If you have children or friends with children aged between about 5 and 10 you will undoubtedly know what loom bands are. My facebook feed is full of people complaining they are finding loom bands all over the house, going up the vacuum cleaner and that their children are obsessed. I walk past Claire's Accessories every day on the way to work and had noticed the brightly coloured packets in the window, and have to admit I was intrigued.
Then I went to stay
with a friend who has a five-year-old daughter. Though her daughter wasn't there
at the time, I couldn't help but notice her loom band kit and asked if I could
have a look. We were going to the open air theatre in Regent's Park that evening
which is how I came to be making a loom band at midnight after we got
back!
The original
product, the Rainbow Loom, was invented by a father who watched his daughters
make jewellery from rubber bands. He invented a sort of peg board- the loom-
that you wind the bands around and knot them to make bracelets and necklaces.
You can make all sorts of things including a dress - and while the basic design
is easy to master, there are all sorts of patterns you can weave that look far
more complicated.
My friend's daughter
had a similar product called the Cra-Z-Loom; the instruction leaflet was really
confusing at first until my friend explained what I needed to do, then it was
very straightforward, but a bit fiddly. I am impressed at young children who
have made the super-complicated patterns!
Here's the pink and
blue bracelet that I made - as this is a craft (as well as food) blog I thought
I might as well include it! I didn't have time to master anything more than the
basic design but if I get a chance I would like to have a go at something more
detailed.
Is your house full of loom bands, and what's the most complicated design you (or your children) have made?
Loom bands? Aaaaagggghhhhh....... My daughter has 2 looms which fit together to make bigger stuff. She's just had a looming party for her birthday and is obsessed! She even goes to loom groups at the local toy shop! She wanted to make an elephant and in the absence of any guidance from books or the internet invented it herself.... it was fab (I cannot fathom how a 9 year old managed to create such a master piece). We are getting an entire loom menagerie appearing around the house and me and my husband are constantly being provided with bigger and more fancy bracelets, rings and key rings to wear and use. Best of luck..... it certainly seems to be an addictive thing......
ReplyDeleteyep loom bands everywhere in our place - we are now doing some for a fundraiser - had some for sale at a school stall at a community day and someone bought half the box - why oh why! I find the whole looming fad fascinating. Just looking over your august and it sounds like a busy month - hope house moves worked ok and am jealous of your paris trip but too tired to comment everywhere :-(
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