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Best 'OITNB' Prison Crafts Made From Feminine Hygiene Products, Naturally

When Piper Chapman self-surrenders at Litchfield prison in the first episode of Orange Is the New Black, she's armed with nothing but her blonde hair (perfect for bartering DIY extensions for cocoa butter) and her expert crafting skills. Creative use of commissary items is something that every inmate at the Litch should get credit for, but we think Piper deserves some extra appreciation for opening our eyes to the world of things that can be made out of feminine products. Here are our favorite Chapman originals:

by Rachel Reid

A whole new level of DIY

When Piper Chapman self-surrenders at Litchfield prison in the first episode of Orange Is the New Black, she's armed with nothing but her blonde hair (perfect for bartering DIY extensions for cocoa butter) and her expert crafting skills. Creative use of commissary items is something that every inmate at the Litch should get credit for, but we think Piper deserves some extra appreciation for opening our eyes to the world of things that can be made out of feminine products. Here are our favorite Chapman originals:

Clean-everything-with-maxi-pads, including vengeful urine puddles

Maxi pads-turned-mops is not a concept that Piper originated, but it is the idea that sparked her artistic vision. Clean-everything-with-maxi-pads' is a staple of OITNB's prison life rules, an inspiration to all aspiring Kotex crafters, and it really came in handy when Suzanne "crazy eyes" peed all over Piper's floor.

Maxi Pad shower shoes

The invention of Maxi Pad shower shoes was the first sign that Piper was about to unleash some real DIY genius on us. Considering the absorption level of generic maxi pads, I can't imagine they were very useful, but demonstrated creativity in the face of potential foot disease is what really matters here.

Panty Strainer

Piper's DIY strainer is by far the most impressive use of underwear we've ever come across. Considering the rest of this insane lotion-producing process (chew up four jalapenos, spit them out into your underwear, mix the liquid with some other prison-approved items), Piper deserves Inmate of the Year.

Maxi Pad Surgical Masks

Maxi pad face masks are Piper's solution to a prison-wide flu epidemic. They also help her bond with the murderer she shares a room with, which means they're multi-purpose.

Christmas Pageant Headwear

Christmas at Litchfield means paper decorations, a costume-less pageant, and a lot of opportunities for semi-religious toiletry DIY. We can't actually confirm that Piper had a hand in producing the adorable tampon-ears that Norma wears during her performance as a lamb of Jerusalem, but they deserve a shout-out regardless.

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