I think I've been upstaged, have lost one of my sewing machines, and overall just created a monster! DH - Mr. lead-man journeyman electrician, woodworker, former oil well driller, never met a power tool or a piece of heavy equipment he didn't immediately bond with - decided he wanted to try paper piecing a Mariner's Compass Block after he saw my first one.

Off we went to the fabric store Friday night. He picked out his fabrics (the girls and I had to steer him just a little) and those girls at the store had a ball helping him. We had so much fun; I kept asking him if I could finish picking the fabrics for *my* quilt yet, and the girls just roared.

He started about 4 yesterday afternoon, and finished up about 1 am. He didn't think to stop to eat (a minor miracle for him!) I managed to catch a picture of him in the act, and his finished block. He's thinking about the blues to border the block, but he hasn't decided yet.

(I'm thrilled to be able to share this passion with him, but let's not tell him that just yet - I'm having a hard enough time trying to get my sewing machine back!)

That is so nice. I wouldn't know where to start that block - can I borrow your husband?

wow beautiful, wtg Doyle, keep up the great work. I guess he is just going to have to buy his own sewing machine so you can do some sewing to Roben. Isn't is great when hubbies join in our hobbies? When my husband comes home from work, every two weeks he's anxious to see what projects i'm working on. Thanks for sharing .

Wow! You have been upstaged! LOL! Great work, Doyle. Make more!

Awesome work, Doyle :D :D You really nailed all of the points :D :D

Wow! He did a gret job. Can't wait to see the finished project.

Wow He did a great job. I haven't had the courage to try pp yet.

Great job Doyle!
Maybe now you can get the NEW machine of your dreams and he can have the one you have now. Could be an option. But, then you'll have to get a bigger house, so you BOTH have craft rooms/sewing rooms. Oh, the options are endless!
I wish mine would join in with me, but he won't. He just likes seeing the workings and the end results.

Doyle, that is beautiful! Now we're hungry to see more!

Great job! Perfect points!!!!!!!!!! Good color choices!!!!!!!! I think Doyle might have inspired me to try one!!!!!!

Beautiful work (I just don't think it can be described as beginner's luck) There's only one solution that I can see, you are going to have to buy another sewing machine so you can both work at the same time!

Wow, tell Doyle that we loovvveee his compass! Now I'm really ashamed to admit that I'm scared to try the compass PP. I did a big mariners quilt and did it by hand..I'm such a chicken..cluck..cluck...cluck! :roll:

Beautiful,,,,,But Beware you may have created a monster. LOL,,,,,

Beautiful, I really like that blue with it, it really makes it POP!

Look out girl.....he will be digging in your stash next! hehehe!!! He really did a beautiful block, you should both be proud. Give him a big ole pat on the back for great job.

<------*jealous*

Geez, I tried that one and it came out so crappy that I threw it out!!!

I didn't have a pattern or instructions, though. Maybe I need to try this paper peiced dealy.....

YES! YOU HAVE TO TRY IT!! You'll be hooked!

Your husband has done so well..i still have to pluck up the courage to do anything half as hard as he has done!

Thank you all so much, from both of us! We ended up at the fabric store yesterday afternoon, and he picked out more fabric for a big Mariner's Compass quilt ( I got one 2 yard piece to finish my baby quilts, and he bought 7 different fabrics - I'd feel jipped, but I got a couple of cool quilting rulers half price so I can't complain!) I almost had to enlarge the doorway to allow his head to fit through this morning!

I moved the little Scandinavia 400 over to his own space and have him all equipped. He's been told to keep his mitts off my Designer 1 and my favorite nippers :twisted: He's such a good sport.

In doing this, he was able to see some design issues from a different point of view. I have a 9' oak table in the garage that I want him to modify for my quilting table. I had asked that the cut out for the machine be enlarged to accommodate a light box right next to the machine, and he just didn't get why it should be there - until he was trying to place the fabrics for the compass. Now the things I'm asking for are making more sense - yippee!! I get my pull-out board, my light box, and my roll-a-ways :lol:

WOW.. let me have your spell.. I think I want to put it on my hubby too. I think he really did a great job, and I am with tlrnhi this maybe your chance to get a new machine (just don't let him know he may steal that one too)!!

