I like to wear watches out. I like to wear a watch day and night until it falls off my wrist. The past 4 or so watches have eventually fallen off because the wristband has broken, not because the time-keeping device has failed. Normally you would be able to just buy a replacement band, but for reasons unknown, timex doesn't seem to sell replacement bands for their ladies ironman watches. Bah to that. I have tried to fix a few watchbands, but they are some sort of rubber and even with hot glue, or string, or duct tape....it just doesn't work. Also I don't want to look too shabby.
How does this relate to freestyle? Despite not having a functional wristband, I saved the watch part, waiting for inspiration. And waiting.
But recently, during a dinner-time open ideas session, Creative Roommate (not a watch wearer) and I were thinking of when she might want to know the time, but wouldn't have access to her phone. We came up with: 1) Swimming, 2) Biking
I had a large piece of fake leather (fleather?) remnant from a discount store (left over from another project), so we came up with the idea of a cuff-type bracelet with the time piece attached. Since the pins that held the original wristband to the timepiece were still intact, I took a narrow piece of fleather and threaded it over the pin-under the watch-over the other pin, and attached it to a larger piece of fleather.
The result is shown below.
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| After the main attachment |
After fitting the main piece to Creative Roommate's wrist, we decided that an angled attachment would be the best way to ensure a proper fit. I first suggested rip&stick-type closure, she wanted snaps, and I just happened to have some 'pearl' covered snaps in the old notions box. After some decorative stitching around the outside and snaps installation the reclaimed watch was ready to wear.
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| Snaps! |
It has an angled closure in order to fit the arm better, a custom fit for the apartment artist.
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| What time is is? Freestyle time! |