I made my own Loca Board and I love it! ❤️ You can see my version in a photo for #26242. It takes a little practice to get used to knotting on it but it's super helpful. I might make another larger board using a larger drafting board that you can find in art supply stores and online. It would allow me to make a longer strip and do the side strips like @La_Loca has in her version. I highly recommend making your own board.
I use a clipboard on it's side for knotting. This one is a letter/standard/A4 size clipboard from Amazon. I clip the bracelet using a quilt clip (you can get them on Amazon or craft store) along the long side. Or use a binder clip from an office supply store. I clip a copy of the pattern I'm making with the actual clip for the board.
For the foam strip I used 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch foam weatherstripping that I found on Amazon. It's got a strong adhesive strip on it. I made my cuts 1/4" apart but I wish I'd gone just slightly bigger and metric and did them 1 cm apart. I used an exacto knife to cut the foam after measuring and marking it. I made about 36 slits in an approximately 10 inch strip.
The total cost of this board was $22.37 (US $). The weatherstripping was $12.38 for 13 ft. So I now have a lot of it but I'll use the leftovers as actual weatherstripping when I put my AC up again next summer. The pretty clipboards are about $10. I just had to have the sleeping kitten one. One more thing that's on almost all of my knotting clipboards is an adhesive backed measuring tape (from Amazon).
Oh and I wanted to mention to everyone that the foam would also be available at a hardware store. It's usually got a sticky stip on it for blocking gaps in windows and when you put your AC in a window, etc.
What a great idea! I'm definitely going to make myself one. I've seen the tiny little friendship bracelet plastic board with the pegs but I like your idea better. It would accommodate a much wider bracelet which is when this would be most helpful anyway. I just recently slogged through my widest at 30 strings and I mean slog. It took me weeks as I kept putting it down because it was just such a hassle with all the strings and one of them was the Etoile from DMC which doesn't have a very tight twist so all the strands in the floss separate almost immediately. I currently use a clipboard turned sideways and I clip my bracelet in progress using a binder clip. The actual clip board clip holds my pattern. I think what I'll do is put the foam with the slots along one side (the bottom from my knotting perspective). I'll send you a photo when I'm done.
@Wishknots Thank you for finding the proper terminology for the foam!!!! I literally had no idea what it was called as I had found hunks of it at the side of a highway 😄 🤪 😂 I would love to see your results of your own Loca-Board! 👍
Love this tutorial and have already been gathering the supplies to make it myself!! One thing I want to add regarding the foam. I know you said high density foam but I think you meant EVA foam which is what is used in making cosplays and is generally black or white. The reason I want to make this distinction is because at first when I was looking for "High density foam" I kept getting results like the really spongy soft stuff generally used in making cushions. But when I looked for "High Density Craft Foam", I got EVA foam results which seems more like what you meant in your tutorial . Just wanted to point this out in case people (like me!) weren't sure exactly what the foam was.
THNX for all the comments, Everyone! This has now been my staple! Wow it REALLY helps with Alphas especially, now that I am using this all the time. It's SUPER convenient!
@its_jenny well, the strip at the bottom doesn't have to be as thick as I made it, but all in all, the spongy-foam that I used wasn't that much. From the piece that was found at the side of the road, I still have plenty left to make a few more boards if I needed to. it's almost like memory foam but with more resistance and hold its shape better. It really secures the strings well.
