I'm trying to come up with a good something to make for SWMBO for Christmas.
She has a nice jewlry armoire thingie already, and really doesn't need
another box that would only encourage her to buy more overpriced metal that
can't be fashioned into anything useful.
She crochets a lot, and she keeps a basket full of balls of yarn, plus the
project du jour, by the end table. I'm thinking she'd like a work box of
some sort. Maybe cut some recesses into three sides of it so that she can
leave her yarn in the box and pull it out with the lid down... Maybe even
come up with some kind of fancy pull-out tray to hold all of her needles.
If anyone has any nifty ideas for such a thing, please share. My idea is
still at the noodle stage, so anything is possible. I don't want to get
*too* fancy, since I still have to finish that chess box and a couple of
ornaments yet, and Christmas isn't very far away.
As to the wood choice... Our living room furniture is all ash faux
mission(*) style that's been stained some kind of darkish honey color.
I could mail order some ash, but it's not available locally. I'd have real
trouble matching the darkish honey stain too, and I've sworn off stains in
any event.
So I'm trying to think up something complimentary for the room.
Honey-colored ash, "golden oak" particle board entertainment center, beige
carpet with a dark blue remnant in front of the couch, sky blue walls with
cobalt trim. The carpet will eventually become probably parquet floor tile
some day. I'm sort of leaning toward red oak, but I'm also thinking about
walnut, cherry, mahogany, soft maple, and knotty pine as contenders.
Price wise, pine wins, plus SWMBO has a number of craft show pieces
(including the basket I'm replacing) made from pine that has had a touch of
Minwhacks slapped on it, with no other finish. She has a lot of that
stuff, and might dig it if I did something similarly cheesy looking.
I'm leaning away from that, toward something a bit more dignified. I'm
seeing maple in my head, but I'm dubious about how that would look with
this honey ash stuff. Oak keeps coming back due to grain similarites, but
oak isn't ash, so it might be better to go with something that's nowhere
close than something that's close-but-no-cigar. Then of course there's my
beloved walnut, which is great for anything, but maybe not for this.
Opinions?
* I think it's "mission." It's pretty blocky stuff, characterized by side
panels that feature grooves full of closely-spaced slats.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
brainstorm... work box for SWMBO...
Thu, Nov 20, 2003, 6:10pm [email protected] (Silvan) says
something like:
I'm trying to <snip> crochet <snip>
So I'm trying to think <snip>
Well, here's a bit of inspiration.
http://www.woodsprite.com/images/weav0002.gif or something decent, like
this.
http://jeannesantiques.com/walnut/walnutdesc/walnut7.html Or, if you
want to wimp out, http://www.bcaweb.com/ go down to instructions for
building a yarn tree. From the archives.
JOAT
Of course I don't think you're a complete idiot. Some parts are
missing.
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 20 Nov 2003.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
I have a longer term suggestion since time is running out for Xmas. For her
B-day or next year, Vol 25 / No 145 of Woodsmith has a BEAUTIFUL paneled
blanket chest. There are 2 drawers at the base where she could put her yarn
and supplies in and her finished work (afgans etc) could go into the the
chest.
The reason why I like this design so much is that it is not "boxy" as most
WW mag plans seem to be these days. It has bracketed feet on it that make it
look a little more upscale than something that sits completely on the floor.
Maple would be great for this. The design also matches pretty close our
bedroom fruniture so it will be a nice fit for us.
I have not started it yet because I need to get a little better at some of
my skills before I attempt this but I will start soon.
If interested, I can scan a pic out of the article and e-mail to you (or
post to a.b.pictures.woodworking) for you and all to see.
Pops
"Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm trying to come up with a good something to make for SWMBO for
Christmas.
> She has a nice jewlry armoire thingie already, and really doesn't need
> another box that would only encourage her to buy more overpriced metal
that
> can't be fashioned into anything useful.
>
> She crochets a lot, and she keeps a basket full of balls of yarn, plus the
> project du jour, by the end table. I'm thinking she'd like a work box of
> some sort. Maybe cut some recesses into three sides of it so that she can
> leave her yarn in the box and pull it out with the lid down... Maybe even
> come up with some kind of fancy pull-out tray to hold all of her needles.
>
> If anyone has any nifty ideas for such a thing, please share. My idea is
> still at the noodle stage, so anything is possible. I don't want to get
> *too* fancy, since I still have to finish that chess box and a couple of
> ornaments yet, and Christmas isn't very far away.
>
> As to the wood choice... Our living room furniture is all ash faux
> mission(*) style that's been stained some kind of darkish honey color.
>
> I could mail order some ash, but it's not available locally. I'd have
real
> trouble matching the darkish honey stain too, and I've sworn off stains in
> any event.
>
> So I'm trying to think up something complimentary for the room.
> Honey-colored ash, "golden oak" particle board entertainment center, beige
> carpet with a dark blue remnant in front of the couch, sky blue walls with
> cobalt trim. The carpet will eventually become probably parquet floor
tile
> some day. I'm sort of leaning toward red oak, but I'm also thinking about
> walnut, cherry, mahogany, soft maple, and knotty pine as contenders.
>
> Price wise, pine wins, plus SWMBO has a number of craft show pieces
> (including the basket I'm replacing) made from pine that has had a touch
of
> Minwhacks slapped on it, with no other finish. She has a lot of that
> stuff, and might dig it if I did something similarly cheesy looking.
>
> I'm leaning away from that, toward something a bit more dignified. I'm
> seeing maple in my head, but I'm dubious about how that would look with
> this honey ash stuff. Oak keeps coming back due to grain similarites, but
> oak isn't ash, so it might be better to go with something that's nowhere
> close than something that's close-but-no-cigar. Then of course there's my
> beloved walnut, which is great for anything, but maybe not for this.
>
> Opinions?
>
>
> * I think it's "mission." It's pretty blocky stuff, characterized by side
> panels that feature grooves full of closely-spaced slats.
>
> --
> Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
> Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
> http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
>
Pops wrote:
> If interested, I can scan a pic out of the article and e-mail to you (or
> post to a.b.pictures.woodworking) for you and all to see.
I'm interested, but I can't get binaries groups anymore. My email address
is real.
Sounds a bit beyond my reach too. Boxy is good. Boxy is approachable. :)
Never hurts to look beyond the horizon though.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
jo4hn wrote:
> Get her a pussycat. It makes crocheting ever so much more interesting.
Nah. We have two push sticks already. I've been telling my dogs for years
that it's OK to eat them, but they refuse.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/