The most simple, ancient, and powerful throwing tool in the world… under 2 ounces
Crochet six single stitches onto the slip knot loop. Then tighten the loop and close the circle with a slip stitch. Elsewhere in the crocheting world this is called a "magic circle." You should count six stitches including the stitch your hook is in.
Over the next few posts I will be describing how to make this 12 row buckeye from scratch. I will be using a 3.5 mm bamboo crochet hook and a nylon based cord common in my part of the world.
Recently my experiments have turned to projectiles. In favor of not jamming up the slingmoore with crochet patterns and hook sizes, I opened up a second blog to track the progress of these non-lethal beauties. In case you're wondering, we aren't selling them yet, but that will soon follow. The current price of footbag-like items in the US makes one think that NASA was in charge of pricing, that is, astronomical. I will guarantee you this, if we ever sell projectiles, they will be CHEAP. Because how often to you find things that you've slung? Never right? So if you're interested, check us out at BallistiCrochet.
Decided a secure visible closing is preferable to a hidden weak one. It may cause problems exiting the sling pocket.
It's best to partially fill the ball before the connecting stitch. Just before the tie-off, you can stuff it tight one garbanzo bean at a time. Stuff it as tight as possible because everything loosens after being chucked via the almighty sling. We are not making tree doilies...these are meant to fly.
joined the two starts from the previous post. This one is stuffed with dried garbanzo beans. They are little bigger. The closing also went well here. Also the closing was much cleaner than previous attempts. Am thinking to make a few of these. The larger stuffing allows for larger gaps in the stitches which make me want to try a more traditional pattern with decrease stitches on the top... with this material...it just may work.
Returning to single strand was easy after getting jacked by a double strand in the face. When your four year old can hurt you with a supposed non-lethal projectile it doesn't bode well for its use wth a sling. Lets see how it turns out. These are the two half-starts I will sew together with a sewing stitch.
Made for my littlest one because it fits his hand, this is the cutest little projectile I've ever made and it's actually not possible to make it hurt, it's just too light. My eldest (6 years old) jacked me in the eye with this thing at point-blank range and I merely felt it. Not sure that it's heavy enough to sling but we'll try it later.
this is like the little green guy from a couple days ago but inside out. I don't like the equatorial trench caused by the inverted sewing splice but what to do. Perhaps its functionality will outweigh its clear lack in looks.
This one was a grand success, it's good size the closing went better and others but I packed it too tight and so it still hurts... It's easy to do that with two strands because you end up tugging on the stitches pretty tightly and thereby making the whole ball harder than usual. Considering going back to single strange maybe 12 or 14 rows.
This is the best one yet. It is small, tight, and the closing was a sewing-like stitch using the tail ends of both sides. Monochromatism (is this a word?) hides the stitch and prevents more splicing which weakens the ball. For the first time... I am pleased. I smell massproduction...
This was my first piebald. And though it made it possible... the stitch I used to close actually took up two rows and ruined the shape... but I learned that two joined halves is possible, and it sure is patriotic looking.
This Buckeye Beast took a long time to make and is a failure because it hurts upon impact. 19 rows is just too much mass. I can personally attest to this. But it did prove the two starts joined is easier and has a tighter weave than the decrease stitch closing, and it just looks cool.
added a stripe to this one for variety. But mostly this one was to confirm the size 12 row single strand is about the same size though a bit smaller than a 10 row double strand. Bit still a nasty closing with burnt marks all over. I really don't like the decrease stitches they leave ugly holes and make the ball look like it's falling apart on that end...
difficult to make but it seemed like it had potential. I like the size though and think twelve rows single strand is just right for slinging. And still... need a clean/invisible closing.
Using at multistrand nylon led to similar conclusions. Good feel but the closing was consistently awkward despite fluctuation in strand gauge and number. Need a better closing. However these have slick texture and wouldn't cause any trouble upon exiting a sling. The material is also durable though loosened significantly allowing the stuffing to start leaking.
is superior. ~1mm woven nylon thread is stretchy much like yarn and can be coaxed into tight stitches.Despite the larger crochet hook they require. However the closing is still awkward. Need a better closing.
you are a bit concerned that this blog will soon be called CrochetMoore. There is precident there. Why just last April 1st we briefly sold cannons. But sales were low, and the manufacturing process intense so we returned to slings. I am convinced I have cracked the code to safe and yet hard slingin' projectiles. This is the most recent experiment to double layer a projectile. 4-strand nylon crochet for an inner layer and 7-strand cotton twine as a looser larger outer layer. This may allow a denser stuffing like marbles, sand, or bbs. But all this is untested. If you are interested in crochet patterns to make your own projectiles email us at slingmoore.com
From: Chance Walers <chancedrayden@gmail.com>Date: November 16, 2013 12:31:15 PM GMT+05:30To: Glen Moore <jeremiah213@gmail.com>Subject: Pics and slingin vids...
So the grandparents bought these magnetic balls for my boys to play with but you know what I am thinking? A metal target and half hour of shoulder straining slinging is whats on my mind. I spoke with a guy that only slings 3/4 inch steel bearings... I can only dream...well back to reality...where's my crochet needle?
Slinging friends. I have cracked the code for projectiles that sling well and don't hurt/kill. Its not in the stuffing. The trick was the weave. I kept trying thicker and thicker string/yarn and kept getting the same effect, they were just hard on impact. In this last experiment, I used multiple (in this case 4 strands of thin unsheathed nylon thread, and plastic beads for stuffing. The multiple strands produced a sliding-over-each-other effect on impact significantly lessening the blow. Next I am going to try six strands with dried white peas as filler. These really don't hurt. I had a friend beam me at five feet and it stung but even a blow to the face would be unlikely to break my nose. What is everyone else using?
what happens exactly? Hmm... let's find out shall we?
beyond perfect... I wonder what kind of distance I can sling outta this little guy. What kind of distance records do you slingers have?
For perfect projectile possibilities, get your crochet on. Materials are cheap, the pattern is relatively easy, and you can stuff it with anything. I am thinking about plastic beans of various kinds for this purpose. The surrounding pictures are some of my first attempts. If you wanna give this a shot, check out youtube on crocheting amigurumi crochet balls, they have lots of good technique tips. My only caution is that I have not yet let anyone hit me with one and so until then I cannot officially recommend them as projectiles... I just think that this is going in a good direction. And it ain't girly... especially if you're making projectiles.
 |
| Looking North into Thimpu |
The sling community is chomping at the bit to design a sling sport that will allow us to sling at the best target ever... other slingers. The central problem has always been the scarcity of slingers. To quote a another member of slinging.org's forums, "I have never seen more than ten slingers together at one time, and when I do, nine of them are beginners." If slinging ever gets a bit more mainstream, our secondary problem will be what projectile to use. I have slung uncut tennis balls at people but unless you're fifty yards away... it hurts. Every projectile with enough weight to make it worth slinging would be injurious, and anything that would not be injurious is too light weight to bother with... so what to do. It seems to me we need a projectile that absorbs much of it's own impact. My first idea is this tennis ball. I have cut it along two dimensions to allow for severe shape distortion on impact but. It still hurts, and it's not very stable, they fall apart after a few hard impacts, the cut continues to grow and I think they wouldn't last long. So the search continues. Maybe eggs?
