trichrome up close...

though the rows are even since the middle rows have more stitches te effect is not stripes but spots... unless by "stripes" you mean a ping pong table is white with green stripes.

diachromes projectiles

lookin spiffy... almost ready for sale.

Towards a more comfortable wooden-bead handle knot.

This handle knot is actually a modified sheep shank where the two wooden beads occupy the two outermost of the three loops used in this knot.  I used to close the knot with a fisherman's knot on the stay side.  I found that this rubbed too much while slinging and that without the fisherman's knot on top, this beaded handle is much more comfortable.  Always innovating so you can... slingmoore.

Trifecta

Sometimes you just get it right.  Bright colors will be easy to find in places where they otherwise might get lost.  Now that the design is solidified... it's time to mass produce. 

Slingmoore

it looks like and innocent pencil bag...

doesn't it?

but actually

it's a crocheters tool box

where's the closing?

You, my friend, are looking at it.  Now a close inspection reveals a small divet where the interior closing knot pulls on the seam a bit too much.  But contrast this with my first closing attempts...

tricolor inspires...

...the next generation of projectiles.  The rainbow dude from a couple of posts ago taught me that scraps have potential.  I crocheted up to a twleve- stitch row with a yellow scrap piece that could not have been used on other patterns.  Then two rows of a green and a single row of blue.  When joined the blue ends up with a double row.  Downside is it required some careful knot splicing to keep the knots inside the ball and still secure through what is bound to be a lifetime of being slammed against walls trees and other hard objects.

tricolor pics

I was wrong Rainbow Scrap Projectile Rocks

though a bit knotty due to the knots... its a pretty good one... think I will try another multicolor... What do I know eh?

The Rainbow Scrap Projectile

sometimes... it's just too ugly to even bother filling it... I like the colors but its made from scraps and... I mean do I even have to say it?  It turns out later I stuffed it, leaving the straggly strings everywhere, and my boys loved this ball above all others for it's sheer oddness.  I ended up losing it in the bamboo grove next to my house.  Years later, when the bamboo was harvested, one of the workers brought this one and a half dozen others and put them on my front step.  

even when overdramatized a tad...

slinging rocks... just a tad overdramatized.

clean profile

slightly new closing yields a tighter profile... it's more secure too... and of course...cornfed.

Cornfed Projectiles

after a small break... ballistic crochet is trying corn-stuffed sling projectiles... perks include popcorn upon landing in a fire.

Slingmoore... Sewn Slings?

Here at Slingmoore we are currently experimenting with a sewn version of the spring double tucks.  Many questions remain as to the longevity of such an innovation.  But one thing's for sure... it looks awesome!  The non-black paracord color is called "holly jolly" and I was so glad when I ran out of it.

It's time to admit that I've gone ballistic

to admit that I have a problem... and need some help.  I actually have a box full of crochet sling projectiles... maybe I should get back into the sling game eh?

string stuffed projectile

In a house in the middle of India somewhere I found myself close to finishing sewing a seam with no beans of any kind and no shops nearby... But I did have extra string.  Turns out, though far lighter they are much harder and pack a sting at higher velocities as my friend was eager to demonstrate on me. 

The first beautiful ballisticrochet

this is the first crochet ball that I actually thought was
beautiful

Still interested in using moong dhal as the stuffing.  It's a much smaller seed grain and would be great for stuffing.  The crochet holes are not ever going to he small enough to hold grain this small so i tried a plastic bag used in shops here.  The size and weight are just right.

dangers of slingball in the house

Ok.. we weren't actually slinging.  Slinging in a house would require an unusually open floor plan, and an even more unusually tolerant wife.  Since I only have the latter, the boys and I were just chucking balls at each other.  But sometimes the light switch just gets chucked. 

comparing seams and closings

This is my first and most recent attempts at a central seam.  I think we are heading in the right direction here.

eight row perfect for small hands

I ran out of orange cord near the fourth row and so I just stopped to make his little guy and my other little guy said "oh!...thank you!"  I made this with a number 7 steel hook.  It was actually a bit too small to cradle the string but sharp enough to grab it anyway.  For some reason steel hook sizes run backwards here with smaller numbers equalling bigger hooks.  Seven was the biggest one they had.

Perfect Closing Stitch, The code is cracked

baseball stitch for closing

An historic moment.  No innovation attempts.  This little guy is identical to the previous projectile except in color.  The size, the seam, the closing, the two joined halves design... for now.. success... now all i need is a slightly bigger one, and then of course... lots moore.

Slingball anyone?

Sometimes old ideas are best, this is the best closing stitch.

Went back to the idea of joining two halves.  When I first did this, the seam was always clunky because at the time I had not figured out how to tie off a clean closing.  I have since discovered the closing braid, and combined with a matching-color seam stitch the effect is striking.  It looks like they are held together magnetically, or glued.   The colors really pop but better than that... two cleanly joined halves maintain an excellent spherical shape.  The last stitched rows are joined face to face flattening out the curve and smoothing the seam.  I smell mass-production.  And by mass production I mean, for once in my life not trying something new every other projectile.

16 to 8 stitch row seam

the seam is not as smooth as the 12 to 6 stitch joint but it does offer more of the accent color to be seen...

home-made oreos?!

I mean sometimes you gotta stop making crochet projectiles and start eating some home made oreos

10 row special closing

This little guy's closing was spliced between the 12-stitch and the 6-stitch rows.  It kept the spherical shape well, and it was easy to pull left over strands out of the yellow eyelet to do the final braid off.

