I made a kaleidoscope years ago, when I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I always remembered it as 3rd grade science class, in Bangkok, but I was only at that school for half of that year and the age-level seems wrong for working with glass. Then, again, we were a lot less cautious in 1967 than we are now.
Considering that this little trio of mirrors has traveled around the world and survived countless moves, it's pretty impressive just for endurance. The cover was made with the most beautiful Christmas wrapping paper I'd ever seen, blue with sparkly gold swirls.
We've purchased many different versions of kaleidoscopes, including the "fly eye" faceted versions, the simple marble-ended types, and the elegant double-wheeled machines, but my elementary school kaleidoscope remains my favorite.
It's a simple design that was well-explained in Gary Newlin's 1995 book Simple Kaleidoscopes on pages 15-17: get three mirrors, tape them into a triangular tube-shape. We added beads to our kaleidoscopes and then taped the ends on -- as you can see, the taping job wasn't too tidy, and it's all yellowed with age. Still, it has a certain charm.
Here are a few views through my little handmade kaleidoscope:
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Comments: 72
I wonder if kids still get to do this, though? Maybe they use the shiny metal version, to avoid handling glass?
I was thinking about sock gardens, too, and how you need a meadow to run through. How many meadows are left?
(Okay, I won't. But someone should, once they're done saving our school district from certain ruin and all.)
Do kids still work with glass? Do teachers still use this craft?
And how did this thing last so many years?
If I had thought of it, and was able to find enough inexpensive glass (or something shiny enough that could be used as a substitute) I would have definitely done it with them. That age would probably need a bit of help with assembly, but they would love picking the treasures to put inside it, decorating the outside, and the final product.
I love kaleidoscopes, but this one will always be my favorite because I made it.
The pictures are really pretty.!
I don't remember doing any cutting of the glass or even seeing it done. I do remember my mom had to send in money for the "kit" of glass, and I brought in the wrapping paper.
So, we got a Third World education at a local parochial school, which I have since heard has improved greatly since those days.
For a while we had a son living in the Canaan, NY, area. When we'd go to visit him, we stayed at a nearby Shaker guesthouse and there were flyers for area attractions -- the Kaleidoscope place was among the many places I'd hoped to visit at some point, but it never happened.
I think I made a kaleidoscope when I was young, but perhaps it was more one of those things where the mirrors were already set up and you just inserted beads or whatever. I certainly liked that sort of thing as a kid. Light, color, shifting patterns--all those things attracted me, and a kaleidoscope has them all!
Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly...
For years, I had a commercial kaleidoscope with a removable top that could be filled with your own selection of beads, feathers, sequins, etc.
I was looking online and found this site which offers a lot of pre-made 'scopes as well as kits, and some had the option you describe.
I am going to acquire a "Fill Your Own Kaleidoscope" for my adult years.
This was a fun read. It makes me wonder if kits are still available. It sounds like something that would be fun to do with kids on a rainy afternoon. They rely way too much on electronic devices for their enjoyment these days.
Years ago, our business was near a store that carried fancy kaleidoscopes, and Kevin wanted me to see one he was crazy about: a brass tube with two wheels that spun independently. One wheel was pieces of stained glass, and the other was thin pieces of agate -- just gorgeous!
I ran to the store ahead of the visit and asked the owners (friends of ours) which kaleidoscope Kevin had been enchanted by -- and then bought it and asked them to simply tell him it had been sold, when he brought me to the store later. :-)
We still have that one, too.
The skull across the bottom of the painting was done with a polished tube -- the viewer has to look at an angle to see it well.
As to the photos -- I was just tickled some of them turned out well.
I still had my "Rejects Anonymous" group, last time I looked, but they may have purged it by now.
(I don't think they purge groups unless the owner is gone.)
Now I'll have to go and peruse my list of groups I own...
Most of the time, since they installed "feeds" on our home pages, it appears we all prefer to follow where our friends have gone. If I get a new person commenting, I usually find they're connected to a friend of mine.
You're inspiring me to try this project with my grandkids!
You bet!
:-)