The Making of.....my Wonder Oven

I posted the results of my Sunday Meal using my Wonder Oven.  However, I promised to share how to make your own Wonder Oven or Wonder Cooker as it is referred to.  If you do any search on the internet, you will find many versions of the same pattern. I laughed when I repeatedly saw the same handwriting on various patterns reportedly made by several authors.  I guess it is good enough idea that it is being duplicated.

Making the pattern was certainly the most difficult part of this process, by far.  I printed off the instructions and pattern from this link.   I like the clear instructions, photos, and suggestions in making this device.  I even like the suggestions on how to fill the device with polystyrene beads.

The directions are simple, cut 4 pieces of the top and bottom. Sew the side seams together (2 at a time) and then put right sides together and sew all around the perimeter but leave an opening to turn the parts inside out.  This opening is also used to fill the pieces to the oven.  

Speaking of filler....I priced out the pellets online.  I didn 't need the amount that most suppliers were trying to sell.  So, I went to Wally World and bought a cube filled with the pellets.  It looked like it was supposed to be a type of an ottoman and it cost $15.00.  This is a far cry away from the price that distributers were asking.

Well, it is important to remember that I am married to Rooster Senior....who is really great at figuring out mechanical things.  He also hates styrofoam peanuts and beads. When I asked for his help to fill the Wonder Oven pieces, he started to cringe.  Just the thought of free-flowing styrofoam was too much for him.  Soooo, he went out to his garage and scrounged up a device.

I had never seen this 'air gun' type of device.  I asked him where he got it and he said he couldn't get another one.  It allows 'stuff' to be sucked into one end and shoot out the other.  It also connected to his air compressor.  

My job was to hold the other end of the hose in the cube of pellets.  I am not kidding, those pellets flew into the hose and from the cube and into the wonder oven in no time flat.  Then, Rooster Senior quickly pulled out his Shop Vac and vacuumed up any errant pellets that were in his beloved garage.  (I only wished that he would use this mindset to keep our home uncluttered).

As brilliant as the pellet filling system was, there was a major drawback.  He put the Wonder Oven parts....on a table that had a light coat of sawdust on it...that I didn't see. So, this beautiful black fabric was now covered in sawdust. I just sewed the opening closed and took the pieces into the house and cleaned the sawdust off.  

I took it in a put one of my largest pots inside....and it fit!

Cost:

So, what did this cost me?  

• $15.00 for a cube with pellets from a big box store. This is a great time of year to get something like this as they are trying to sell off the last few pieces because school has started and all the College students are now settled in.  This cube was marked down by $5.00.
• Fabric was something that I had already from a project that I never finished.  It is heavy weave.
• The ribbon that I sewed in the small openings (so that I can store this item either on hooks or hanger) came from remnants that I had in my sewing supplies.  
• Total Cost..."$15.00!".  On line, these devices are being sold from between $39.99 to $49.99.

It was inexpensive.  The sewing level in my opinion is at the beginner level.  

Function:

• This device worked just as it is promoted.  It is a great addition to your Supplies and it is also fun.  Consider using it on a camping trip or when you are going to be gone for a few hours.

Try it!