the art of creating versatile textile out of ordinary pop (soda)/bear/soup/fruit/other can pull tab woven together with fabric, ribbon, cord, wire, jump rings or any other material.
a fabric consisting of can tabs which are woven together by hand to produce a design, often wearable, used for clothing, wall hangings, furniture coverings, etc.
to furnish, cover, or adorn with pop tabs.
also referred to as "pop topping"; and in conjunction with the terms "trashion" and "upcycling"
I have a few projects I'm excited to post about soon, but wanted to take a minute to share some really neat things being done with tab maille. You may have seen chainmaille woven with tabs before, but John Andrews from Pop Top Paladin has come up with some really clever weaves.
One of my favorites is the version he calls "PopScale". He goes into detail on how to produce it here. It's not only made with can tabs, but with the inside cutout from the mouth opening of the can as well.
This is a sampler piece he created as a scarf with all kinds of different weave variations.
With many pics of projects and different variations of weave patterns, his site poptoppaladin.com is really worth a look. I look forward to seeing many new things that push the boundaries of can tabs from John!
Must apologized for the temporary break from tabistry. We just received a huge stash of tabs from our local recycler. They're the best. We hadn't been in for a while to deposit our cans, but they were continuing to save the tabs that people bring in. We normally only get a zip lock bag or two full every few months or so, but this trip it was something like 8-9 gallons! It's taken some time to clean and sort all of those and get them out of my crafting area. But, with some help, I'm finally back to making some tabistry. I was very please to see a few colored tabs mixed in there, too.
The timing of this couldn't be any better. I have a big tabistry project to complete that I volunteered to do for Ronald McDonald House in Kentucky. I'll be attempting to finish a hat, beach bag/lunch box, and a can koozie for their annual auction in a couple months.
In the mean time, if anyone near Texas is in need of some tabs, give me a holler. I think I'll have plenty to spare for a short time.
I've been searching all over the web since I started making tabistry admiring other artist's work. There are sooo many cool ideas out there. Youtube.com is one of my favorite stops for inspriational videos. So , I would like to share some of my favs.
Some incredible recycled Fashions on Programa Tudo É Possível in four parts(In Spanish):
Part 1
I have to admit that some of these design are a bit flamboyant for my tastes, but play close attention at 3:00 for a black dress made from x-ray film and VCR tape, a plastic bottle maille dress at 5:10, and a unique tabistry top at 6:30.
Part 2
Again, some of the outfits are not for me, but there are more wonderful can tabs and the use of other parts of the can at 2:10 and 4:35.
More awesomeness from Programa Tudo É Possível from 03/02/08:
Part 1 Check out the fairy-like skirt at 1:45 made out of plastic bottles and the cd top at 7:30.
Part 2
I was also impressed with the plastic bottlecap dress at 1:40.
Also in Spanish, Crocheted Can Tabs:
An Interview with Brad Taylor, maker of a can tab lounge chair
It's taken me longer than I planned, but I had to share the incredible pic that Ev sent me.
This HAS to be the most ambitious tabistry project I've seen to date! Wow! Look at ALL those tabs! The scale pattern looks great for their fishy mermaid tails.
"This performance was part of the "grotesque delights" tour of Freak Show, which is part of High Performance Rodeo. A big festival of alternative performances here in the city." - Ev
She used a discount jersey fabric cut to about 1/2 a centimeter, which is narrow. This is so it would be flexible to move in.
"I chose white because i planned on having a black light and i wanted us to glow. I had all our friends collecting poptabs! took forever!! i offered 1 cupcake for every 10 tabs. i dont know where you get your tabs! One of my friend's mom's owns a restaurant, without her help i don't know where i could have gotten this many in time!" - Ev
I wonder if we can still cash in on those cupcakes? :D She commented that they ran out of time finishing these costumes. Somehow, I'm not surprised. One mermaid would be a big challenge to take on. Kudos for seeing all three through!
"...we were actually still weaving minutes before the first show! Thank you so much for your website, and your inspiration!! The fins looked better than i imagined they would. i received lots of positive comments." - Ev
Thanks, Ev, for sharing your epic project with us! Hope the show was a huge success!
