making popcorns - tutorial
My brother made me two tools. They resemble tuning forks without the handle and are made of some kind of very stiff stainless steel. The shorter, wider one works better than the longer skinnier one.
Start with two half-hitches around the base of one of the tines.
Wind figure-eights, lots and lots of figure-eights. It works better to use a consistent number of figure-eights for a set of popcorns. I usually do 125 winds for regular popcorns, and 150 winds if I want really tight ones.
Tie off the figure-eights with another set of two half-hitches, and cut the skein off.
Sew down the middle of the popcorn strand. I use a stretch stitch - the back and forth action really anchors down the yarn.
I make three passes - up, back, and up again. Two passes might work just as well.
Once it's securely sewn, slide the whole thing off the tines. It'll start to curl.
Twist it in the direction it wants to curl until it looks like a popcorn strand.
Members of the Hangout have verified that original Coleco popcorn Kids have EIGHTEEN popcorns on their heads. Double-pony girls have them divided into two sets of nine each, single-pony girls have all EIGHTEEN of them rooted close together.
There's only one-half of a double pony in the picture. With practice, it takes about ten minutes to do a popcorn strand...eighteen of them take about two hours.
Kid with popcorns, front:
Kid with popcorns, back:
Start with two half-hitches around the base of one of the tines.
Wind figure-eights, lots and lots of figure-eights. It works better to use a consistent number of figure-eights for a set of popcorns. I usually do 125 winds for regular popcorns, and 150 winds if I want really tight ones.
Tie off the figure-eights with another set of two half-hitches, and cut the skein off.
Sew down the middle of the popcorn strand. I use a stretch stitch - the back and forth action really anchors down the yarn.
I make three passes - up, back, and up again. Two passes might work just as well.
Once it's securely sewn, slide the whole thing off the tines. It'll start to curl.
Twist it in the direction it wants to curl until it looks like a popcorn strand.
Members of the Hangout have verified that original Coleco popcorn Kids have EIGHTEEN popcorns on their heads. Double-pony girls have them divided into two sets of nine each, single-pony girls have all EIGHTEEN of them rooted close together.
There's only one-half of a double pony in the picture. With practice, it takes about ten minutes to do a popcorn strand...eighteen of them take about two hours.
Kid with popcorns, front:
Kid with popcorns, back:
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