Headphone Wrap

http://kissmeawake.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-prevent-earbud-tangles-with-old.html

First, what you'll need:

*3 skeins of embroidery floss, 8.7 yards each (there's only one in the picture, but you'll need 3; and don't get the satin kind, it's really pretty but doesn't hold a knot worth crap)
*Scissors
*Tape
*A paper clamp (not necessary but will make things easier)
*Earbuds
*Not a measuring tape...he kind of just snuck his way into the picture

Supplies - make sure you've got three of the skeins of floss
I picked a variegated color because I wanted to have some color variety, but I didn't want to have to go through the trouble of tying different colors on and off.

Ready to rock? Here we go:

Start by taping the plug end of the earbuds to the table.
Taping in an X pattern seemed to hold it better than just putting a strip across.
Wrap the other end (the "buds") around the back of your chair, and clip in place with the paper clamp. If you're working in the floor, you can tape the plug end to the floor, and (this sounds weird, but it works really well) wind the other end around your big toe.
The paper clamp holds the other end in place so the cord is taut.
Here's what my work space looks like so far.
See how the cord is stretched instead of slack?
This will make it easier to wrap the cord.
Now, take out a skein of embroidery floss and untangle it. Even when it's fresh from the skein, it ALWAYS tangles when I take off those little paper rings!
Don't be alarmed, floss tangles are normal!
Next, find the two ends of the floss and the midpoint of the entire length.
Hint: After you find the midpoint, pinch it as we go to the next step.
It's easy to drop it and have to start over!
Put the embroidery floss under the cord, and keep track of the midpoint so you'll be able to tie a knot with relatively even lengths on either side. Tie a knot around the cord, just like you would in the first step of tying your shoes.
Tie a single knot...
...and pull it tight.
Next, use your hand to roll up each side of the floss. It's really long right now, and it'll be a pain in the butt to work with if you don't roll it up.



Just wind each end (one at a time) around your hand...

...and set down on either side of the cord.
Alright, now here is where this gets really sexy and awesome, because -- guess what! -- I made a short video tutorial to show you how to do the Chinese Staircase stitch! This knotting technique is very easy, but it's better shown than written. Watch, and be amazed at how incredible you will be as you try it along with me.


As you get farther along in your wrapping, you can move the already wrapped part up and tape it over the wrapping. Otherwise, you'll be working with your elbows in your sides like a T-Rex.
Move the tape to get the cord in a comfortable position for wrapping again.
Eventually you're going to run out of floss. When the ends are getting too short to work with, trim them to about 1 inch and wrap them with a short piece of tape. Then just start off a new skein of floss same as we did originally, tying a simple knot and then starting the Chinese Staircase again.

Trim and tape the ends.
Start a new skein and wrap right over the tape.
When you get to the end of the cord (where it splits off into each earbud), tie a simple double knot, trim the ends very close to the knot, and dab on a tiny bit of clear-drying glue. I use my fingers to spread the glue around the knot and squeeze it to flatten the tiny ends of floss.
Tie a double knot, then trim the ends close to the knot.
Dab on some glue to secure the knot.
Now, to wrap the two earbud strands, you just start over again. Tape an earbud to the table, clamp the already wrapped cord to your chair, and go at it. When one earbud strand is all wrapped, do the other one.
Tape on the earbud just like we did with the plug end of the cord.
Clamp down the already wrapped end.
You'll have to tie off and knot on a new skein when you run out, or if your one of your earbuds has a plastic piece in the middle like mine do. Don't worry, just go back and follow the simple steps we already went though. I'm sure you're ROCKING this!

It took me about three hours to finish this project. You don't have to do it all in one sitting, though. Since we're essentially wrapping the cord with pretty knots, it won't come undone if you set it aside for awhile.