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The Woodworker

For those who are concerned about Vince’s ability to re-finish the sewing machine, don’t worry.  He’s quite an accomplished woodworker.  Woodturning is his favorite hobby but he can build furniture and stain and re-finish furniture.  He’s hardly done any woodworking since we moved here because he needs to build a shop.  All of his tools are either crammed in the garage or in a rented storage building.  He will not do it in the garage (neither upstairs or downstairs) because sawdust and the like attracts spiders and he doesn’t want those near the house. He hasn’t done the shop for several reasons.  First, he never thought we were staying here longer than a couple of years and then when it looked like we might be here a few more years, he doesn’t want to stay in the city so the shop has been on hold.  Some days he talks about closing in the pole barn and using that for a shop but that’s just a “make do” shop — not what he really wants.  A good shop needs to be built from scratch so he can get all the wiring and dust collection vents where he wants them.  That’s one of the reasons he keeps looking for a place on a river or lake.  We would go there on weekends and hopefully retire there so he could build the shop he wants at that location.  But for now . . we’re in the city, with no house on the river or lake and no shop.

But, my favorite pieces that Vince has done that we still have are these wooden hats.

This one is cherry.  I only know that because it says so inside!  Look how perfect the inside is!  The back side of my quilt tops never look this perfect.

I don’t know what wood this one is and I forgot to look inside to see (and I’m too lazy to walk back upstairs to look).

Aren’t those gorgeous?  And, he measures your head before he makes them so they actually fit and could be worn!

So, really . . Vince is not in over his head when it comes to re-finishing the sewing machine cabinet.

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  2. We certainly get the ‘shop” idea. We are waiting for our ship to come in because we figure it will be at least 50K. We want one that is 30’x50′ or 60’, and it has to have an upstairs for my sewing room! And a garage big enough for the camper. Since I do both sewing AND cabinetry, and Bill wants to learn to quilt when he retires, we both want BOTH. But he wants HIS shop more, as he keeps saying “we dont NEED an upstairs, and it would just cost so much LESS if we could just build it NOW”. Ah-“NO”. So, it has been put on hold, not to mention, in trying to SAVE for it, we are having to buy new $1000 items, bed, stove, car repairs, etc. first, so so far it has been just a dream. I keep telling him the only way we will get it is if his parents die. Sad, but true.
    And I agree with Cindy, how can he stand NOT to make them! I am just wanting to make a ‘real” sewing cabinet and cant get that done. Might have to HIRE someone to make it for me! Almost as bad as having to have something QUILTED for me! Life!

  3. Beautiful.
    I have confidence he’ll turn that sewing machine cabinet into a beauty too. It’s making us wait though to see that finished quilt. 🙂

  7. My Nana used to say – all good things take time. Vince makes wonderful hats! It takes a patient person to do such fine woodworking! Cheers! Evelyn

  8. OMG, those are fabulous! I have never seen a hat made from wood, it’s stunning!
    My sister does woodwork and has made me some bowls for quilts and so I love them.

  12. I really think the hats are super. I would love to have such a skill . Now when every one retires you can have a shop to sell hats and quilts. What fun

  13. P S
    I know no one would want to pay what either the hats
    or quilts are worth. But you both are very talented.

  15. My husband has been turning wood for about 3 years now. A cowboy hat is always in the back of his mind but he hasn’t attempted one yet. Everywhere we go he brings back a hunk of tree in the car. I keep telling him that I should get 1 yd of fabric for every pound of tree he brings home. Some how he doesn’t seem to think that is quite fair. I keep trying………..

  18. Wow! Vince is very talented and definately a keeper. Judy, you must be so proud of that hubby of yours. I love the hats.

  20. Wow! I love that hat. I have a wooden bowl made by a former student’s father and just love it. I can’t imagine the time it took Vince to make it.

  21. Add me to the list of people impressed with Vince’s talents. The wood hats are incredible and gorgeous! He is a real artist! I can only imagine the kinds of things that would come out of your house if the two of you had the kind of space you dream of. Even more incredible is both of your versatility.

  22. Wow. They’re gorgeous.
    I live with a woodworker. His shop is in the basement. The sawdust travels throughout the basement and get tracked everywhere else. We’ve been here for around 15 yrs. He’s still thinking about how he’s going to make his home dust collection system. I can handle a few spiders but the sawdust…….

  24. I’ve never seen wooden hats – they are so cool. I just want to run my hand over them, they look so smooth.

  25. I never thought for 1 sec Vince would have any trouble with the machine cabinet, Vince the Accomplisher, could handle that in his sleep.
    However, his whole new adventure into quilting I am finding too funny; just to get the quilt HE wants. So with Vince refinishing the cabinet before sewing, I just had to tell my DH over lunch the whole Vince and Judy saga. I await, with anticipation, new adventures.

  26. Wow, those hats are something else. I’ve never seen those before. You certainly have a talented hubby. I’ll bet his quilting will be just as meticulous.

  27. That’s a beautiful hat! I’ve never seen on before nad it looks so nice and smooth. Makes me want to feel it just like fabric and I love the colour of it. I can’t wait to see how the cabinet is going to turn out. And the quilt too!

  28. This is a beautiful hat. I love the way he worked the wood. It does take real skill and imagination to make something this awesome. My “hat” is off to Vince!