12 row closing at row count 17

I am not partial to these closings anymore because the mishaping is so noticeable but I ran out of green thread and this seemed better than a splice for just one more row. 

2.5 mm hook makes a pumpkin

This little ten-row is about the size of a key lime.  Light enough to not hurt much, it still packs enough momentum to ensure the target's knowledge of contact.

different hooks for different...looks

These two balls used the exact same pattern from the previous post. Mean green here was made with a 5mm hook, and our little blue friend with a 2.5mm. The difference is noticeable and makes our little blue friend not hurt when it strikes flesh at high velocities. Which, I must remind my readers, is our goal. Not to strike people, but to make an object that can be used in a sling for the coming sport of sling-projectile which is soon to sweep the nation something like Beetle Mania... Sling Mania is coming my friends, prepare yourselves.

ten row with 5 mm hook

Smaller ball for sure even with a number 5.  This will be my last rubber bladder filled ball.  The lentils are so small, the smallest knick in the rubber ruins the ball.  Colors are engaging though, and I took the lid down one row away from the middle row.  Used the pattern below.

+ is an increase stitch
- is a decrease stitch






10 row

with black thread
6 (make a magic circle, six stitches around a slip knot) (6)
++++++ (increase in every stitch to make 12 total stitches) (12)
1+2+2+2+1 (16)
3+3+3+3+ (20)
4+10+4 (22)
22 (22)
4-10-4 (20)  stop here and make the top
-3-3-3-3 (16) (not used)
1-2-2-2-1 (12) (not used)

with green thread

6 (make a magic circle, six stitches around a slip knot) (6)

++++++ (increase in every stitch to make 12 total stitches) (12)
1+2+2+2+1 (16)
3+3+3+3+ (20)  stop here and join to the main body

broken hook leads to oddball

I snapped the head off my 3.5 forcing me to switch to a 5 in the middle of this twelve row black/yellow buckeye.  The recent advent of this black cord has opened up an entirely different color scheme.

pros: the size allows for ease of loading in a sling and the colors inviting.

cons: stuffed with garbanzo beans it's just too massive. 

Too easy to get someone  hurt chucking it.  Not my goal. Either a lighter stuffing or a smaller pattern is needed.

spidey and papa smurf?

The blue topped one has a balloon bladder inside to contain a rather small green lentil.  I am liking these color pairs.

Joining...step 4

Pull all four leftover strands out through the FIRST joining stitch.  This includes the two slipknot tails, and the two strands used for the seam.  Braid them into a four strand plait (better explained elsewhere).  The plait is for closing and not for looks so braid really tight.  This will back the braiding up into the ball.  The closer it gets to the last joining stitch the tighter your closing will be.  Then tie it off with two small over hands, again tie these tight, melt the tips, and then stuff it all inside as far as it will go.

Joining... step 3 cont.

Here's what the joining should look at this point.  Keep it loose until after stuffing, and be sure to twist in the same direction for a consistent seam.

Joining... step 3

From the outside, push the crochet hook in and pull out the red strand through the next blue stitch.  Do the same on the red side. 

Joining...step 2

Twist the strands a full 360° to form a hitch. 

Joining...

After hitching the two sides together and sealing with a series of square knots, pull the strands out through the next stitch alternating the colors.

How to crochet a twelve row buckeye slingball step 6

Braiding the 4-plait.

Tie off the plait with two (smaller) overhands,
 then melt the tips.

Stuff it all into the ball

Finished Product.

Lossen the last joining stitch enough to stuff the ball with beans of your choice.  Lately I have been trying garbonzo beans which require no bladder due to their size, and smaller dhals stuffed into a balloon.  After stuffing, with your hook, pull all remaining strands from the inside and up/out through the first joining stitch (pictures show this being done at the last join stitch but I have since had these come out of the ball during use).  With all four strands (initial slipknot strands from both sides and the two finihing strands) do a 4-strand plait 2-3 cm long.  Tie off the plait using two overhands (one overhand is too large).  Cut and melt the tips.  Stuff the whole thing deep into the ball.  Since the moorings of this plait are on the inside of the last stitch, its default position will be inside the ball.  This a simple secure closing and almost invisible.  A more detailed post on steps 5 and 6 is forthcoming.

how to make a 12 row buckeye sling ball step 5

Joining the two sides.  Hitch the two last stiches together and tie a series of square knots on the inside.  Then with these finishing strands (leave about a 30 cm each)  pull alternating colors up through (pulling them from the outside) the first stitches.  Twist the two strands until the colors alternate again and pull each strand up through the next stitch.  Repeat all the way around the seam.  No need to stitch tightly at this point.  You can stuff the ball right at the end of the joining through the last loosened stitch.

How to make a twelve row buckeye slingball step 4

Now for the main body of the ball.  I reccommed a different color not just for aesthetics but because it helps differentiate between the sides during  joining.  Begin by following the pattern from the previous post and then continue with the pattern below.  With the main body and the cap ending in the same number of stitches it's time to join the two which the next post will concern itself with.
Row / Pattern
5. 3 inc 6 inc 6 inc 3 (24)
6.  10 inc 13 (25)
7.  25 (25)
8.  13 dec 10 (24)
9.  3 dec 6 dec 6 dec 3 (21)
key:
dec = one decrease stitch which pulls thread through two separate stitches then yarns-over once pulling through all three loops.