Review
“Tape It & Make It: 101 Duct Tape Activities “
By Richela Fabian Morgan; Barrons, 128 pages
There was a time when duct tape was found only in hardware stores and was easily distinguished from the other adhesive tapes by its gray surface. Duct tape represented practicality, durability, reliability; truly the workhorse of many household repairs. A toolbox without duct tape was like a desk drawer without paper clips – weird and incomplete.
But the duct tape landscape has undergone a huge transformation. I didn’t pay much attention to it at first. Sure, I saw the neon colors, the stripes and polka dots, and I suppose I noticed that duct tape had moved from the back of the store – where hardware is often located — to more prominent shopping real estate such as the office supplies and/or craft aisles. It wasn’t until I happened to see three new titles arrive at the library — all of them about crafting with duct tape — that I realized this fad just might “stick” around for a while. It was time, I decided, to pay closer attention to this duct tape frenzy.
In “Tape It & Make It,” Richela Fabian Morgan offers up a bevy of unique — sometimes practical, sometimes odd — projects for all levels of duct tape enthusiasts. Chapter headings include, but are not limited to, Housewares (check out the beverage coaster); Bags, Holders, and Wallets (make a cell phone case); Toys for Kids (create a jump rope); and Miscellaneous Projects (reupholster a bar stool). Most of the activities have either practical or whimsical applications. Even I, a non-crafter with a somewhat skeptical regard for the revamped duct tape scene, find most of the ideas fun and useful.
I have to admit that a few of the projects caused me to raise an eyebrow. A couple of the toys — a blue boy doll and a pink girl doll — look more creepy than cute, in my opinion. I’m not sure I would ever wear a duct tape bucket hat, or duct tape fingerless gloves because yes, it’s true, I prefer cotton to adhesive tape for my attire. And I’m sorry, but hemming a pant leg with duct tape, regardless of the tape’s cool color, makes me cringe.
