This is the closest to a perfect closing. Excess cord is stuffed inside the projectile. The knot was tied while it was on the outside but the closing knot is actually inside.
2015/04/30
Ball's well that ends well
This is the closest to a perfect closing. Excess cord is stuffed inside the projectile. The knot was tied while it was on the outside but the closing knot is actually inside.
2015/04/28
Tight...
Center of the pocket, one side viewed from underneath |
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2015/04/27
Slinging at the Teesta
Nothing like slinging at a swift river with no shortage of rocks... I'm amazed at how picky I've become. In the U.S. I would sling anything, asphalt, pinecones, I even slung an empty bottle once...(by the way...don't do that) I was so desperate for projectiles... but here, if it doesn't look like I could cook it sunny side up and slap it on my grits, then I don't even give it a second look... behold Teesta Slinging
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blog,
slingprojectiles,
slingvideos
2015/04/24
Good sling curing practices
It's simple, a good egg-ish rock and some time. Make sure your rock is centered, and be patient. It's wise to store your sling like this while your slinging in your dreams, because otherwise, it should be in your pocket or backpack ready for action. And by "action" I mean, that rare moment when an open field, and a projectile and your sling collide in the same space-time.
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blog,
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2015/04/23
A stuffing trick
Getting your projectiles stuffed tight enough can be difficult. Often, it comes down to you jamming one bean at a time into the last stitching hole before you close. But here's a trick. Twist stitch the last two inches or so a bit loose, then stuff the ball tight as usual. Right before the final closing knots you can go back and pull both sides of the twist-stitch tight. This will give you a bit more slack for the closing knots and pull the halves together giving you a nice solid ball to sling with.
2015/04/19
16 row bean-fed...Jupiter spot?
2015/04/17
2015/04/16
16 row cornfed finds its calling.
sling made by slingmoore, see the sling warehouse at slingmoore.com |
2015/04/14
Waste Not Sling Moore
Cleaning up today I noticed that my waste pile was infinitesimally small, with the addition of one small leaf piece. Why is this note worthy? Because it means your sling from Slingmoore hasn't been hacked and chopped ultimately reducing strength... But rather your sling has the strength that only wholeness can deliver.
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blog,
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2015/04/12
Proven: balloons inadequate
I stuffed this 16 row asymmetrical trichrom with a balloon. Inside the ballon stuffed with this tiny "yellow dhal". The dhal makes a great stuffing with a few small problems. First it extrudes out of the crochet holes no matter how tight I crochet. This is the reason for the balloon meant as a liner to hold them in. But these projectiles are intended for slinging, and after only two throws the balloon ruptured. I have experimented with balloons off and on but I am hereby official done.
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ballisticrochet,
blog
2015/04/10
Out of the nursery
As slingmoore's 2015 all-black slings exit the nursery they are cut to length. Two things you need at this point, first, coffee, enough said on that point. Second, here at slingmoore we craft slings in small batches. Partly because we are always running out of gear, but the more poignant reason is that small batches allow for constant innovation. With this batch of four I'll experiment on one sling with a slightly longer pocket. Quality...that's what we're about here... Oh and chucking stuff...yes, chucking stuff and quality.
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2015/04/09
The Perfect Non-Lethal Sling Projectile
the clippers are useful because they can travel with you on an airplane, not so the lighter, and the hooks are hit and miss, depends on the THA agent. |
16 Row Projectile Pattern:
Row 1) Magic Circle (Ch 2. 6 Sc in second Ch from hook.) (6)
Row 2) inc in each stitch around. (12)
Row 3) 1, +, 2, +, 1, +, 2, +, 1, + (17)
Row 4) 1, +, 3, +, 2, +, 3, +, 2, +, 1 (22)
Row 5) 2, +, 5, +, 4, +, 5, +, 2 (26)
Row 6) 4, +, 7, +, 8, +, 4 (29)
Row 7) 7, +, 9, +, 9, +, 1 (32)
Row 8) 13, +, 18 (33)
The above pattern should be read as follows, starting in Row 3 read: "one single stitch, one increase stitch, 2 single stitches etc..." This pattern will make half the ball, so make two of them, and then see the links below for the closing. I like to use the tail of the pattern to sew the halves together, this mean, just to be safe you should leave 12 inches at least.
Also here's one more trick, if you take the tail end of each side and pull it through the final loop of the other side. You can tighten this slowly for a very clean starting point. Plus this brings the bulge of the patterns together like hand in glove erasing them both basically. Some knots are in order after this inside the sphere of course and then you can begin the stitching together. I found that if you keep the tails on the side corresponding to their own color, it allows the eye to focus on the color change at the seam making the closing stitching virtually invisible. I have to do two or three rounds of tightening before I'm ready to close it up.
