This sounds like the perfect start to one of those “things you didn’t know existed” stories! Grandma’s drawers often hide treasures that seem completely foreign today, but were absolute game-changers in the household back then.

Most of the time, these mysterious “bent plastic pieces” are one of the following relics:

1. Knitting dolly accessories or knitting thimbles
   They are often small, colorful rings with strange protrusions or hooks. They were used to guide several strands of yarn at once without them getting tangled—essential for the popular Fair Isle patterns of the 70s and 80s.
2. Hair Curler Clips (“Papillotten Holders”)
   
   
   Before electric styling tools existed, Grandma used plastic clips or flexible pegs to secure hair curlers to her head. Without the curlers themselves, these clips often look like strange, crooked skeletons or forks.
3. Garter Belt Spare Parts
   
   
   Small, elongated plastic eyelets with a movable slider. When found individually, they look like junk, but they were the heart of every garter belt, keeping nylon stockings securely in place.
4. Laundry Clips for Delicate Fabrics
   In the past, there were special plastic clips or pegs that were curved to prevent marks on fine silk or lace lingerie.

A little tip for identification: Look for a small inscription like “D.B.G.M.” (Deutsches Bundes-Gebrauchsmuster – German Federal Utility Model) or a company logo like Prym. These are usually the crucial clues to its original purpose.

So what’s the answer in your case? Was it a kitchen gadget, a sewing tool, or something else entirely?