Wednesday, February 3, 2010

A Very Little Project

Last week we all got new security keys to the building where I work. The keys are business-sized cards with a computer chip in them. You wave it in front of the security panel, and the door unlocks for a few seconds. Sounds good, right?
Not when it's 10 degrees and windy, and you've got the thing in your wallet, in your purse which is over your shoulder behind your laptop bag. Have to stop, put everything down, remove gloves (remember it's 10F with VERY STRONG WINDS), find card, gather bags, wave card, open door.
Ergo, a lanyard. Leftover piece of binding, metal clip from stash of findings, and about ten minutes at the sewing machine. I made the thing extra long so I don't have to take it off to wave it in front of the security panel (which is mounted just above my eye level).

Works like a charm.

Heh!

9 comments:

Kucki68 said...

I wonder if a little pocket on your gloves would work (that is if the chip can be read through a thin layer of fabric or knit)? I know someone made a pattern for her metro ticket.

Millie said...

That's an idea, but my gloves are thick, and the card is larger than that part of my hand, not at all flexible, and I don't want to lose the damn thing.

ana s. said...

I wore one of those with my badge for over 25 years. Darn Federal building.

ana s. said...

I wore one of those with my badge for over 25 years. Darn Federal building.

Mary said...

Ah yes - I also have a millstone, er - access key, around my neck along with a badge. However, there's not much of a chance of having to deal with the 10 degrees and windy part of the problem down here. For us it's usually trying to scamper out of deluges where the wind is blowing the rain horizontally when it's 98 degrees (yuck!)

Unknown said...

Hubby has one of those cards too. Not so sure he would go for one of those very pretty, very useful lanyards though. I think it is such a clever idea.

NeverBored said...

I'm betting your fellow employees are going to be asking you to make them one of these pretty lanyards; they're functional and unique!

Just Ducky said...

Gee mum said when she started work they had a choice of a lanyard or a thingy that clipped to your pocket but had a retractable bungy style cord. Mum agrees that the lanyards need to be long, otherwise they hit on the wrong portion of a females body.

woolywoman said...

could you make it a little quilt block pocket? Mine works through a little plastic pocket. Cool that it is totally washable, so you never have to have a grubby lanyard.