Since your zils are now clean and shiny, they need some new elastic. Didn’t clean your zils but need to replace the elastic? That’s fine too! Keeping the elastic fresh is important. Loose zils can go flying across the room in the middle of a performance, and that’s not fun for anyone.

First, gather your supplies:

• Scissors
• Half-inch elastic in the color of your choice
• Sharp hand-sewing needle
• Button thread
• Optional: Buttons

The buttons can be used to mark which zils will go on which finger. Just sew them on the back of the elastic once it’s installed. I prefer using two colors of thread, one for thumbs and one for middle fingers. How you mark your zils (if you want to – I find it helpful but it isn’t mandatory) is entirely up to you. Chances are, no one’s going to notice except you and your troupe, so try not to worry too much about it. Half-inch elastic comes in white or black (if you find it in other colors, that’s great too). You only really need about a foot, but a package of a yard and a half is only $1.29, so I buy those and have enough to string at least four sets of zils. I prefer black elastic, since white tends to show dirt very quickly.

I’m using green and white thread today. Green for thumbs, white for middle fingers. I always use button thread when I sew zil elastic. It’s much stronger than regular thread, and it holds up really well in zils. I’ve been using it for about ten years and never had a stitch fail.

Thread your needle and tie the ends together so you’re sewing with a double thickness of thread. Poke the ends of the elastic through the slots on top of your zils and pull it through. Now put it on the finger you want to fit it to and pull it tight. It should be snug enough that you can wiggle your hand without the zil wiggling, but not so tight it becomes painful. Pinch the elastic at the bottom with your fingers, and pull it through so you can sew it. Don’t lose your spot! I use my fingernails as a guide of where to start sewing.

Sew across using the stitch of your choice – stab stitch, backstitch, etc. Just make it sturdy. Snip the excess elastic off and then pull the elastic back through so the loop is on the top again. Slip it on and check the fit.

Repeat with the other three zils, fitting to each finger. I used the green thread to sew the two zils meant for my thumbs.

And there you have it! Fresh elastic. Happy zilling!