Does anyone remember - wool craft when kids...

[reggit]

...used to be a few nails around the top of a wooden cotton spool, and you hooked the wool around/over them so that through the hole in the middle of the spool came this cylindrical knitted 'rope'.

I had a flasher version that was purpose made, wood, painted like a queen with the points of the crown being the bits you wove around/over...

Anyone remember this? What was the craft called, and anyone know if you can still get the 'queen' or similar to do this - as all the spools are now plastic and way too thin

[Denneaux]

Tube knitting, at least that was what I used to call it. Mine was a plastic thing called the magic knitter or something like that.

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[Denneaux]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spool_knitting

[reggit]

... ... ... ....

Googled on 'tube knitting' and found these, apparently they are called Knitting Nancys

Will keep tracking them down...

[sarniagirl]

we used to call it french knitting.
My children still do it.You can get little kits from spotlight,but i found some wooden cotton reels in an op shop and made the old type.

[reggit]

Good stuff, at least I now know what to ask for!

About to rifle through my gran's old sewing box in the hope that there are a couple of old spools there, promised a friends daughters I would show them how to do this knitting - as long as I can remember myself!

[Kate]

Given that I don't sew at all, my sewing box is a treasure trove of ancient sewing aids and does contain a couple of old wooden spools (almost full ) if you need them...

We called it french knitting too

Cheers
Kate

[Trace]

Another one who called it french knitting. Thinking about that, reminded me of finger knitting too - used to spend ages doing that lol.

[Organix]

French knitting, and we used spiral the resulting 'rope' and sew it in place to make a placemat

[3 girls farming]

definately french knitting as calling something a Knitting Nancy would not be cool... signed Nancy!!!!

P.S. actually ... I am a knitting Nancy tonight.. just on real needles...

[Stikkibeek]

Yep! We called it French knitting too. Used to make everything from doilies to tea cosys from the knitted "rope"

[Xartep]

French knitting dolls - got one for Pisa's DD for her birthday Big hit.

[shad297]

Yep I knew as French knitting too. Bought one for my daughter maybe 4 years ago, worked fine. Not sure where it came from though although as mentioned above Spotlight would be a good place to try.

[ronnie]

Yep, definately French Knitting. I have a wood working friend who makes them and sells them on his craft stall. If you have trouble sourcing them up there, you know how to find me

[Xartep]

I was thinking that a local wood turner might make you something special and more robust.

[reggit]

Just picked up a kit (plastic doll thingee, pompom maker and awl) from Spotlight, $10 which is fine. Oooh and some cool psychedelic wool

Now...just gotta remember how to do it again...

[SarahM]

Brings back memories!

Also does anyone remember you could turn wooden cotton reels into a moving toy by adding a rubber band, a match stick and the end of a candle?

[3 girls farming]

ooh yes.. I do remember that.. can't remember how.. must ask my brother .. he might.... not many wooden cotten reels around these days..

[kai]

I remember it, haven't got a clue how you used to do it, so instructions would be good if anyone has any

[clarry]

Originally Posted by SarahM

Brings back memories!

Also does anyone remember you could turn wooden cotton reels into a moving toy by adding a rubber band, a match stick and the end of a candle?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOmxO...eature=related

Grandparents taught me both of these uses for cotton reels

Thank you tigger for reminding me of those times

[reggit]

Hahaha, am going back to a whole lot of silly stuff that I enjoyed as a kid, just for the hell of it

Started the French knitting last night, talk about a struggle to remember how to get it going, even with instructions! Hubby asks what the heck am I going to use it for - I have no idea just enjoying the mindless fun.

[WillEyre]

Originally Posted by SarahM

Brings back memories!

Also does anyone remember you could turn wooden cotton reels into a moving toy by adding a rubber band, a match stick and the end of a candle?

We used to call those things 'tanks'. (We carved notches into the rims of the cotton reel so it would climb over obstacles. We used a hairclip, instead of a matchstick).
We also used two matchbox trays, connected with light string, which passed through a cotton reel. By plucking and twanging the taut string and rotating the reel you could create a 'musical performance' and a clapping audience. (Working drawings available on receipt of a stamped, addressed envelope).
Quite apart from wooden cotton reels being scarce nowadays, I don't think kids make stuff like this anymore.
This is regrettable - boys managed to waste a great deal of time making shanghais, tin-can telephones, cartesian divers, fighting tops, pellet guns, kites, farting machines, etc.
And yeah, while we were doing all of this the girls skipped, played knucklebones and, using a cotton reel studded with tiny nails, knitted diligently, like French peasants. (Though I never once saw a finished garment - not even a simple frumpy beret).
Oh, shurrup, you sentimental fool.

Ed

[Stikkibeek]

What about those spinning buttons? You could get them going with such force they almost cut off your fingers! All it took was a length of cotton and a button with a bit of size and weight.

[Hawkspur]

...and does anyone else remember pop pop boats?

These were the ones with a little candle that created steam to power them.

There are instructions for making two different kinds here and here.

[Kate]

I still have a book I was given as a child which is full of science experiments. Everything from the physics behind balancing forks on a matchstick to making little weather forecasting scenes to creating steam boats for the bath. Those things are fun