Nader's man-quilt
10-10-2021, 03:26 PM
#1
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Nader's man-quilt
Hi there. I'm new, and just made my introduction in the intro section. I'm a middle-aged guy, husband and father, with hobbies in the motorsports. I race vintage cars and motorcycles on enclosed road courses (racetracks like Road America, Laguna Seca, etc.). When I race at tracks far from home, I enjoy camping out at the track; sometimes sleeping in a tent in the parking lot (we call paddock) or sometimes in the back of my pickup truck used to haul the car or motorcycles to the event. One day I decided it would be nice to have a beefy, large quilt that I could use while camping. And wouldn't it be cool if it had panels representing all the things I loved on wheels? That way, I could wrap myself in all the things I loved, aside from my family, of course 
My only experience sewing before this quilt was when I bought an old Pfaff 130 a couple years ago to sew some small leather projects. Then while quilting, I became obsessed with older mechanical/analog sewing machines and started collecting them. I love precision tools, and have a full machine shop on my property, in part to repair and maintain my racing vehicles. Sewing machines to me are like precision thread-injecting fabric welders, and I appreciate their complexity and accuracy. So I bought a bunch.
Anyway, here's my man-quilt, and like those annoying backstories you get before the actual recipe online, I'm going to have to set up my pictures with reasons why I did what I did.
First panel of my quilt is dedicated to an old Toyota Land Cruiser that I restored in my driveway a couple years ago. This Japanese Katakana script for Toyota looks like "Teq". I'm sewing it up with a Pfaff 360, which is a great machine (one of my favorites):
My only experience sewing before this quilt was when I bought an old Pfaff 130 a couple years ago to sew some small leather projects. Then while quilting, I became obsessed with older mechanical/analog sewing machines and started collecting them. I love precision tools, and have a full machine shop on my property, in part to repair and maintain my racing vehicles. Sewing machines to me are like precision thread-injecting fabric welders, and I appreciate their complexity and accuracy. So I bought a bunch.
Anyway, here's my man-quilt, and like those annoying backstories you get before the actual recipe online, I'm going to have to set up my pictures with reasons why I did what I did.
First panel of my quilt is dedicated to an old Toyota Land Cruiser that I restored in my driveway a couple years ago. This Japanese Katakana script for Toyota looks like "Teq". I'm sewing it up with a Pfaff 360, which is a great machine (one of my favorites):
10-10-2021, 03:38 PM
#2
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I was hoping I could embed the pictures instead of having them show up as thumbnails. Any tips on that? I'm able to do it on other forums but this one is a little different.
Anyway, next panel is for my Ford truck. This is the backbone of my racing endeavors. Here's a picture of it hauling my race car's trailer. Sometimes I sleep in the back seat, sometimes in a tent pitched beside it. Sewing the Ford script was pretty hard! Probably should have saved this one for later after I had more practice with easier designs.
Anyway, next panel is for my Ford truck. This is the backbone of my racing endeavors. Here's a picture of it hauling my race car's trailer. Sometimes I sleep in the back seat, sometimes in a tent pitched beside it. Sewing the Ford script was pretty hard! Probably should have saved this one for later after I had more practice with easier designs.
10-10-2021, 03:50 PM
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Next up I needed a break with an easier design. I'm a big fan of KTM motorcycles. I have a few, and race one of them. I married well enough to allow me to work on the bikes in the living room. Increases my presence for family time, so it's win-win. The pic with the kid helping me is a few years old, but still makes me mist up:
10-10-2021, 04:00 PM
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Another easy design is dedicated to an old BMW 325 that I'm very fond of. It's very much like the car my Dad had when I was in high school, and a lot of the good memories I have of him involved this car. Here's a pic of it in front of my truck and Land Cruiser which you've already seen. Oh, and the thread I'm using is this "King Tut" cotton thread. I'm told it's good, but it makes a lot of lint.
10-10-2021, 04:42 PM
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Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
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What an ambitious project for any quilter, much less a newbie. And you are carrying out your predetermined theme and really doing well. Can't see what your next panel will be.
You remind me of my husband so much. He put an engine together in one of our bedrooms many years ago. It was okay until one night he got frustrated and threw a screwdriver at it and thank goodness, it only stuck in the ceiling. If he gets interested in doing something, he'll figure out a way. He bought a walking foot sewing machine and informed me he was doing the upholstery for an older boat that we owned. And he did and it was a good job. He came home one day and told me he was going to do some stained glass for our house. What??? Yes, he said, I have been reading about it. And he created some beautiful works. We also did a little bit of the race car bit and we rode off road motorcycles in the woods for several years. He hasn't taken up quilting yet, but he can adjust my older Nolting long arm when I just can't get it to stitch properly.
