There’s been a resurgence of popularity resulting in “cool new neon colors!” and “wool, cotton, or nylon choices!”. I’m talking, of course, about potholder looms.
I remember sitting in my bedroom with my sisters as we wove the nylon loops in and out until it hooked on the little peg at the end of the molded plastic loom. We each had our own style. I preferred patterns as is fitting with my Virgo need for organization. One of my sisters didn’t care if she wove the same color twice in a row. Another sister liked to weave shades of the same color. And still another sister made rainbow creations.
We lost the hooks early on. With four children in the house and a part time daycare, we rarely had complete puzzles, all the game pieces, or small parts of crafting projects. We wove with our fingers, pushing and pulling the loops until it was time to track Mom down to finish it off.
In a burst of nostalgia and desperate for something new to keep my little ones occupied when the mercury hits triple digits, I wandered into the kids’ crafts aisle at my local hobby store. Apparently nostalgia runs thick. The choices were many: from the fabric of the loops to the size and materials of the looms. For under $7 each, I bought generic looking looms that came with enough loops for three potholders each and presented them to my children.
So far, the results have been mixed. I also realized early on that Elizabeth might be a bit young for the project. Still, it’s keeping them busy as they sit and chat. One day, I hope one of them will run to me for help finishing a potholder off.
Have you introduced your children to any craft projects from your childhood?
