Newsletter chitchat - April 11

[Cassel]

Have you ever kept very old books from your childhood? If so, they could be worth a scrapbook page!

If you ever have some special contacts to help me find the tutorials I am looking for, here is the information I have:

• it would be an edition before 1970 (likely in the '50s or early '60s)
• it was called Encyclopédie de la Jeunesse (someone hinted that it might be the French version of the Book of Knowledge, but I am not sure about that)
• there was a section for crafts and various activities to do
• there were tutorials and patterns to create a little village and some doll furniture using metallic wire (I think it was brass)
• in the furniture tutorials, each item was created with a single strand of wire that was folded, bent, curved, etc. Nothing was glued or soldered
• the furniture included a table and chairs for the kitchen, a hutch for the dining room, a sofa, and coffee table for the living room, a double bed with a canopy, for the bedroom, a rocking chair, and a bassinet for the nursery.

Once I can find the exact edition that has those tutorials, I can find a way to either borrow the volumes or find someone who could scan the tutorials for me. It is a big ask, but it is fun to search!

Let's chat!

[Michele]

I'm not surprised that you've been crafting since you were a child. Do you still have any of the things you made back then?

I have a couple of books that my father gave my mother when they were dating. I also have a book called, "The Wonderful Story of How Your Were Born." I kept it and read it with my daughter when she started to ask questions. If I ever get it out of storage, I just might have to make a page for it.

[Cassel]

5 hours ago, Michele said:

Do you still have any of the things you made back then?

The year after this photo was taken, we moved, and the whole set was "lost".

 

46 minutes ago, Brian Vierstra said:

Not from an encyclopedia, but there are some wire furniture building links in here, and other DIY info, plans, books & kits that may be of interest

There are some tutorials with wire furnitures (I had found those), but it is not what I remember. And there is a LOT of information available on YouTube, and in FB groups. If anyone wants to give it a try, join those groups. It is amazingly inspiring.

[Cassel]

32 minutes ago, Brian Vierstra said:

Today, if it's not repurposing found objects, its programmable material cutters and 3D printers. I never made much furniture in CAD, but I have a nice Adirondack chair for my mannequin. The mannequin is 6'3" though, since I wanted anything else I created for it to be a good fit, if I ever built it. Closest thing to furniture, that ever came from those models though was the trebuchet I helped my scout den put together. Back when 3D printers cost more than a new, high performance, imported, sports car, I wanted one so bad. I'd send my designs out to rapid prototyping companies instead. I've no good excuse for why I still don't have a printer now.

So you would do "life-size" furniture with that? Cool! What kind of items did you get printed that way? How do you find those places and how do you get it shipped back? I am curious because my son plays with a little 3D printer but dreams of something much much bigger!

And yes, 3D printing is more and more affordable (although I am not sure about that size!)

[Linda J Walker]

Did you look at archive.org ?

[Cassel]

2 minutes ago, Linda J Walker said:

Did you look at archive.org ?

Yes, I did. I found ONE volume (V. 13) and it was not in that volume. I don't know if it is even the correct edition either.

[Linda J Walker]

How about ArchiveGrid - https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/

 

[Cassel]

2 minutes ago, Linda J Walker said:

How about ArchiveGrid - https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/

I can look!

[Linda J Walker]

Also check www.worldcat.org

 

[Cassel]

6 minutes ago, Linda J Walker said:

Also check www.worldcat.org

Yes, that is what I have been going through. It led me to the Moncton university, however, when I contacted them, they said they have cleared all books from before 1990 (which was not updated on worldcat!) Still trying to find someone to check things for me as the information is typically not available on those sites as to which edition I am actually looking for! ?

I was hopefully when I saw the mention of Moncton as it is just over 2 hours drive from here so I could have gone in person.