Scoubidou

Scoubidou (gimp, lanyard, scoubi, scoobie, boondoggle, or rex-lace) is a knotting craft, originally aimed at children. It originated in France, where it became a fad in the late 1950s and has remained popular. It is named after the 1958 song of the same name by the French singer Sacha Distel.

Scoubidou returned to fashion in various countries, including the United Kingdom, in 2004 and 2005. It uses commercially supplied plastic strips or tubes.

The most common kind of thread used for the craft is flat and comes in many colors. Another kind of scoubidou thread is supple, round and hollow plasticized PVC tubes usually about 80 centimetres in length. They are sold in various colors, sizes and types, and are used to make items by binding them together with knots. On account of their elasticity and hollow cross-section—which allow them to collapse and deform when pulled—they form tight and stable knots. Key chains, friendship bands and other are most commonly woven, although more complicated shapes and figures can also be created.

Most of the knots used in scoubidou were already used in bast fibre, while the creations possible with scoubidou are similar to traditional corn dollies and macrame.

Also known as a box stitch, the square stitch is the most common knot used in making keychains. It uses two strands of gimp. The square stitch is made by taking the end and crossing opposite ends, then taking one of the other ends and going over the first string and going under the second string. To finish, the last end is woven over the first strand and under the second strand.

A double square stitch (or triple) can be made using four strings, thus doubling the size of the keychain made. Again the process is done by weaving the ends alternately. Many think the easiest way to create a square stitch is taking two strands of the same color and weaving the other two strands through them.

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Wikipedia