Forums

Articles
Create
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Throwback Thursday: What was the first thing you built or made with your hands? #TBT

It's Thursday!

giphy

Trying to think back. We had to take woodshop in Iceland and home something class (learn how to knot and sew). I think I made a bird looking creature out of wood, not sure. But when I was an exchange student in Arizona, back in the late 80's, I made a nightstand out of cedar wood. That was a nice one! Well, at least it smelled good... I was trying to find a picture of it but couldn't. But I found this picture from about 1997 :) 

kristjan.g.mathiesen@origo.is.jpeg

Soooo, what was the first thing you built or made with your hands? A birdhouse in shop class? A questionable cake? Maybe a Confluence page template that actually worked on the first try (yeah right!)? 

Let’s make it a great Thursday!
KGM

14 comments

Anahit Sukiasyan
Community Champion
June 4, 2026

Aww, such a great photo, @Kristján Geir Mathiesen

It brought back memories of my pottery lessons. Attached are a few of my masterpieces 😄.

IMG_5209.jpegIMG_5559.jpegunnamed.jpg

Like # people like this
Anne Saunders
Community Champion
June 4, 2026

The first project I remember actually finishing was in the late 80's - a plastic canvas "Mug Rug" coaster. My Grandma Bo used it to start teaching me needlepoint. This is not the one I made, but it is the same color! MugRug.png

Like # people like this
Trudy Claspill
Community Champion
June 4, 2026

I think the first thing I truly made was when I started making macrame plant hangers and owl wall hangings.

This is not an owl that I made but it is very similar to the type I made.

Vintage Brown Macrame Owl Wall Hanging Boho Fiber Art with Driftwood Perch MCM image 1

Like # people like this
Anne Saunders
Community Champion
June 4, 2026

@Trudy Claspill I'm pretty sure every home in America had a macrame owl at one point in the 70's/80's. Ours was white 😄

Like # people like this
Barbara Szczesniak
Rising Star
Rising Star
Rising Stars are recognized for providing high-quality answers to other users. Rising Stars receive a certificate of achievement and are on the path to becoming Community Champions.
June 4, 2026

The first thing I made that I know of was when I was 5. For Mother's Day when I was in kindergarten, I used red finger paint to put my handprint on a paper plate and glue and green glitter to put "Mom" under it. The teacher (or maybe my mom) punched a hole in the top and tied yarn through it. My mom would hang it on the Christmas tree, and I now have it in my bin of Christmas ornaments.

Like # people like this
Tomislav Tobijas
Community Champion
June 4, 2026

Oh, I’ve tried building so many things over the years...

The first thing was LEGO, obviously, but I also built a couple of “houses” from ear sticks. Strange, I know. 👀

Then, at some point, it was Revell models, and fairly recently, maybe 4–5 years ago, I started playing around with woodworking. 🪵
Europe is not quite on the same DIY/woodworking level as the US, but maybe we’ll get there one day. :)

Anyway, in January, I finished this wallboard for my F1 Speed Champions set: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTKr_vmDKyC/

I’d say it’s probably the project I’m most proud of so far, but I’m currently working on remodelling the backyard and garden, so once that’s finished, it might take the top spot. 😄

 

Like # people like this
Charlene Freeman
Rising Star
Rising Star
Rising Stars are recognized for providing high-quality answers to other users. Rising Stars receive a certificate of achievement and are on the path to becoming Community Champions.
June 4, 2026

The first thing I probably made was a small bouquet of flowers for my Mom. She was a true gardener and had a bunch of lovely flowers growing all around the yard. Her specialty was roses. Unfortunately, I did not get her " green thumb" but I will always remember her with her beautiful flowers. Below is a pic of my Mom with her roses. Beautiful memories of home. I am sure she is tending to a beautiful garden in heaven now. 

Mom Roses.jpg

Like # people like this
Liz Tanner
Rising Star
Rising Star
Rising Stars are recognized for providing high-quality answers to other users. Rising Stars receive a certificate of achievement and are on the path to becoming Community Champions.
June 4, 2026

I built a ton of airplane models when I was really little. The first kit I built was an F117 Nighthawk. 

First thing from scratch was a redwood poster board holder for a private kindergarten. Next, I'm building some SPF into cat stairs once I find free carpet trimmings/extras. I don't have any pictures of what I've built, but I do have one of said cat playing with random paracord.

bubba6426.jpg

Like # people like this
Bobby Taylor
Contributor
June 4, 2026

My earliest projects were all about wooden "boats". I generously call them boats as they were mostly made of bits of scrap wood, nailed or glued together in a semblance of an ocean-going vessel. There was always a "hull" and a "superstructure" of some sort but not much other than that. Though it didn't stop me from imagining that I was the captain of a high seas ferry, freighter or fishing vessel. 🚢  

Like # people like this
Amanda Barber
Community Champion
June 4, 2026

Anyone remember these looms? The only thing you could make were potholders, but I loved doing these! I also loved my Easy Bake Oven and made lots of yummy treats! 

image.png 

Like # people like this
Arkadiusz Wroblewski
Community Champion
June 5, 2026

@Kristján Geir Mathiesen 

You brought back some great memories.

I actually once built a flower stand from the shell casing of a large artillery round. My grandfather was in the army, and he was really skilled at coming up with creative uses for things you would never expect could be used that way.

We cleaned out the shell casing, polished it, and turned it into something completely different.

He has been gone for a long time now, but I still often remember those years in the countryside with him, working on small projects and fixing things together.😊😊

Like # people like this
Kristján Geir Mathiesen
Community Champion
June 5, 2026

Takk everyone for fun memories. Glad I was able to help you have an enjoyable trip down memory lane :surfer:

 

TBT Happy Friday yall.jpg

Like # people like this
Martin Runge
Community Champion
June 8, 2026

My first real "build" was in my grandparents' farm-like garden! I remember helping them construct tomato-climbing aids from simple wood and string. A simple project, but a great memory, as I spent many summers there.

Like # people like this
John Funk
Community Champion
June 8, 2026

It was probably a bird house. I think we did that in elementary school one year. Not sure if model cars count because they came from a kit. :-)

 

Like # people like this

Comment

Log in or Sign up to comment
TAGS
AUG Leaders

Atlassian Community Events