This is just such a cool thing!! Great job on the mariner's compass!! I think its too funny that NOW you get the stuff you've been wanting, the question is, will you ever get a chance to use it now? LOL May want to have him make matching pairs so he can have his own :D

Unbelieveable first try!!!!! You go Big Guy! Perfect points the first time.....ok, when can we ambush him???? Just joking! Good for you that you now have a partner in crime. I bet no more hagging about the $$ spent on fabric! I say give him your machine and you go up a notch...what do you think? Looks great! :D :D :D GiGi

Wow I haven't even attempted one of those yet!!!! Way to go :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

That is beautiful! He did a wonderful job and what a wonderful husband to be trying something so new to him. I know many men would say it was a waste of time, etc., etc. Kudos to him. My husband has helped me pick out fabric and helped me cut fabric and has been interested in sewing but hasn't attempted it....YET. lol.

Wow, Doyle you did a fabulous job,and on your first attempt!
Looking forward to seeing whats up your sleeve next! Your a very lucky
girl Roban.

I'm very impressed Doyle!! Can't wait to see the whole quilt. You started with a hard enough pattern. My gosh,Iv'e been avoiding that one forever.

Doyle has figured it out. A sewing machine is just another power tool. You figure out how it works, you figure out how to control it. At that point, it's the design, it's the fabric, it's the finished project.

great start. Mariners Compass is on the list for several years down the road. You done good to: number one... choose it for your first project, and number two... do a great job on it.

And I think Doyle needs his own Bernina 830. That's a man's machine.

*L*


tim in san jose

You have created a monster that does awesome work.

YES! I totally agree. :D The only thing my dh does is (sometimes) peek into the sewing room, see what I'm doing, and say "Yeah. Uh huh. Purdy." :lol: At least he never minds when I have to spend a little $$$ on my habit. :D

Wow, that's positively inspiring. I have been awfully intimidated by those mariner stars. I've looked longingly at them and enviously at others' works, but never tried it.

And this is the guy's first try? If he can do it, surely I can!

It's beautiful. I can see how the men might be attracted to that design. I'm thinking they may have "geometric" leaning perception and might find complex geometric designs appealing.

My dad comes in and always examines the stuff we make. I sew with my mom. It's no fun to sit and sew at home by myself. He likes to sit with graph paper and design geometric blocks and then he wants us to sew them together to see how they look.

I don't think he's interested in sewing, but he's very interested in the stuff we turn out.

Hooray! Another convert! Please pass my compliments on to your husband on a beautiful block!

HOLY COW....a man who knows his way around power tools AND fabric...I'm totally impressed!

Tell him that M.compass is WONDERFUL!

:-o :-o :-o What he did this on his first try? What a great start to a great hobby. I am curious, how did this all start? He saw yours?

Great job doyle!

That is so beautiful and I'm so jealous. I've shown my work to my man-friend and he doesn't have very much to say about it. If he made something I'd be praising him to high heaven just because I care.

It's a man thing, my DH is like that
Great work Doyle

You need to have your "me" time Loretta

Let your DH try while you are out, or have him get his own machine if he does take to it

Red, it all started because as he was watching me paper piece mine, he made the comment "That doesn't look hard at all" - so naturally, I made him put his money where his mouth was :twisted: He found out it wasn't as easy as he thought it was, but he stuck with it :D He still says that is the only day he ever skipped dinner :lol:

Loretta, don't feel guilty - we all need our own space. When DH helped me with some binding, I set him up in the Dining Room, not my sewing room :twisted: I hit the Joann's notions wall sale and bought a duplicate set of basic tools so we're not reaching for the same thing. DH is collecting blue fabrics (for a quilt that apparently is still in his head!) so I keep his collection in it's own tub and out of my way (okay, so I don't use it!) I honestly don't think it's ever occurred to him to actually share my sewing room - either that, or he's afraid that if he asked I'd turn right around and commandeer his saws :lol: :lol:

Okay - either extreme beginner's luck or he has a future in this art!! Did he enjoy the process?? How fun. I'm impressed with his project. Tempts me to make one too, just to hang as a little walll hanging. Where was the PP from? Just a book or online?

I'm sort of torn about whether I would want DH in on this. I kinda like having my own thing. It's bad enough he thinks his opinions about how the house is pulled together matter...I can't imagine him giving me input about a quilt that isn't along the lines of "wow, that's great"!! I think I'd flip a lid if he tried to tell me how to do one better!!! But, it would be nice to have a friend to quilt with. hmmm....naw, think I'll stick with this group.

That is beautiful. He is a natural.