Coiled Wire ~ An Organizational Idea

I'm not sure if I have the right magazine, but isn't it Highlights where they have that page of close-up pictures? The photographer has zoomed in on part of an object or an animal and the kids have to guess what the picture is of.

My picture here, of coils and Pipe Cleaners, made me think of that. If I had not named this post, "Coiled Wire..." would you have to look twice?

I'm sharing a little organizational idea with you today. I've been working with coiled wire lately. Since I'm turning the coiled wire into beads and shapes, I like to make more than one coil at a time so I have a little stock of wire at the ready. When I work with the coiled wire, I like to have it attached to something to make it more stable and easier to handle. These desires led me to my craft closet yesterday.

I was looking for something I could pass through the coils when I saw a collection of Pipe Cleaners. Initially I was thinking I'd like something less flexible, but now, I think Pipe Cleaners for coil work and storage are a pretty cool idea.



Here's why:
1. Both the large and small diameter coils will fit on a standard Pipe Cleaner
2. You can color code your inventory to help keep track of different wire gauges by using different colored Pipe Cleaners.
3. You can also organize different colors of wire by using different colors of Pipe Cleaners
4. The coiled wire does not slide off so you could store your stock of coiled wire by hanging them on a wall. They're Pipe Cleaners after all, so they would easily attach to a hook on a pegboard or something as simple as a string stretched between two nails. You could also use removable 3M hooks.
5. You can work with the coiled wire while it's on the pipe cleaner by attaching either end of the pipe cleaner to something stable. For example, you could use two clamped down corner braces. The holes in the braces create a convenient place to attach either end of the Pipe Cleaner.

There you have it. Coils and Pipe Cleaners! It's a handy combination!