"I started out with nothing and I've got most of it left." - Groucho Marx

I soooooo feel like that's my life most of the time! Which is why I came up with this "crafty" way of solving a problem I had .... HANGERS!

I know what you are thinking...Ummm Kate, you can get hangers at the Dollar Store! Get a grip. I'm not talking about normal hangers though, I'm talking about hangers for doll clothes. I made that cute little wardrobe for Grace's American Girl Doll clothes, but she has more clothes than hangers! (No, I have no idea how that happened. All I can say is "Grace" happened!)

So, I posted on facebook asking for help looking for doll clothes hangers. All wonderful suggestions! I searched everywhere people suggested ... AC Moore, Toys 'R Us, Walmart, Target, and Michaels Crafts. I even searched online. I found them online for $8 for four hangers, $8 for eight hangers. WHAT?!?!?! Are you friggin' kidding me??? My big butt clothes hang on hangers for less than that!!! AC Moore, Walmart, and Target didn't have any, but Michaels did. Unfortunately, they were too small.
 
My friend Leslie even suggested baby clothes hangers. Some how, I actually had a few here, even though my daughter is 9 years old and I swore I got rid them all. Unfortunately, they were too big. But after all this searching I got an idea!!

 

And that idea was ...... PIPE CLEANERS!!! I knew going to college for teaching would come in handy some day! :)
 
So, I was going to go to the Dollar Store and pick some up. (Or possibly ask fellow teachers to "donate" to my "Keep Kate Sane" fund!) But by the act of the power from the "other side" ...... SURPRISE!!!

 

 

What is that you ask?!?!?! My grandmother from the "other side" had me open a box in an old container that I have of hers that was filled with material. And look what I found!!! PIPE CLEANERS!!! Can I get an AMEN?!?!?!

 

Of course she had them cut up, and twisted as petals for flowers...but who cares?! My heart was doing the FREE FREE FREE dance! (Thanks Mommom!!!)

 

So I untwisted 3 "petals" and put them together as one. I began to think that just one long pipe cleaner would not be sturdy enough, so I decided to use two and then twist them together.

 

                             

 

I took the twisted one and twisted one end about one quarter of the way down from the other end like so.....

 

 



And then I shaped it to look like a hanger, like so.....

 

 

 

And WAH LAH!!! Doll clothes hangers!!! If there was a high market for this, I'd so be rich by now! :)