Backyard Bubble Twister

I have been working on making windsocks. I aimed to create a twister.

swivel (for fishing)

scissors

taffeta scraps

serger, stepstich sewing machine

waxed cottonthread

bias binding

wire necklace (you could use any tube that is stiff enough to keep the shape)

The Sock

Sometimes I can‘t get my head around the simplest things....
To cut a long story short the solution is a basic A-line skirt pattern upside down. XXXS! I somehow thought I could use a shortcut by using the fabric fold but it didn‘t work out. By this I created only half of the pattern, which I found out a lot later....

This is how it really works:

Decide on how long and wide you want your windsock to be. You also need to decide on how wide you want the top and the bottom to be. (The bottom side is smaller than the top side!) Make a pattern like the last photo. The grid in the background can help you figure sizes out. In the grid one box is 1cm.
Lay your paperpattern onto your taffeta and cut out twice!

This is your windsock!

This is quick and easy. Place the bubbles on the windsock, trace the spots and cut the holes accordingly.

Lay out your windsock. Decide on how many bubbles you want and how big they should be. The bubbles act as your turbines, the wind must catch in them that is how the twister twists.
As in the first step I couldn‘t get my head around the size and/or shape of the bubbles, so I tried and only in hindsight understand what I should have done from the start...

I thought that I could just use something round like a tin or a CD to mark the spots where I wanted the bubbles (this part was true) and then use something two sizes bigger to create the bubbles (this wasn‘t).

The engineers among you will wisely shake their heads. 😀 It doesn‘t work BECAUSE you need to create the bubble! You must 3D it so to speak. In order to do that you must measure the round side, this stays the same. Then you measure the straight side and add to that. The more you add, the bubblier the bubble gets. Once you have the correct pattern use it and cut as many bubbles as you need.

Take every bubble and sew along the edges. I used my serger for this.

Place all the bubbles on the windsock and sew. Sew once around the sock. Sew the straight sides together. Strengthen the top egde by adding bias tape. Cut 6 pieces tie a knot and then use a leather needle and place the holes regularly.

Tie the strings to the swivel.

HANG IN A TREE!