A couple of months ago I reported on the unmaking of a century-old treadle sewing machine cabinet. I came across the parts I'd saved this past week and began to imagine what I might make from them. But I was stumped. So I wrote to some creative friends.
TRANSCRIPTION: "Dear Fellow Maker Persons, Please oh please: I require Inspiration Assistance. A few months ago I dismantled an old treadle sewing machine cabinet. Some of the parts I saved. Now I am in the process of cleaning up my workroom and have come across some of the saved pieces. They are the wooden frames that held the drawers. Most excellent but I cannot see what I might do with them. So I says to myself, 'Self, ask for some ideas from other peoples!' I think they may be made of mahogany; then again they are not that heavy. And they are not of a solid piece so I can’t just hang something heavy from them and expect them to hold."
Here are the pics I sent them of the wooden pieces:
I included some blank, self-addressed postcards for them to send their ideas on. Here's the first set I got.
THE IDEAS LISTS (and they are marvelous!)
Harmonium bellows * Folded fan organizer * Accordian folding box * Seasonal foliage wreath frame * Porthole windows for canvas safari tent * Spring-loaded self-inflating bagpipe bag * Very fine hat * One-head-sized infinity mirror room * Ninja water-walking shoes * Carved speaker frames * Sequential art picture frames * Reusable cheese-hanging bag frames * Gold-panning sieve * Mobiles * Decopage hors d'oeurve tray * Macroscope slide frames * Stained glass window pendents *
Emtling family portraits * Folding screen for doll's boudoir * Collapseable bird cage (needs string) * Paper towel holder (needs towel) * Doors to curious cabinet ~ stained glass! * Rectangulinear dream catchers * Candle boxes (oiled paper) * Doors to Faerie * Trivets * Book cover bindings * Hanging cloth pouch mouths * Obstacle course for iguanas * Magic lantern slides (widescreen) * Umbrella stand * Tiny greenhouse *
Giant poisonous moth trap * Countertop carrot sprouter * Silkscreen frames * Perfect rectangular stencils * Entomological gladiator stadium * Candy glass-growing screen * Handweaving loomlets * Terrarium toppers * Toaster streudel templates * Firewood * Squirrel-skin stretchers * Right angle tambourine frames, with or without drumskin * Horseshoe-throw nouveau * Windchime skeleton * Box telescope struts * Sighting tunnel for bamboo rail gun * Refridgerator magnets * Sistrums *
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