If you never learned to make a Jacob's Ladder string figure as a kid, it's not too late! Unlike cat's cradle, which requires two people, this string figure can be made by a single individual. It's a good way to become familiar with a pastime that's been enjoyed by many societies, past and present, throughout the world.
Step 1
Put the string in front of the middle three fingers and behind the pinky and thumb of each hand.
Step 2
Hook your right middle finger through the string in front of your three left fingers. Return your right hand to its original position.
Step 3
Hook your left middle finger through the string directly under your right middle finger.
Step 4
Return your left hand to its original position, holding the string taut between your two hands.
Step 5
Drop the string that's wrapped around your thumbs. There should now be four strings running between your hands.
Step 6
Bring your thumbs underneath the first three strings and hook your thumbs around the string farthest from you. Return your thumbs to their natural position. The string you hooked should now cross the palms of your hands and wrap around the outside of your thumbs.
Step 7
Hook your thumbs on the string second-closest to you, then return your thumbs to their natural position.
Step 8
Drop the string that's wrapped around your pinkies.
Step 9
Hook your pinkies on the string that is second-closest to them (third away from you). Return to natural position.
Step 10
Drop the string wrapped around your thumbs. You have now made Cat's Whiskers!
Step 11
Hook your thumbs under the third string away from you and return to natural position.
Step 12
Hook your thumbs under the string second-closest to your body. Make sure you hook the section of string that is very close to your fingers, before it is intersected by the string running between your pinkies and thumbs.
Step 13
There should be two strings wrapped around the back of each thumb. Drop the lower string off each thumb by bringing your thumb around it (as shown by the green line) and letting the lower string slip off, over the upper string.
Step 14
Notice the labeled sections in the photo at right. Put the tips of your pointer fingers in Section A, the tips of your middle fingers in Section B, the tips of your ring fingers in Section C, and the tips of your pinkies in Section D.
Step 15
Push your fingers completely through their sections. When you do this, the string will fall off your middle, ring, and pinky fingers. You should be left with a fabulous Jacob's Ladder!
