Do you remember French Knitting?

Can anyone remember hammering nails into a wooden cotton reel to do some French Knitting when they were young? I didn't realise until recently that wooden reels are considered to be 'vintage' and then noticed that the ones in the shops now are made out of plastic. I thought my grandchildren might like to try french knitting so bought a spool and took it up north with me when I visited them recently.

I bought one for for the girls for under $5 from Spotlight which was similar to....

 

....this one on ebay. 

Once I worked out how to use it I found it quite therapeutic and really got into the swing of it after a while.  I did try to show Miss Five how to use it but it was a tad too big for her hands to hold comfortably so Nanna took over and before I knew it the knitting was about a metre long. 

 

I was going to ask my daughter to keep knitting after I had left but, before I left for the airport, I was showing Miss Five how to curl it around to eventually make a coaster and went to my room to find my camera to take a photo and when I returned she had pulled the knitting off the spool :-( Never mind! 

When I got home I remembered that I had bought a Clover knitting spool many years ago at a Stitches and Craft Show in Brisbane as a demonstrator used one to make a necklace with wire and small beads and I was quite keen on beading then and bought one. I eventually unearthed it as I was keen to start up a french knitting project but wasn't sure what to make. So what do you do when you want some fresh ideas....you check out Pinterest of course!

   

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A search for 'french knitting' gave me some interesting ideas like these flowers which would look great on a Christmas tree. 

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There is a tutorial on this site on how to make this 'i-cord flower'. I don't know why it is called an i-cord!

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This method uses crochet cotton and incorporates beads as well. It is quite pretty....

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.....as is this necklace.

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 I could always make some bracelets for the girls....

 

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....or make myself or a friend a necklace....

 

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....but although it is very cute I don't think I would have the patience to make this bag.

So there are a few ideas to give me inspiration. Did you do french knitting as a child or even as an adult and, if so, what did you end up making with it? I would love to know.