Today we want to show you our top 20 individual possibilities that you can make use of a handkerchief these days.
In our blog post No. 2 on the costume history behind the handkerchief, we already told you about the long history of the square, practical handkerchief. Read it in the link above if you haven’t already.
Use of the handkerchief in everyday life
- tie a knot in the scarf as a reminder
- let it blow in the wind as a greeting or farewell
- dab away sweat
- curlers : first roll up the handkerchief and wrap a strand of damp hair around the handkerchief. When the whole strand is wound up, the handkerchief is knotted. Continue this until all the hair is wrapped. It is best to do this before going to bed, then your hair will be dry and curly the next morning. [As shown in the film “Emma”(2020) for example!]
- headband
- scarf
household helper hankie
- dust mask: fold the handkerchief into a triangle, stretch it over your mouth and nose and knot it at the back of your head. If the handkerchief is too small, you can extend it with ribbons at the two ends.
- cleaning glasses, cutlery and crockery
- packing lunches
Use a handkerchief as a survival tool
- peace flag (If the handkerchief is white)
- bandage
- cooling skin and swollen areas with the damp handkerchief.
- filter water
- for escape (e.g. from a high tower): for this, however, you have to tie many handkerchiefs together.
- for self defence: Throw the handkerchief in your attacker’s face and use the moment of surprise to escape. The attacker will be shocked for a moment and must first remove the handkerchief from his face.
Giving away handkerchiefs
- give comfort
- proof of love
- wrapping paper: as in the Japanese furoshiki. The gift is wrapped with a beautiful cloth in various ways.
- traditional gift for confirmation or communion
Other use for the practical square
- film prop: Do you know any films in which a handkerchief plays an important role?
Read here in our article about the handkerchief as a film prop!
Show us what you have done with your hankie, we are curious!
Feel free to tag us on Instagram, our handle is @cocoon_patterns and the hashtag for the handkerchiefs is #cocoonpatternshandkerchief.
We are looking forward to your ideas of the different way to use a handkerchief!!!