MacGyver Tailoring

The downside to a martial arts class is that you've got to wash your uniform pretty regularly in order to keep it from evolving into a new life form and murdering you in your sleep with a rank odor.

Good, clean fun.

This does put a bit of wear-and-tear on an outfit that's already getting its fair share of abuse. Washing machines are not gentle constructs.

The pants of most martial arts uniforms I've owned are essentially a pair of white cloth pants secured about the waist by a draw-cord of some sort. Usually said draw cord is looped through the pants along the waist.

The sucky part is when the cord is double-looped about the waist (as my current uniforms are) and part of the cord gets pulled so it's stuck mid-way through a seam so I can't pull it tight. My only option is to pull the cord loose entirely and try to figure out how to re-string it.

Did I mention I'm hopeless with a needle and string? I'm especially wary of messing with any sewing on white cloth. My blood (from said needle) would doubtless stain the outfit.

So, on my last laundry pass (last night), this happened with one pair of pants. I had to pull part of the cord loose and yeah... I figured that was that. Time to buy a new uniform ('cause God forbid a supply store would only sell the pants... that would make too much sense).

I don't know what inspired me to grab a wire hanger from my closet, straighten it, duct-tape one end to the cord, and use the straightened hanger to re-string the pants.

I may never know.

All I know is that it worked.

I don't consider myself an especially-brilliant example of humanity, but damn I'm proud of my little flicker of resourcefulness tonight.

Yeah, shut up. I know it's a small thing. Let me have my victories, damnit.