Back to Boondoggle (Gimp)

Boondoggle is gimp.  I didn't know that...but when I was getting back into the gimp groove I needed some guidance as the instructional packet included with the gimp just wasn't quite cutting it and I found boondoggleman.com.  Yes, it is a man, who will very kindly go through each kind of pattern that you can make on a youtube video and also has detailed step-by-step pictures on how to make the different patterns. Here's my new collection of gimp 

I like it because it's very colorful and happy and nostalgic.  Honestly though I'm not really sure how I figured this out when I was little.  Maybe it was easier because my hands were smaller back then, but some of the patterns are kind of complicated and I had to look at multiple websites to figure it out (the internet wasn't even available back when this was popular - I seriously don't know how people figured this out back then).  This all started because I lost my car key - which I don't keep on a key chain and this drives my boyfriend crazy.  When I was looking for my car key, I looked under the refrigerator (just in case) and saw an old gimp key chain that I had made when I was in grade school (I have no idea how it got down there but I'm sure it had something to do with the cats).  Then later when Steve was telling me how crazy it is to not have a key chain, I decided that I would make a small, understated gimp key chain.  I was only half motivated to do this until I found a pack of it at Walmart for less than $6 and then I was inspired.  I started off with the design I can remember making - which is the square stitch.  

The square stitch

Actually, I can't remember doing any stitches besides this one, and I also have a strong memory of begging the child care worker at my day care to do the starting stitch for me (which is a little more complicated).  Besides being a little difficult (once again, maybe due to my ogre hands) I'm surprised that children like making these because it takes some patience, which might be why all the gimp I can find from when I was little had gaps and kinks in it.  Anyway, I decided to tackle the cobra next...

The cobra stitch

I like this stitch because it is very easy and very fast (and it looks nice).  But then I wanted to make something very special for Steve's backpack (we are becoming a completely gimped out couple - he already has a key chain) so I wanted to tackle a stitch that was the next level up - THE TWIST STITCH!  It's two circle stitches next to each other (which is just a diagonal square stitch) so I thought, can't be too hard...WRONG!  Lots of boondoggle going in every direction (not really sure if boondoggle describes the string or the product??).  This was quite tricky and my hands hurt a little when I was done, but I was pleased with the finished product.

The Twist Stitch

Now I'm practically a professional gimp stitcher!  Actually there are people out there that make crazy stuff like this...made in 2008...not in the 1990's as I would have suspected.  People are still doing this - I'm not the only one! 

Made by Yonatan

People are also making some classy jewelry out of gimp which I would love to figure out how to make.  It's the ending part that would be tricky to make look nice.  

Boondoggle is back baby!