Ski Jacket Crafts

That's the Ticket

• Frequent skiers' jackets may feel heavily weighed down by the collection of ski tags and lift tickets from each day's outing. Whether you enjoy piling your tickets up as a memory of your days on the powder or just want to keep them on hand in case someone asks to see them, protect them with a ski ticket holder. Similar to the ID badge holders and lanyards many offices use to hold employee security cards, a ski ticket holder will keep your ticket close by, safe from wet snow and easy to show off.

  To create a ticket holder, purchase a clear plastic badge holder (usually sold in sets at office supply stores). Buy one larger than the standard business card or credit card size; it'll need to fit the dimensions of the ski tickets--take an old ticket with you to measure. Badge holders have a pin on their back to attach it to the wearer's chest. Use a paper clip to secure the badge holder to a colorful beaded necklace (if the necklace is thin enough, just thread it right through the pin enclosure). Slip in your ticket and head for the slopes.

Light the Night

• Night skiing can be a peaceful yet challenging way to exercise; slopes may be free from kiddie skiing enthusiasts and the lighted trails seem luminescent with the bright, white packed snow. In between slaloms and shushing, you may find yourself in a darker area and in the potential danger zone of being slammed into by another skier.

  With a few crafty steps, you can turn your ski jacket into a beacon of light. Purchase a couple of rolls of colored reflective glowing tape in your favorite colors or ones to match your jacket. Add stripes onto your back, sleeves and chest. Other options are to decorate your jacket with reflective alphabet stickers, such as your name or favorite Olympic ski team member's name, or reflective decals such as hearts, skulls and flowers. Transform an ordinary jacket into something both decorative and protective at the same time.

Sweat it Out

• It may seem unbelievable that you'd experience sweating while on the cold snowy ski trails, but skiing takes a lot of work and exercise. You're also probably bundled up with a ski jacket, shell, long underwear, thick socks and gloves, so sweating is a potential pitfall. You want to avoid sweating on your face because if sweat runs into your eyes, you won't be able to clear your vision, since you're holding ski poles. Put an old, dirty or sized-too-small ski jacket to new use by cutting sweatbands out of it. Depending on the jacket style, simple cutting off the wrist bands may be ideal sweatbands for your wrists, which you can then use to swipe across your face to clear some of the moisture. But to avoid sweat from running down your hairline and into your face, you'll want a sweat headband.

  To make one, cut off one of the jacket arms and trim a few inches of width of the largest part of the arm (probably up near the shoulder). Measure it by placing it around your forehead. If it fits too loosely, you'll be in danger of it slipping down and blocking your eyes. Use a needle and thread to cinch the headband until it fits securely, but not too tight. If the jacket arms aren't wide enough to fit around your head, try the jacket's neck. Otherwise, cut off the bottom of the jacket and measure it around your head, cutting off length until you have a secure fit. Use snaps on either end to secure the ends together or stitch them so you can pull the headband on and off.