Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Math is hard.


 I was complaining recently about how much math is involved in sewing -- at least it seems to be in the kind of sewing I do. Fractions and ratios, division and decimal points. Definitely not why I went to art school. The math part, I mean. Funny thing is, the more math I do, the better I get. Gives me hope. So there!! Mrs. High-School-Math-Teacher whose quadratrics and absolute value equations along with other algebraic nightmares kept me awake when I should have been getting much-needed teen beauty sleep according to my guidebook, Seventeen magazine. Pop quiz me now!

Tools of the trade: Brush for chenille fluffing. Abandoned crochet hook. Random ball of vintage fabric. Cup of pencil nubs.

One of the latest items out of the Doily Factory required a little more math than usual. I wanted it to be in proportion to the real thing and to make that happen I had to convert decimals points to inches and then add in seam allowances which were fractions of inches and subtract my shoe size from my height minus my i.q. and maybe even cry a little bit.


Here's what I came up with. And I was only kidding about the crying. Maybe.

My idea to create an American flag pillow cover made from vintage tablecloths has been on my to-do list for so long now and I finally did it, math and all.

I also wanted to let you know this blog will be broadcasting live from inside a moving box sometime in the next 30 days as I pack up the entire Doily Factory and move it 4.7 miles and one state away, along with the rest of the house and Mr. Might Be Into Vintage Eventually.

The really good news is the Doily Factory will be *greatly expanded* in its new location and I'm so excited to have all my vintage sewing paraphenalia in the same room. No more dining room table expansion required!

And it looks like I dodged a bullet on Crafty Resolution #9 -- the one where I planned to de-stash due to lack of space.  Moving just seems so much easier.

24 comments:

  1. How lucky for you to be able to have a room that it all can fit into!! Best of luck with the move :)

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  2. Hope you have a wonderful move...and I LOVE the pillows!!!Mica

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  3. ooooohhh what fun....singing and skipping jo

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  4. As a fellow recent mover who finally got her craft room out of the basement and into the regular part of the house amongst the living....CONGRATULATIONS! The pillows are beautiful!

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  5. The pillows are fantastic. I have heard that artists have a hard time with math, and I seem to bear that out in my own life. We suffer for our art in so many ways. *sigh* This pillow shows the suffering is worthwhile:>)
    Good luck with your move! it is my dream to some day have a studio that I don't have to clean off every time I have dinner.

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  6. The pillows are wonderful. It's hard to find good vintage patriotic stuff. Moving is hard, but it sounds like you're up for it. Oregon?

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  7. Very cool!
    Good luck on your move. (I have moved the dining room table into the kitchen and hijacked the whole room, and I still need more room!!)

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  8. Oh my those are just gorgeous! My brother is a math teacher so I just go to him with my challenges.

    Happy moving!

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  9. Congratulations on the move and the larger work space! That's something I constantly dream of.
    Oh, and I am soooo with you on the math. I certainly wasn't the best student, but getting better since sewing and making patterns with all the fractions and such. :-)

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  10. Oh my.......I adore those pillows...I even clicked on the picture to see it BIGGER..and love them even more.

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  11. You are so funny. The math in sewing is what keeps me from making a lot of things. Thank goodness you didn't give up, look at your beautiful handwork!!! Moving is not fun as I've done it many times, but setting up your new studio the way you want is a blast. Have a blessed day!

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  12. The pillows were worth the effort - LOL!! Congrats on the move to a bigger space.

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  13. I like that "moving just seemed easier than de-stashing." Works for me. Your flag pillows are great.

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  14. The pillows are so beautiful! Very creative. Best wishes with the move...glad you get more space.
    Annette

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  15. Those pillows are little mathematical works of art! Sometimes it takes me forever to figure something out, when a simple algebra equation would have worked wonders. Congrats on the move, and having so much more space!

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  16. Love your pillows and your math comments. So true. You know what they say, "Measure twice, cut once."

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  17. Happy move! I have terrible problems with math myself so you have my sympathy!

    xo
    Claudia

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  18. I've made lots of quilts, and usually made my own patterns for them. But they were real simple ones, as I'm not good at following directions. Nor am I good at Math. I majored in Journalism and one of the reasons was that I did not have to take one math course. Isn't that cowardly of me? I admit it is. Good luck on the move!
    Brenda

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  19. So glad to see you quoting Barbie on your blog - math is hard!
    Just make sure the newly expanded crafty space still allows for Charlie's guest room.

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  20. What a perfect solution! Congratulations.

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  21. First, Amy....quadratics and algebraic? Seriously, it's like I don't even know you at all. Are those Doily Factory approved words? They certainly are not Meadowbrook Farm approved words. I thought your blog was a safe place.
    Those gorgeous pillows made my heart pitter patter. Vintage and Americana together? You never cease to amaze, girl. Nevah!
    I'm excited for the new Doily Factory home...more room is always a good thing, but I do extend my sympathies for the actual moving process.
    Happy packing!

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  22. You did a wonderful job. This is a great project. Love the vintage flag look.

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