You remind me of my husband so much. He put an engine together in one of our bedrooms many years ago. It was okay until one night he got frustrated and threw a screwdriver at it and thank goodness, it only stuck in the ceiling. If he gets interested in doing something, he'll figure out a way. He bought a walking foot sewing machine and informed me he was doing the upholstery for an older boat that we owned. And he did and it was a good job. He came home one day and told me he was going to do some stained glass for our house. What??? Yes, he said, I have been reading about it. And he created some beautiful works. We also did a little bit of the race car bit and we rode off road motorcycles in the woods for several years. He hasn't taken up quilting yet, but he can adjust my older Nolting long arm when I just can't get it to stitch properly.
10-10-2021, 04:46 PM
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Next up is a harder design, and I'm pretty pleased with it. I'm a big Alfa Romeo fan, AKA "Alfisti." I have a red '69 Spider that I love (was our marriage car much like "The Graduate"), and I liked it so much, I found a rusted out heap of another to turn into a race car. Pics below.
I've had good luck with the car, even winning a race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI a few years ago. There's a pic of the car and me in the winner's circle. The Alfa Romeo emblem is a shield (boring), and a crowned serpent consuming the body of the Moorish invader Saracen (exciting!). So I did the serpent design.
I've had good luck with the car, even winning a race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI a few years ago. There's a pic of the car and me in the winner's circle. The Alfa Romeo emblem is a shield (boring), and a crowned serpent consuming the body of the Moorish invader Saracen (exciting!). So I did the serpent design.
10-10-2021, 04:52 PM
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Thanks, Barb! I love reading stories like that about your husband. I showed my quilting project on a Toyota Land Cruiser forum, and quickly learned I wasn't the only guy around who took to sewing. Like your husband, I also have intentions to do some upholstery work someday, but I don't think I have the machine for it. Yet!
Last edited by Nader; 10-10-2021 at 04:56 PM.
10-10-2021, 06:03 PM
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Next up is the Honda wing symbol that was used in the '60's. Pic of it below. Racing vintage Honda motorcycles has been a big part of my life (in the summer seasons) for the last 15 years. I've built up these bikes from the ground up, and have raced them with pretty good success. Like the Alfa race car, the Honda race bikes are one of the reasons I need this quilt in the first place, so I can camp out at the race track.
For this panel, I switched to a Bernina Record 830. You can see the previous Pfaff looking on jealously in the background. I had to have a Bernina because my mom, who is a talented professional dressmaker/tailor, and seamstress (had her own business doing alterations for high end boutiques), always had a Bernina. Still does. Hers is electronic, but I wanted an analog mechanical machine. I actually bought two, one of which to use as parts for the other if needed. (same story with the Pfaff 360; I have two).
The Honda wing design was difficult. All the sewing made the panel's material pucker. I was hoping it would flatten out with an iron and eventual quilting. BTW, I'm using all cotton material, pre-washed and dried, for the panels and eventual back sheet.
For this panel, I switched to a Bernina Record 830. You can see the previous Pfaff looking on jealously in the background. I had to have a Bernina because my mom, who is a talented professional dressmaker/tailor, and seamstress (had her own business doing alterations for high end boutiques), always had a Bernina. Still does. Hers is electronic, but I wanted an analog mechanical machine. I actually bought two, one of which to use as parts for the other if needed. (same story with the Pfaff 360; I have two).
The Honda wing design was difficult. All the sewing made the panel's material pucker. I was hoping it would flatten out with an iron and eventual quilting. BTW, I'm using all cotton material, pre-washed and dried, for the panels and eventual back sheet.
Last edited by Nader; 10-10-2021 at 06:09 PM.
10-10-2021, 06:37 PM
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Next up is a Porsche panel. I bought an old Porsche over twenty years ago after getting my first real job, because it was my dream car when I was in high school. It was a relatively cheap used car back then, and became my daily driver for years. Now these old ones are too rare and valuable for that, so it doesn't get driven as often. Still like to take the family out in it once in a while for french fries, because the little back seats fit kids. When it comes to cars, this was my first love, and I'm glad I held on to it. I think it reassures my wife that when I latch on to something, I'm with it for the long haul.
As for the quilt, it's another difficult panel; the Porsche crest is a prancing horse in the middle of a shield surrounded by stripes and antlers. Hard, but I'm getting better at this, and I think it came out okay. Went back to the Pfaff because a German emblem needs to be sewn by a German sewing machine.
As for the quilt, it's another difficult panel; the Porsche crest is a prancing horse in the middle of a shield surrounded by stripes and antlers. Hard, but I'm getting better at this, and I think it came out okay. Went back to the Pfaff because a German emblem needs to be sewn by a German sewing machine.
