<p>Simply sew over them with a sewing machine. If you don't have a sewing machine, hand sew a few times through both bands instead of placing just a single loop. About 6 - 10 stitches should be stable enough.</p>
<p>If you want to use a sewing machine, lay the bands on top of each other and sew a straight stitch everywhere you want to connect them. Use a small stitch length. Start sewing at the top, sew to the bottom, then reverse stitch all the way up again. That secures the thread so it doesn't come lose again.</p>
<p>If you hand sew the bands, don't use any knots at all because they can be easily pulled through the elastic. Use an &quot;anchor stitch&quot; instead: Begin the seam by a tiny stitch (no more than 1 mm) through only one band. Then stitch through the same holes 2 more times (for a total of 3). Then lay the other elastic band where you want it and sew both together. When you finish, place 3 tiny stitches on top of each other again, then pull the needle through the top rubber band, right next to the seam you just sewed. Cut the thread where it reappears from the band (opposite of the 3 tiny stitches). This technique secures the thread in the bands so it cannot be pulled out.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-28T15:36:31.250Z
I see. Does this technique happen to have a name I can look up, or is there some kind of tutorial online somewhere? I am a beginner when it comes to sewing so I wasn't able to follow all your instructions in the latter part of your answer.
Yes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-28T19:00:35.840Z
@Yes It's called an "anchor stitch" and you'll find many different instructions online. Some peole cteate a little knot with their anchor stitch, but personally I've made the experience that it's not neccessary. For thick thread like for embroidery) many people only stitch twice over the same holes, for thin thread (for hand sewing) I stitch three times over it. Thick thread would create a bump otherwise, but thin thread is more secure that way. Just keep in mind that you shouldn't cut the thread very close to the anchor stitch. Hise a few mm of tail in the fabric instead.
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-28T12:25:46.840Z
2022-02-28T18:56:13.280Z
2022-02-28T18:56:13.280Z
Elmy
<p>I have a project where I have two 5mm wide elastic bands <a href="https://wollzauber.com/zubehoer/baender-gummibaender-kordel-seile/prym-kinder-elastic-band-5mm-5m-weiss" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(such as these ones)</a> that I would like to connect in ten distinct locations that are seperate from each other.</p>
<p>So far, I have tried using regular sewing thread and created a loop that goes through the bands, and I closed it by making a double knot. This was quite time intensive and the result was also too loose to properly hold the two bands together when they were stretched. My goal is to connect them so they stick together even if you pull at the ends of them.</p>
<p>Another approach I tried was to use some kind of filament that I poked through the bands, creating another kind of loop that connects them and then twisting them tight. This worked better in the end and the bands were sticking together more tightly than with the sowing approach. However, it was also quite difficult and time consuming to accurately poke the filament through the bands exactly where I want them.</p>
<p>Is there a better solution to this problem? I don't want to change the shape of the bands so I want to avoid e.g. wrapping filament completely across the entire width of them or make some kind of knot, as it would smush the bands together and make them change shape.</p>

<sewing><fiber-crafts>
Connecting 5mm wide elastic bands in multiple locations
Yes
# Connecting 5mm wide elastic bands in multiple locations

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-02-28)

I have a project where I have two 5mm wide elastic bands [(such as these ones)](https://wollzauber.com/zubehoer/baender-gummibaender-kordel-seile/prym-kinder-elastic-band-5mm-5m-weiss) that I would like to connect in ten distinct locations that are seperate from each other.

So far, I have tried using regular sewing thread and created a loop that goes through the bands, and I closed it by making a double knot. This was quite time intensive and the result was also too loose to properly hold the two bands together when they were stretched. My goal is to connect them so they stick together even if you pull at the ends of them.

Another approach I tried was to use some kind of filament that I poked through the bands, creating another kind of loop that connects them and then twisting them tight. This worked better in the end and the bands were sticking together more tightly than with the sowing approach. However, it was also quite difficult and time consuming to accurately poke the filament through the bands exactly where I want them.

Is there a better solution to this problem? I don't want to change the shape of the bands so I want to avoid e.g. wrapping filament completely across the entire width of them or make some kind of knot, as it would smush the bands together and make them change shape.

**Tags:** sewing, fiber-crafts


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-02-28. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Simply sew over them with a sewing machine. If you don't have a sewing machine, hand sew a few times through both bands instead of placing just a single loop. About 6 - 10 stitches should be stable enough.

If you want to use a sewing machine, lay the bands on top of each other and sew a straight stitch everywhere you want to connect them. Use a small stitch length. Start sewing at the top, sew to the bottom, then reverse stitch all the way up again. That secures the thread so it doesn't come lose again.

If you hand sew the bands, don't use any knots at all because they can be easily pulled through the elastic. Use an "anchor stitch" instead: Begin the seam by a tiny stitch (no more than 1 mm) through only one band. Then stitch through the same holes 2 more times (for a total of 3). Then lay the other elastic band where you want it and sew both together. When you finish, place 3 tiny stitches on top of each other again, then pull the needle through the top rubber band, right next to the seam you just sewed. Cut the thread where it reappears from the band (opposite of the 3 tiny stitches). This technique secures the thread in the bands so it cannot be pulled out.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I see. Does this technique happen to have a name I can look up, or is there some kind of tutorial online somewhere? I am a beginner when it comes to sewing so I wasn't able to follow all your instructions in the latter part of your answer.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 It's called an "anchor stitch" and you'll find many different instructions online. Some peole cteate a little knot with their anchor stitch, but personally I've made the experience that it's not neccessary. For thick thread like for embroidery) many people only stitch twice over the same holes, for thin thread (for hand sewing) I stitch three times over it. Thick thread would create a bump otherwise, but thin thread is more secure that way. Just keep in mind that you shouldn't cut the thread very close to the anchor stitch. Hise a few mm of tail in the fabric instead.  

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