Make a Rubber Band Travel Clothesline ( for Less Than $1 )

I have always loved the concept of those rubber travel clotheslines (I'm an engineer; what can I say.) They stretch to accommodate different spans, and there's no need for clips or hangers. I was not, however, about to shell out $10 plus shipping and handling to get one. (if you're not as cheap as I am, you can buy one here)

So, while feeling creative and bored on a recent business trip, I decided to try and make one. Here's what I did.

(My apologies for the less-than-stellar picture quality. A camera-phone is all I had with me at the time)

Step 1: Preparation

Gather together 60 rubber bands (I used 3.5" by 0.25") and put some water in the sink.

(Note: I used 60 and that seems to work well. you can use more or less, just make sure it's a multiple of 3)

Step 2: Divide and Conquer

Divide the rubber bands into three even piles and toss one of the piles in the sink. Lubing them with some water is going to make them easier to knot together

Step 3: Making the First Strand

Take all the rubber bands that are in the sink and knot them into a long strand

Step 4: Make Two More Strands

Once you're finished with the first strand, toss in the next set of bands and repeat the process. When the second strand is done do it once more with the remaining bands to make the last strand

Step 5: Bring the Strands Together

Knot the 3 strands together near one end, and start braiding the long strands together.

Step 6: Finish the Clothesline

As the braid nears the end of the strands, tie another knot to finish things off, and you're done!

Step 7: Using Your New Clothesline

Before you can hang clothes on it, the line must be hung. I can think of two ways of doing this:

1: Wrapping the end around a sturdy object, pushing the knot through a hole made in the braids. It's pretty strong, and easy to remove quickly.

2: The second option isn't as quick, but it's stronger. Wrap the end around an object and run the whole clothesline through the loop at the end. Pull tight and you've got a great grip that won't slip. It's just a bit more difficult to remove.

Once the line is hung, just poke a piece of the clothing you're trying to dry through a hole in the braid. The rubber will grip it tight.