Saturday 24 November 2012

The Rubberband Years - Is This Fibre Art?


I have been really busy this week, partly with craft fairs and also my son fell and broke his wrist, and so we had a long visit to the hospital. I have not been very creative, so I thought I would post about an object that you can always find somewhere around my house: The Giant Rubberband Ball.  I think it is a bit of a testament to my family's love of the slightly offbeam and perhaps misdirected efforts. 

Although you can't tell from this photo, but it is almost entirely made of red rubberbands picked up from the pavement. These are the ones that the postmen throw away. We started making it when my son started walking to nursery school, so it has been a very long term project. It was great fun looking for the rubberbands, and we also felt we were helping tidy up the neighbourhood. I am a bit embarrassed to admit though that sometimes my husband would go on a special trip to the postal sorting office, where he would find a bumper crop of bands for the ball.

But progress has slowed a bit lately, as it has got to the stage where it is so big the rubberbands won't stretch to go around. Someone gave us a packet of larger bands, which is the outer layer.

I have weighed it on my bathroom scales, and it weighs 10.5 kg, or 1stone 9.2lbs. Actually I was a bit surprised it wasn't more, as it is very, very heavy to pick up.

And what is the point? Well there isn't one, although me and my husband do sometimes refer to those walks to and from school as "the rubberband years".

11 comments:

  1. That is a huge one. I like these much better than when people chain paper clips together -- LOL

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  2. What a fun tradition, although I'm rather appalled that your postman are allowed to just throw them away. I hope your son recovers quickly.

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  3. I once thought of a game tossing a giant rubber band ball,just like yours:tossing and catching it with a fork over or without a net.

    Your son can write his story...

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  4. I have tried over the years to make such a ball however my attempts always seem to fail as someone always needs a rubbber band and my small scale attempts are pulled apart! Great picture and now I am wondering how much it weighs! Great memory linked to the rubber band ball also :D

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  5. Such a great project & family memories!

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  6. What a great idea, I might just have to start one for our house, I'm always seeing rubber bands on the pavements around here.

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  7. I have heard about this rubber band ball from your Husband on many occasions at work. I can imagine him going off to the Post Office for some bands (he is always up for a freebie!) I think he may have also tried to see how high it would bounce - I didn't hear any more on this, either he lost his nerve or has broken something! I hope your son is on the mend soon. Gx

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  8. It's a reminder to us all to slow down and pick up rubber bands! Lovely.

    My Saturday Snapshot

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  9. That has to be the largest rubber band ball I've ever seen.

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  10. This is zany and crazy and brilliant!!!

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