Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Holy Binding Wires!

So the new place in town, Zipp Outlet, that I told y'all about like last week has some really good bargains and while I didn't like the store at first I am getting over my OCD tendencies and getting to where I am able to just get in there and dig around. I have learned that it is easier if I don't take my purse in because they don't have carts but rather have Ikea bags, ya know the huge blue ones, that you use for your shopping experience and to me it's easier just to go back out and get my wallet if I find something I want to buy.


I was in there last week and I saw this huge ball of binding wires, notice I said ball. If ya know anything about binding wires you know they should be stored flat, separated, away from each other, with dividers...not in a ball! They ball had a white tag, which meant it would be half off, but there was only a corner of the tag on there. I took the ball up to the cashier and she said she could let me have it for $3, so it would be $1.50. I figured for that price I would take a chance on getting a few wires out of the ball.


I spent much of Friday night at my craft desk working on untangling the wires and through much patience and tenacity I was able to get all of the wires untangled except two. I did have to clip to others at the ends because they were so intertwined it was impossible to get them apart. With all the wires laid out I was almost giddy thinking of what a great deal I got. Even though the wires were only the 5/8" size I figured they could be used for some smaller projects.


After I got all the wires laid out I had to do the math and figure out how much I had saved and I was so proud of the total. I had $75 worth of binding wires for $1.50! The picture shows part of the wires, the rest were on another part of my craft table. 


On Saturday I found a way to keep the wires stored without them getting tangled again and due to my experience in the past with binding wires I know you can carefully put two together without them getting enmeshed with each other so I knew it would be better for storage to use this method. The wax paper sheets I also found at Zipp came in handy to wrap the wires to keep them separated from each other. I was able to wrap 4 wires in each sheet.

Wanting to try the wires out I started on, and still working to finish, some coaster mini albums. Once I got one of them completed I couldn't wait to punch the holes with my Cinch and check out the wires. Imagine my frustration when I quickly realized that the wonderful wires I got are actually 3:1 pitch and not the 2:1 pitch that my Cinch punches *okie gives herself a smack on the forehead*. Now what was I suppose to do...well I am finishing my little albums, the one I punched has the 2:1 pitch wires but the others I will try another method of punching so I can use the 3:1 pitch wires. When I find out if it works I will post pictures. Even if it doesn't work I will still post pictures of my failure...but I am not use to failing when it comes to crafting. I will make this work!

11 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh that's one great store

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  2. Remember giving a bunch of these to Fred to untangle? lol! Sounds like you got a great deal even if you did have to untangle them.

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    1. Oh I remember that quite well! I was ready to toss the whole thing out the window! LOL That is also when I learned the correct way to put them together carefully to save space LOL

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  3. Shirley, I take my hat off to you. Not only do you have this uncanny way of finding the most amazing bargains imaginable (here, I believe your skills of looking beyond what is, to see what could be, serves you extremely well) ... you also have the most amazing patience and "stick-to-it-tive-ness" EVER ... something that I could use a lot more of. I am not going to pretend that I know what 2:1 or 3:1 pitch means, but I am guessing it refers to the distance between each of the rings on the binder strip, or something similar to that. Whatever it is, I KNOW you will find a solution ... because that's just the way you are and I am anxious to see what you come up with.

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  4. Wow! Not only did you get a great deal, you have the patience of a saint! Can't wait to see your projects finished!

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  5. Knowing you, I can't wait to see your solution! It will be fantastic as usual! LOL!

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  6. What a bargain Shirley! But then to sit there and untangle them all is amazing. I would have done the same thing if I'd find a bargain like this. lol I wouldn't have given the 2:1 or 3:1 pitch thing a thought either, but know you, you will make it work and I for one can't wait to see how you do it! Hugs, Brenda

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  7. What a great deal and can't wait to see what you come up with!!!!

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  8. LOL. You're such a brave girl to tackle such a big ball of binding wires. I probably would've passed.

    http://scrappyvee.blogspot.co.nz/

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  9. Is there a way to cut small pieces off to use as wobble discs???

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    1. I don't know if you could or not but seems like it would be a pain to do.

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