Tuesday 18 March 2014

Necessity is the mother of invention

Wooohooo, a second post today :o)) Well you were a bit short changed with the previous post, tis easy to put a load of links on a page and tell you to click around on them. So here's a post I made up all by myself. 
In preparation for making a picture using the back of a piece of fabric, I needed to invent a way to hold the fabric in place leaving both hands free to push the needle through from both sides. Ideally one of those free standing frames would be best, but as I am too tight to spend the money, I thought there might be a way to make some sort of contraption from bits and pieces I already had, which would hopefully do the job. 
I found this tilting table in a skip and nabbed it, after first seeking permission from the owner. Nothing wrong with it, in perfect working order. Then I picked out four 'D' clamps from a box in the shed, and put two on the top and two on the bottom.  
Next I found two pieces of wood which I had covered in some kind of roofing material, from another project that I had no further use for. These were the right length, and slotted in the gap perfectly.


Next I removed a whiteboard from it's frame, it was well scruffy and needed chucking. The frame is just the right size for fastening the fabric to it with plastic clips. 
Then it can be laid over the two supports, top and bottom. I need to find a way to secure this to stop it from sliding off. Two pieces of elastic should do it. 
Now I will be able to get my hands underneath to push the needle through from both sides.

Pretty clever eh! Made from materials I already had. Now I can get started on the picture.

Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip

9 comments:

  1. Your invention looks like it will work great!
    Looking forward to seeing your picture! It is a very pretty design.

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  2. Very nifty and perfect for what you need it for. Waste not want not as the saying goes.

    X x

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  3. That's great :) as you would say chuffing brilliant AFM xx

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  4. Well done! The right tools really make all the difference, don't they?
    By the way, I had a similar tilting table I used to use for my laptop, but don't have room for it now so I took it to our town dump/recycling station to see if anyone else would like to have it before donating it to the thrift shop. It never even touched the ground! As I was lifting it out of my car at the dump, a fellow came over and happily lifted it right into his truck :)

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  5. Brilliant! You could do your rag rugs on that.?? The frames they sell for rugging purposes are very expensive ! It stops them from becoming misshaped. Debbie

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  6. Said it before, you are very inventive! And clever.

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  7. Ilona you certainly are the Mother of Invention, it never ever amazes me what you come up with . I still have a couple of those tilting tables, they were what my mom had when dad was ill and confined to his bed. I use mine to do craft work on. Looking forward to seeing the finished pictures. I watched Flog it today while having lunch and there was an American quilt being auctioned of, it was huge and done in triangles rather than squares , it made under £100 which surprised me I thought it would have gone for more money
    Danneke

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  8. Fantastic invention Ilona ! The fabric is beautiful, I especially like the side you've chosen. Looking forward to seeing your finished picture !
    AussieCheryl : )

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  9. I love this, its ingenious and perfect for the exact job you want it for! You have a truly resourceful mind! You can't buy tools better than purpose custom built ones! :o)

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