Description
Date: February 19, 2022 (via Zoom)
2 pm – 3:30 pm CST
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Class Registration Fee: $15.00
First, what is a matchbox crankie? It’s an old folk art, popular in the 1800s. At that time they were most often called moving panoramas. It’s an illustrated scroll, wound up on two spindles which are loaded into a matchbox with a viewing screen. The scroll is then hand-cranked so that each scene is revealed in the viewing window. In the 19th century, when nothing was wasted, children and adults made moving panoramas from cigar boxes, matchboxes and just about any kind of box.
Students need to bring the following supplies:
- small matchboxes (2″ long)
- one box of long kitchen matches (the matches are 2″ long) or narrow, bamboo skewers
- thin copy paper or receipt paper
a hole punch that makes a 1/8″ hole, or a sharp tool for poking holes such as an awl- pencil and pen
- scissors
- ruler
- masking tape
- 1″ clothes pins for cranks (optional)
Materials fee: None – students supply all materials (see list above)
Sue Truman is creator of TheCrankieFactory.com website, the “go to” place for all things crankie. She has taught numerous workshops at music festivals, museums and folk schools nationwide. Passionate about the history of this forgotten art form, she has given talks in Europe and the US. Sue published an article about crankies in the book “More Than Meets the Eye – The Magic of the Panorama” published by the International Panorama Council.