I was roaming around the internet today, as I frequently do, and came across this:
A bra made using Tab soda cans made by Ingrid Goldbloom Bloch. It is also constructed with a gutter guard, dryer vents, and rivets. Now, I realize there are no can tabs holding this piece together. So, it's not truly tabistry. But, hey, it's a close relative and this is my blog. I'll post what cool stuff I want. Ha! It even has undies to go with it!
And, best of all...
A garter belt! Wow, how fantastic are they! Not practical or even wearable, I imagine. I'm thinking to myself that my tabistry has to be much more comfortable than these, but they are awesome all the same! She has more inspiring art pieces on her site, including another bra made with washers, nuts and wire mesh at:
Hello, once again! I'm managing to squeeze one more post on here to wrap up the year!
I just received some pics my family and I took the last weekend of TRF (Texas Renaissance Festival) and wanted to share some of them with you. While walking up to the main gate, we saw this girl, whom I believe was named Stephanie (please forgive me if I'm wrong). When I saw her belt I had to run up and introduce myself and get some pics. She made a really original jingly belt out of ... you guessed it ... can tabs. And, a lot of them, too!
I like how she strung them at the top and hung chains of them around the bottom. It still amazes me how many different ways you can use these things! Here is a closer look:
Hope "Stephanie" stops by here to see her belt. She was so kind to let us bug her.
Well, that is just about it for this year. It's been a great one. Looking forward to continuing on into the next. I have many projects still in the works for future posts.
A BIG Thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in this blog. You guys are great! And, I have good news! I may have a blog contest lined up soon! I will be giving away some of my pieces. I'm also wondering if any of you would like to craft some creative tabistry masterpieces for prizes. Let me know if it sounds like a fun idea. So, keep checking back for details. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
While busy at faire and trying to finish up some new things I've been working on, I started posting a lot of different artist's works made with tabs and adding them to a gallery page. You folks have sent so many amazing pics of some really unique pieces that I just had to share them with everyone! Keep them coming! I would like to keep featuring new artists on a weekly basis if possible.
This week I'm featuring Beth's (daughter's) pirate corset:
This is a Beth's daughter modeling her new garb. Beth wanted to make her daughter a pirate corset like mine. So, awhile back we arranged a swap for the pattern. I also helped her start the front panels and she did a great job continuing the rest. She also made the black skirt and her lovely and talented daughter made the red crocheted hat she is wearing. Beth tells me her daughter loved how the corset turned out and got lots of compliments at faire. Yay!
Here are some more pics of the front and back:
She chose to use my original pattern with a little resizing but with the contrasting red back panels where mine just wraps around from the sides in black. I think the back panels really make it look more interesting and finished.
For her end of the swap, together they crocheted my daughter and me some wonderful items, which I have been so rude not to share pics of until now.
Beth made this gray hat and scarf set and the most adorable stuffed Koala bear amigurumi:
And, her daughter made this orange hat:
The pom pom tops were added by us. My daughter was insisting they both needed the poms. I just happened to have a yarn that was close enough to the last one. She wore the orange one to "Hat Day" at school in October.
Thanks so much for swapping with us, Beth. We'd love to do it again, soon!
At least she reminds me of a cupid in the first photo above. The comfort of this two piece warrior woman set is in question, but it sure is a lovely and unique outfit.
Here are some other designs, too.
Rob Emery's warrior woman designs are created out of 100% recycled aluminum. Not only are the tabs aluminum, but aluminum strips from used cans were used to weave the tabs together. Outstanding job! Using all aluminum really makes the tabs shine. When asked about the story of these outfits, this was part of the reply:
"I got into the habit of collecting tabs for a friend's school's charity but when they stopped collecting the habit stuck. Eventually I thought, maybe I could make some chainmail out of that. I tried a few iterations with tabs alone and with aluminum wire but didn't like the look - plus I was keen to make them without any other materials..." - Rob
Using nothing but aluminum must really have been a challenge! Kudos for the successful execution. Though, I pray this one never gets re-recycled!
"...I have one more suit not published yet (looking for the right model still). I am also working on a male armour suit now, with a shirt (sleeveless hauberk) and maybe pants (or at least shorts and greaves) too, though I'll have to get creative to make some knees that can bend more than a few dozen times." - Rob
Good luck with the future projects Rob! I really hope you find your solution for the knees. We're looking forward to seeing your results. Thanks for sharing!
