String figure

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A string figure is a design formed by weaving string around one's fingers and manipulating the digits in certain ways, or sometimes between the fingers of multiple people. String figures may also involve the use of the mouth, wrist, and feet. They may consist of singular images or be created and altered as a game or as part of a story involving various figures made in sequence.

Step 4 of "Cup and Saucer"

String figures were widely studied by anthropologists from the 1880s through around 1900, as they appear to have arisen independently as an entertainment pastime in many societies. Many figures were collected and described from Pacific Islanders, Inuit and other Native Americans. The first known book of the subject was String Figures and How to Make Them, by Caroline Furness Jayne.

The most popular and well-known string game appears to be cat's cradle. String figures that are also well distributed throughout the world include Jacob's Ladder (Osage Diamonds, Fishnet), Cup and Saucer (Sake Glass, Coffee Cup) and Tree Hole (The Moon Gone Dark, Sun).

Japanese string figure depicting a butterfly

A great deal of additional information on string figures, on-going efforts to collect them worldwide, their often unique methods of construction, and newly invented figures is available in the publications of the International String Figure Association (ISFA).

[edit] Terms

In string figure literature there are many phrases often used, however there may be some variation with the fingers, loops, and strings indicated in different ways. A loop is the strings that go around the back of a finger, multiple fingers, or another body part such as the wrist. Some authors name the strings, fingers and their loops (near middle finger string, right index finger, pinky loop, for example), while others number them (3n, R1, 5 loop).

Below are some common moves, openings, and extensions.

Openings
- Index Opening: Grasp the loop with your middle, ring, and little fingers so that there is a couple inches of string between them. Put these fingers together so there is a circle made by the overlapping strings. Insert your index finger from your far side into the circle, then rotate the index finger upwards, circling towards you.
- Position 1: Put the untwisted loop on your thumb and little fingers.
- Opening A and Japanese Opening: To do Opening A, first do Position 1. Then make the right index finger pick up the string on the left hand going between the thumb and the little finger. Finally, make the left index finger go between both strings of right index finger, and pick up the string going from the right thumb to little finger. The Japanese Opening is almost the same except you pick up the strings with your middle fingers, not index fingers.
Extensions
- Caroline Extension: You do this when there is one or more loops on the thumb. Lift the instructed string up in the knook of your index finger, lift the string up, then pinch the string together with your index finger and thumb. This requires a lot of practice to do properly, so don't get discouraged if you fail at first.
Moves
- Navaho leap or navahoing: When there are two loops on a figure, you can do this move. You basically just move the lower loop over the upper loop and release it from the finger.
- Release
- Transfer
- Rotate
- Share

[edit] Further reading

Caroline Furness Jayne (1906), String Figures and How to Make Them, ISBN 0-486-20152-X

An exhaustive study of this material culture
Anne Akers Johnson, String games from around the world, Klutz 1996

A book for beginners
Kathleen Haddon, String games for beginners, Heffer 1974

28 figures, 40 pages
Camilla Gryski, Cat's cradle, owl's eyes, 1987, William Morrow & Co Library

A book for beginners
Many stars and more string games, William Morrow & Co Library 1985, ISBN 0-688-05792-6

A book for beginners
Camilla Gryski, Super string games, William Morrow & Co Library 1996, ISBN 0-688-15040-3

A book for advanced
Fascinating String Figures, International String Figure Association 1999, Dover, ISBN 0-486-40400-5

A book for advanced
Julia P. Averkieva with Mark A. Sherman (contributor), Kwakiutl string figures, Anthropological papers of the American Museum of History, Vol. 711992, University of Washington Press, ISBN 0-7748-0432-7

199 pages
Joost Elffers and Michael Schuyt, Cat's Cradles and Other String Figures, Penguin books 1979. ISBN 0-14-005201-1 (Viking Press, 1980, paperback).

207 pages, a book for beginners and advanced, English translation of German, features photographs
Anne Pellowski, Story vine, Macmillan Publishing Compagny 1984, ISBN 0-02-044690-X

116 pages - String stories