{"id":44015,"date":"2025-04-22T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=44015"},"modified":"2025-04-17T13:13:36","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T20:13:36","slug":"on-the-loom-toys-of-the-50s-60s-and-70s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/on-the-loom-toys-of-the-50s-60s-and-70s\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Loom \/ Toys of the \u201850s, ’60s and ’70s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ON THE LOOM \u2013 A MODERN GUIDE TO WEAVING FOR CRAFTERS AND MAKERS<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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On the Loom: A Modern Weaver\u2019s Guide<\/em>
by Maryanne Moodie
Harry N. Abrams
2016, 144 pages, 9 x 9.5 x 0.8 inches (hardcover)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a knitter and maker of things in general, I have long been interested in weaving. I found Maryanne Moodie\u2019s lushly woven wall hangings while clicking myself down a yarny rabbit hole of pretty things on the internet and have been a fan ever since. The release of On the Loom: A Modern Weaver\u2019s Guide<\/em> brings Moodie\u2019s weaving workshops home to those of us too far from a major city to make it to one of her wildly popular classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book hosts a wide range of projects, both functional and decorative, with step-by-step instructions that are clearly written and beautifully photographed. All of the projects use a handheld frame loom, which, Moodie says, is the best, most accessible place to start (frame looms are small, inexpensive, and easy to find or make). If you\u2019re like me and don\u2019t have a loom yet but do have a huge stash of yarn and terrible wait-reflex, you can still jump right in \u2013 most of the projects in On the Loom<\/em> don\u2019t require a pre-made frame loom at all, but rather use cardboard, cardstock, or found objects like branches, pots, and even bicycle baskets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re completely new to fiber arts, Moodie includes an encouraging, unbiased overview of yarn and fiber characteristics. The tips she lays out for warping, stitching, and design in the \u201cGetting Started\u201d chapter are included, with page numbers, throughout each project for easy reference while making. Easy to navigate and thorough in scope, this book lives up to its name as true guide to weaving. \u2013 Mk Smith Despres<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TOYS OF THE 50S, 60S AND 70S PRESENTED BY THE KIDS WHO PLAYED WITH THEM<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Toys of the \u201850s, ’60s and ’70s<\/em>
by Kate Roberts and Adam Scher
Minnesota Historical Society Press
2014, 208 pages, 8 x 10 x 0.7 inches (softcover)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are lots of books about baby boomer toys, but this fun collection is presented from the viewpoint of the kids who played with the toys and includes lots of personal memories and photographs. Sure, there are many interesting facts and histories about well-known toys and their creators. Classic toys and games that are still made today like Tonka trucks, Easy-Bake Oven, G.I. Joe, Matchbox and Hot Wheels, Twister and Mousetrap are featured in loving color photographs and vintage ads. Their stories are well-known, too. For example, writer and artist Johnny Gruelle patented his rag doll design in 1915, the same year his daughter Marcella died after a controversial smallpox vaccination. The Rageddy Ann and Andy dolls and books helped Gruelle keep his memories of his daughter alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Famous fads include the ’50s Davy Crocket Coonskin Hats, the ’60s Troll dolls, and the ’70s Pet Rock. Toys always reflect the times they\u2019re from and this book provides plenty of cultural and historical background. Only after the heady 1960s and ’70s with women\u2019s liberation, the sexual revolution, and Black Power movement would there be an anatomically correct African American baby boy doll, Mattel\u2019s Baby Tender Love, molded in life-like vinyl skin called Dublon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other less well-known toys are long gone from the toy store shelves but live on in the very personal memories (and actual childhood photographs!) featured throughout the book. Home health training specialist Lisa Crawford (b 1963) appropriately recalls the insanely dangerous metal-tipped lawn Jarts. I was delighted to find Make<\/em> editor and fellow WINK contributor Gareth Branwyn\u2019s (b 1958) recollection of using his own Johnny Horizon Environmental Test Kit to get an A+ on a school project (and to keep tabs on any hometown polluters!). Learn the mysteries of Ike-A-Doos, create a Cootie, and check out Schwinn\u2019s Lil\u2019 Chik for-girls-only line of bikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was charmed by these personal toy stories. I was also lucky enough to see this show of toys at Seattle Museum of History and Industry. Even if you weren\u2019t able to see this traveling Minnesota Historical Society-curated show, which ended last month, you can explore these memorable toys with the book. \u2013 Bob Knetzger<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Books That Belong On Paper<\/strong>\u00a0first appeared on the web as Wink Books and was edited by Carla Sinclair.<\/em>\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>\u00a0to get the issues a week early in your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Issue No. 63<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13684,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[31],"tags":[2398],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44015"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13684"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44015"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44034,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44015\/revisions\/44034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}