Are you as obsessed with Emi Jay hair ties as I am? Apparently celebs like Jennifer Anniston, Reese Witherspoon, Kim Kardashian, Katie Holmes, and half of Hollywood swear by them. They are amazing, but far too expensive for me to buy on the reg; two bucks each isn't a price I can justify  That's why I figured out how to make them. At Home. For less than fifty cents each. 

These elastic hair ties are the bee's knees. No joke. They don't snag or get caught in your hair; you can make them in a bajillion colors and patterns, and they're light enough to wear around your wrist without cutting off your circulation--or worse, looking like Scrunchies from 1988. (The horror!)

You can make your own "Emi Jay's" at home--or wherever, really, but that's beside the point. All you need to know is it's fast and easy--you can even make these as a craft project with your kiddos.

Here's your list of supplies:

  • Fold Over Elastic: it's available in an array of colors and patterns. You can order it online (better for specialty prints) or just walk up in the craft store and GET YOU SOME. I bought the pale pink and leopard print elastic for mine at Michael's Saturday. After tax, I think they were, like, six bucks each. (*PRO TIP: To save yourself from walking around Michael's like a confused, lost child searching for the elastic until a random shopper walks by and asks you if you're okay--Micheal's keeps their fold over elastic with the ribbon.)
  • Scissors
  • Lighter

Here's how you make them:

  1. Unroll the elastic and use a piece to measure your wrist. You'll want to add an inch to allow for the tie at the end. For mine, I cut strips that were seven inches long.
  2. Cut all the elastic into equally sized strips.
  3. Fold the elastic in half (or go ahead and wrap it around your wrist) and tie a tight knot at the end. Repeat for all your elastic strips.
  4. This step is optional--trim the excess elastic off the knot. I left about an eighth of an inch on  mine.
  5. Quickly pass the excess elastic (on the outside of the knots you made) back and forth through the flame of a small lighter. The heat will melt the frayed ends of the elastic and prevent them from unraveling later. It goes without saying that this is a step for the grown-ups. Kids and fire are not a good mix.

It's that easy. Seriously. I made 24 in less than ten minutes. I'll never pay for these things again. Nordstrom has them listed online for more than two dollars each. I am literally laughing out loud all the way to the bank... and then back to the craft store, because I kind of want to make more.

DIY Elastic Hair Ties Emi Jay
Just a few of the ties I made Saturday--cost less than fifty cents each, and they look EXACTLY like those pricey Emi Jays.
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