This guy is the perfect size and weight for slinging. This ballistic crochet ball was done with a # 2.5 hook, closed with the baseball stitch and I tried a different closing, tying it outside and then pulling the knot down into the ball from the other side using the hook. It is likely to come out after the beating it will definitely receive being slung, but, it is also possible to res-tuff it with something different because I left enough tail to be able to retie it.
Oh and how to know it's non lethal? I subjected myself to some "testing," Had some former baseball players throw these as hard as they could at me from just 3 meters away. These do pack a bit of a punch, but they don't cross the pain threshold
Row 1) Magic Circle (Ch 2. 6 Sc in second Ch from hook.) (6)
Row 2) inc in each stitch around. (12)
Row 3) 1, +, 2, +, 1, +, 2, +, 1, + (17)
Row 4) 1, +, 3, +, 2, +, 3, +, 2, +, 1 (22)
Row 5) 2, +, 5, +, 4, +, 5, +, 2 (26)
Row 6) 4, +, 7, +, 8, +, 4 (29)
Row 7) 7, +, 9, +, 9, +, 1 (32)
Row 8) 13, +, 18 (33)
The above pattern should be read as follows, starting in Row 3 read: "one single stitch, one increase stitch, 2 single stitches etc..." This pattern will make half the ball, so make two of them, and then see the links below for the closing. I like to use the tail of the pattern to sew the halves together, this mean, just to be safe you should leave 12 inches at least.
Also here's one more trick, if you take the tail end of each side and pull it through the final loop of the other side. You can tighten this slowly for a very clean starting point. Plus this brings the bulge of the patterns together like hand in glove erasing them both basically. Some knots are in order after this inside the sphere of course and then you can begin the stitching together. I found that if you keep the tails on the side corresponding to their own color, it allows the eye to focus on the color change at the seam making the closing stitching virtually invisible. I have to do two or three rounds of tightening before I'm ready to close it up.
This guy is the perfect size and weight for slinging. This ballistic crochet ball was done with a # 2.5 hook, closed with the baseball stitch and I tried a different closing, tying it outside and then pulling the knot down into the ball from the other side using the hook. It is likely to come out after the beating it will definitely receive being slung, but, it is also possible to res-tuff it with something different because I left enough tail to be able to retie it.
Oh and how to know it's non lethal? I subjected myself to some "testing," Had some former baseball players throw these as hard as they could at me from just 3 meters away. These do pack a bit of a punch, but they don't cross the pain threshold
Punching for the stays
punching the holes for the stays |
Great leather is a dime a dozen but well-punched holes who can find? This is usually the moment that I make or break a sling. Knots can be retied and stays restrung but once you've punched you're committed. I have thrown away many slings just after doing this wrong. Can you believe I stopped in the midst of the strain to snap a photo?
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blog,
pocket,
punching,
slingcraft
2015/04/03
The monkey fist trigger... knot to worry
glazed bead handles and monkey first triggers in waiting. |
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blog,
knotcraft,
slingcraft
2015/04/02
The Ideal Closing using the baseball stitch: A step by step tutorial
In order to make a 16 row cornfed, first make two halves with the following pattern. (+ = increase stitch)
16 Row Projectile Pattern:
Row 1) Ch 2. 6 Sc in second Ch from hook. (6)
Row 2) inc in each stitch around. (12)
Row 3) 1, +, 2, +, 1, +, 2, +, 1, + (17)
Row 4) 1, +, 3, +, 2, +, 3, +, 2, +, 1 (22)
Row 5) 2, +, 5, +, 4, +, 5, +, 2 (26)
Row 6) 4, +, 7, +, 8, +, 4 (29)
Row 7) 7, +, 9, +, 9, +, 1 (32)
Row 8) 13, +, 18 (33)
Baseball Stitch: Using about 40 cm of cord from each half pull the cords up through the stitches then twist them so that the colors match up again. White cord on the white side etc.
Push your hook down into the next stitch from outside the sphere. Hook the cord of the matching color and pull through.
Twist- stitch is shown here under my middle finger. I am sure someone out there, (of ballistic crochet's tens of thousands of followers) is saying, "why is he calling this a "twist stitch" it is only a __________ stitch." If so please inform, I am ready to learn.
16 Row Projectile Pattern:
Row 1) Ch 2. 6 Sc in second Ch from hook. (6)
Row 2) inc in each stitch around. (12)
Row 3) 1, +, 2, +, 1, +, 2, +, 1, + (17)
Row 4) 1, +, 3, +, 2, +, 3, +, 2, +, 1 (22)
Row 5) 2, +, 5, +, 4, +, 5, +, 2 (26)
Row 6) 4, +, 7, +, 8, +, 4 (29)
Row 7) 7, +, 9, +, 9, +, 1 (32)
Row 8) 13, +, 18 (33)
Baseball Stitch: Using about 40 cm of cord from each half pull the cords up through the stitches then twist them so that the colors match up again. White cord on the white side etc.
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