort of shower caddy for bath supplies?), for keeping receipts and other paper together, for keeping excess lengths of cords (phone charger, curling iron, whatever) gathered up and out of the way. The uses are endless, without even mentioning hanging up clothing to dry in a hotel room.
We use a ton in the kitchen, too, not only to keep chip bags closed, but to close cereal bags inside the boxes, and to close bread bags, too. Those little square plastic tabs are basically worthless and I chuck ’em immediately. I also hang my rubber dish gloves to dry on the side of the fridge with a clothespin with a magnet on back.
I love the idea for clipping napkins to paper plates while eating outside. Good on ya mate!
You can make a pretty cool sculpture using electrical wire (the thickness of clothesline, or thereabouts) and clothes pins. Just load up the length of wire (a couple of feet or more!) with clothes pins, and then shape the wire into an abstract design…or a bowl…or…anything! I’ve done it with all the clothes pins going in the same direction on the wire, but mixing it up would be fun, too…especially with your colored pins! (And the pins cover up the wire, so it is quite the conversation piece!)
You can make scented clothes pins if you place the wooden pins in a jam jar with a few drops of essential oils. Screw on the lid and let them sit for a day or two. They make you closet smell great. You can also clip one on your car fan vent for a DIY freshener.