Does anyone have any ideas for a gift for a child who has her heart set on getting a camera for her birthday? She doesn't want to take pictures, except to see them show up on the LCD panel. Are there toy digital cameras that might do the job? The real cameras made for kids really suck, and buying a beginner's level digital camera seems like a waste for a three-year-old. Does anyone have any hints for how to block a 72" (approx. diameter) knit lace shawl? I finished it last night, and it looks like a big crumpled trashbag. I don't think I have an open 72" circular space anywhere in my home.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Trolling my readers.
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Blocking. I grew up with a couple old quilting frames, and you could probably make a cheapish easy version in the size you need without too much work. Get maybe 1x2s, four of them, and four smallish clamps. Make it about the right size that you need.
Since your work is round, and the frame isn't, you might not want to attach directly to the frame, but to another cloth. If so, try a sheet (or maybe a couple really big towels), and stretch that over the "frame." Then lightly attach your shawl to that (baste, pin, whatever works for you). Dampen the shawl, and lean the whole contraption wherever.
I don't know if that will actually work, but it's the sort of thing we did with needlework and quilts on occasion when I was younger. Let me know if I haven't explained, and good luck with it.
I have an old Canon powershot A40 2.0 megapixel which I use to take most of the pics on my site. I have used and abused it to no end and it still takes great pictures. When my 4 year old niece came to visit two months back I let her use it to take pics and she didn't have any trouble with it. Though it might be out of your price range (you can find them on ebay for between $40-$80) I would heartedly recommend it just due to the shear abuse mine's taken and yet it still delivers quality images.
I'm with seeker: a used but competent "adult" digital camera beats out any of the cheap kiddie or really-low-end-nearly-disposable junk in the same price range. And the Little Anachronism has been taking pictures with our digitals (actually, started with my father's, which got us started on digital) since that age: never dropped one, never abused it (though it's clear that these are my cameras I'm letting L.A. borrow, instead of a personal camera). Yours may only want to see the pictures in the little LCD now, but once they realize they can see them on the big screen, that'll be what they want. Ours knows that you can print out pictures if you have the right equipment, and really wants us to get that....
One advantage to buying something around $100: you can borrow it and actually get half-decent pictures yourself....
I'm with seeker...and glad to hear than an older A40 is still holding up. Maybe by the time I can afford a *really* good digicam, I can give my A75 to Maya.
She'd love to have it now, but um...18 months...NO.
About the shawl: if it were crocheted with cotton, I'd suggest doing it as I do my crocheted doilies. I use a hot (cotton setting) steam iron, and press firmly outward, working from the center to give it shape. Pressing firmly outward with hot steam seems to accomplish everything that wetting-and-pinning blocking accomplishes.
However, knitted, with wool or acrylic? For that I have no experience, alas, so I don't know whether the same technique would work.
Fisher Price makes a perfect shot camera. It is geared at kids ages 5 and up but my son loved it from 3-7. They are sturdy and last a long time. Just a thought!
If *all* she wants is to watch the LCD screen--which I think makes sense, given that the whole image/representation thing is a little beyond a 3-yo--I wouldn't worry about whether kids' cameras suck: she doesn't care about the quality of the image, as long as it's got an LCD. Honestly, at that age, she's going to break anything that's delicate anyway, so you really are better off just buying something cheap if you can find it.
Also, consider the age-old ViewMaster. PK loved it at that age. Same basic principle, really.
Bitch, do you know of a kid's camera with an LCD? I totally agree that the A40 is a great idea, but AB refuses to give it up, even if we were to replace it with something swankier. The viewmaster is a great idea.
Dawn, the Fisher-Price product is called a "Perfect Shot"? I haven't heard of that one before. (Must google...)
The shawl is knit in laceweight alpaca wool. Ironing is definitely out. I knit cotton lace, too, and my blocking technique there involves starch, a plywood board, and lots of heavy-duty thumbtacks. I asked my neighbor (who quilts a lot for the state fair (if you didn't know that I was in a square state before you do now)) and her largest quilt frame is only 5' wide. I think I'm going to have to use our (king-sized) mattress. Hope I don't leave many pins behind!
Thanks, everyone.
Sadly, I don't know of a kid's LCD camera. I do know that when he was that age, PK also loved the LCD part of the camera (still does). We had an older, clunky model and we let him handle it--with care--and he didn't break it. So I'd say that, ime, if you can find something cheap with an LCD--something for kids, or something that's just a crappy camera, or something used--then she'll be happy with it. I would think.
Sorry I can't give you a specific make/model kind of suggestion, though.
I looooooooooooooooooooooooved my Viewmaster when I was a bubba. f
Good luck with your shawl. Post pictures?
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