Scoubidou
Encyclopedia
Knot
A knot is a method of fastening or securing linear material such as rope by tying or interweaving. It may consist of a length of one or several segments of rope, string, webbing, twine, strap, or even chain interwoven such that the line can bind to itself or to some other object—the "load"...
ting craft, originally aimed at children. It originated in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where it became a fad
FAD
In biochemistry, flavin adenine dinucleotide is a redox cofactor involved in several important reactions in metabolism. FAD can exist in two different redox states, which it converts between by accepting or donating electrons. The molecule consists of a riboflavin moiety bound to the phosphate...
in the late 1950s and has remained popular. The name "Scoubidou" comes from the late French singer Sacha Distel
Sacha Distel
Sacha Distel was a French singer and guitarist who had hits with a cover version of the Academy Award-winning "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" , "Scoubidou", and "The Good Life". He was born in Paris.-Career:Sacha Distel, born Alexandre Distel, was a son of Russian White émigré Leonid Distel...
, who scored his first hit with the song of the same name
Scoubidou (song)
Scoubidou is the French translation of Abel Meeropol's "Apples, Peaches and Cherries", a Peggy Lee hit, originally written in English .It was sung by Sacha Distel, and was his first hit song...
in 1958.
Scoubidou returned to fashion in various countries, including the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, in 2004 and 2005. It uses commercially supplied plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
strips or tubes.
The most common kind of thread used for the craft is flat and comes in many different colors. Another kind of scoubidou thread is supple, round and hollow plasticized
Plasticizer
Plasticizers or dispersants are additives that increase the plasticity or fluidity of the material to which they are added; these include plastics, cement, concrete, wallboard, and clay. Although the same compounds are often used for both plastics and concretes the desired effects and results are...
PVC
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
tubes usually about 80 centimetres in length. They are sold in various colours, sizes and types, and are used to make various items by binding them together with special knot
Knot
A knot is a method of fastening or securing linear material such as rope by tying or interweaving. It may consist of a length of one or several segments of rope, string, webbing, twine, strap, or even chain interwoven such that the line can bind to itself or to some other object—the "load"...
s. On account of their elasticity and hollow cross-section — which allow them to collapse and deform when pulled — they can easily form extremely tight and stable knots. Key chains, friendship bands and other trinket
Trinket
A trinket is a small showy ornament or something that is a mere trifle. Trinket may also refer to:* Trinket Island, an island of the Nicobar Islands**Trinket , a village on the island...
s are most commonly woven, although more complicated shapes and figures can also be created.
Most of the knots used in scoubidou were already used in bast fibre
Bast fibre
Bast fibre or skin fibre is plant fibre collected from the phloem or bast surrounding the stem of certain, mainly dicotyledonous, plants. They support the conductive cells of the phloem and provide strength to the stem...
, while the creations possible with scoubidou are also similar in many ways to traditional corn dollies and macrame
Macramé
Macramé or macrame is a form of textile-making using knotting rather than weaving or knitting. Its primary knots are the square knot and forms of "hitching": full hitch and double half hitches...
.
Use in the United States
Known as lanyard, craftlace, boondoggle, or gimp (also spelled "gymp"), it is used for making lanyardLanyard
A lanyard is a rope or cord exclusively worn around the neck or wrist to carry something. Usually it is used where there is a risk of losing the object or to ensure it is visible at all times. Aboard a ship, it may refer to a piece of rigging used to secure objects...
s. Lanyards of this type are usually made by children and camp counselors at summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
s. This lanyard is made by weaving several pieces of gimp into a three-dimensional design. Gimp is also often used to form animal designs, like dragonflies or penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
s which are normally seen on children's backpack
Backpack
A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
s, or many other designs such as flags, hearts, and trees. Some children use it to make gifts for each other.
Square knot
A double square knot (or triple) can be made using four strings, thus doubling the size of the keychain made. Again the process is done by weaving the ends alternately.
Many think the easiest way to create a square knot is taking 2 strands of the same color and weaving the other two strands through them.
Spiral knot
"Barrel" can be done by completing the actions of a square knot, but instead of crossing the ends straight over, the ends should be crossed diagonally. This causes the creation to be cylindrical, resulting in colors that spiral instead of creating straight lines of color.Other numbers of strands
As with the square knot, each layer may be constructed either with the same direction of weave (leading to a chiral spiral structure) or as a mirror image of the previous layer (leading to a more angular appearance).