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......