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After viewing the portfolio website where these images are displayed, Rob appears to be an extremely multi-talented artist being able to draw, sculpt, and make costumes and props equally well (and is gifted at photography, too!) To see other nontabistry works, stroll over to rob.emery.net for a peek.
Don't forget to vote for these outfits in Greenwala'sEco-Chic Contest! You can vote up to once PER DAY for your favorite!
To view past tabistry work by others featured here, go to the Visitor's Gallery.
Time to share some more tabistry created by another amazingly creative artist. This one blew me away when I saw it. Joani was inspired by my hat tutorial to create this awesome coif for her man.
She got the fit so perfect. I'm very impressed! But, not only did she manage that, she also designed her own "Market Bag" for carrying her reusable grocery bags. What a clever idea! Looks pretty cool, too.
She is so sweet to boot. She left me some really kind feedback on Etsy.com, and also commented:
"This is by far the easiest method I've tried for creating things with tabs and the results are great. Your blog inspires me to try new ideas." - Joani
I blush. I'm glad I was able to inpsire her to give it a try. Her creativity is wonderful! I asked her a few other questions, which she graciously took some time to answer for us.
>What inspired you to try tabistry?
"I've tried making things out of can tabs before (crocheted belts & purses). It was hard to crochet. I've tried linking them with chainmail rings. I've tried cutting and bending them. Your method looked much easier (and it was!)." - Joani
>How long did your project take?
"4 evenings to make the market bag (3 or 4 hours each night) and about the same for the coif." - Joani
>Approximately how many tabs went into making your project?
"The market bag took about 2500 tabs. The coif took 2352 tabs. We already had the tabs, so the projects were fairly inexpensive. The coif used about a yard of grey t-shirt material ($5). The market bag we used a spool of black ribbon yarn we got at the dollar store, so that was only $1. :)" - Joani
>Will you be making any future tabistry projects?
"Definitely. I'm going to make some more market bags, and might try some more of your other patterns. I am thinking of making a roman gladiator costume for next Halloween." - Joani
>I'm truly amazed at how wonderful the coif turned out. The bag is great, too. Have you used it out shopping, yet?
"We take it with us every time we go. I use it to carry other reusable bags. We get lots of comments about it, especially when they realize what it's made of." - Joani
That's really cool! Can't wait to she the gladiator next year. Congrats, Joani, on the CANTABULOUS tabistry! And, thank you deeply for the generous testimonial.
I'd like to share another amazing tabistry project sent to me by Jessica.
She sent the pics with the following description:
"I came across your website and wanted to share my tab art with you! My boyfriend and I made his shirt by gluing the tabs onto the shirt. We made it for halloween and was supposed to look like chainmail. I decided a year later that I would make my own outfit for Halloween. I went a different route and decided to weave it rather than the terrible hot glue. I am entering in a costume contest this Thursday, hopefully I win! I love all of the things that you have made from tabs and it has inspired me to keep working with the tabs! Thanks!" - Jessica
She did a fantastic job on the top and skirt! And, those gauntlets, or arm bracers, are a perfect addition. Also note the sheath on her sword and shield she is holding that is also covered in tabs and bottlecaps. Such a great outfit! I'm rooting for her to win top prize for all her hard work. It really brightens my day to see such unique and wonderful items inspired by my own work.
To break from the usual ramblings about my own work, I thought I'd start sharing some unique works created by other awesome tabistry artists. So if you've got something to show send it on over.
I had to start with this one. Because she actually commented on one of my pieces that, I quote:
"these things are so much more creative than what I've made. Guh. Luckyyyyy."
Yeah, right. Her name is Lina Fernandez and she made her senior prom dress out of tabs in 2008. I think she did an amazing job. So, I thought I would post it here so others could tell her how awesome it really is.
She has what looks like two different weaves in the dress. As she states in the article, the skirt was made separately and the two pieces sewn together. The weave of the upper portion is a different variation than my work. I believe it is two layers sandwiched together in offset horizontal rows. I love how she handled the bottom edge of the dress. From what I can tell the vertical strands of tabs swing freely. Well, I'm impressed. I wore boring satin to both my proms.
She shares more pics of it here. And, the article about it can be found here.
