Tuesday, May 14, 2013

WHY MORE THAN A 4 PATCH IS BEYOND ME!

Seriously, I've been feeling dumber than a rock these last few days.  Our son asked if I would make a cover to protect his pinball machine....shades of his father who also owned a pinball machine which 'decorated' several of the homes we lived in.  Well.....this project sure isn't easy or fun.

Look at this thing......all angles varying widths, heights....geesh....  AND it lives in San Francisco so the cut and fit approach, much like upholsters do, isn't possible.

During a trip to CA in Jan. I measured the monster....then had my son measure again since I couldn't understand some of my own notes!! I sent him this photo I found online, marking areas where I needed more info.  

I brought my 'mock' cover with me on my visit there two weeks ago. My sample wasn't too off but the whole creation process has now gotten far more complicated because he'd like one made out of thick material and in one piece.  YIKES!!!    It looks so simple in this photo above....however because the bottom of the scoreboard area is wider than the playing area, it's NOT!!!!!!!
 Really, and I probably shouldn't admit this....but it took over an hour TWICE for 'the husband' (an engineering type) to help me 'see' how to make it all fit together as he drew illustrations over and over.  For the life of me.....I was just looking at Greek.....it DID not make sense. There were moments when I just began to get a glimmer of understanding....then whoosh....it was gone and I was back to staring at a blank piece of paper.  

By now, those of you who have math, drawing, or engineering gifts.....your jaw has probably dropped and you are rolling your eyes.  'The husband' got VERY impatient because I truly could not see how 'making a hole' in the box shape for the scoreboard was going to make the bottom section fit correctly.  Even the engineer son mentioned this 'hole' approach to me within a nano second when we fitted my mock cover.  I'm probably not even explaining it right here because, well......it makes NO sense!!!

So I'm venting at my inability to comprehend mysteries such these.  I'm VERY directionally challenged, can't do math, and often transpose letters and numbers especially if hand writing. I'm comfortable with 4 patch and 9 patch compositions....and have even made numerous quilts using triangles....ye gad!  Yet long ago, I knew those avenues of quiltmaking were not well suited for me.

However, I can look at a pile of beads, embellishments, and fabric and within a short period of time, 'see' a plan (even if it's just fuzzy) and know how to execute it.  Sure sometimes there are hurtles along the way, but I rarely, rarely, rarely not finish something I started because I truly do 'see' it in my brain.  

The same thing is true for a countertop or refrigerator filled with food options.  I always know what to do, no recipe is needed....no problem.  But this.....well....I'm more than humbled I can tell you.
If this photo makes no sense to you.....then you can only slightly know how I've been feeling.  It probably didn't make life easier for me by using some of my vast stash of 'bovine print' fabrics to make the mock cover.  The scoreboard portion (top) is made using the right side, and the lower playing area the reverse.  Of course for the photo I had nothing to fit it on....so I'm only holding it up.....but perhaps some of you will understand.

How all this can be done in one piece - using thick fabric - well....I'm not promising successful results.  For now this new mock up is winging its way to CA for another fitting.  Perhaps our son will decide to do without one....and I can quit feeling so bad about myself!   grinning......  

4 comments:

Robbie said...

OMG...I'm laughing and crying with you on this post!!! I CAN IDENTIFY!!!! Some things just don't 'compute'!!!!! I'm sure glad none of my kids have a pin ball machine they want a cover for....although, if they ever do, I know who to call!!! Yikes! Isn't it strange how some projects like this just don't make sense!!!

The Idaho Beauty said...

You are a saint for even offering...

Nanette said...

OMG! If it were me, I'd throw a sheet over it and call it done. Lol.

Michele Bilyeu said...

I am in the process of trying to design a dress pattern for a wedding with nothing but a photo from etsy to go by. I am as severely directionally, spatially, and numerically challenged as you are. I can barely follow directions of any kind, transpose numerals even in small groups and have just begun to misread words. It is such a lifelong and getting more dramatic challenge! After three months, countless drawings on reams of paper, and two complete mockups and five partials..none of which resulted in the dress looking like the photo...I asked my builder husband for help. He told me it was both algebraic and geometric as I was using 8 panels (like a gored skirt)only with uneven hemlines for them (think handkerchief hemline) and each measurement I altered affected every other single one and that's why it wasn't working. It was Greek, Chinese, and Russian and my brain could only panic. I SO get where your visualization abilities come from but not the 'logical patterning' kind of thinking that others just seem to pull out effortlessly. I can't even drive dowtown ..lived here 40 years now..without getting lost. I once was told to 'follow me' as our cars backed up from a driveway. Well, the other driver backed up to the right and I backed up to the left. That's my mirror image, non directional mind for you! Sending lots of hugs and best wishes! This is so long..no need to post it but I just wanted you to know that you are not alone!!!!!