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Waiter, there’s a quilt pin in my soup

Waiter, there’s a quilt pin in my soup

by Nancy Devine

The Studio Collection of sewing furniture from HA Kidd saves space and makes the dining room less dangerous.

The Studio Collection of sewing furniture from HA Kidd saves space and makes the dining room less dangerous.

So, a diner calls over the server and says: “Waiter, there’s a quilt pin in my soup.” No, it’s not a joke; there’s no punchline. It’s the reality of anyone who uses a table where family and friends gather to indulge in the passion for quilting.

From now on, guess what’s not coming to dinner? Pins. I’m no longer using the dining room as a cutting and design surface. Dinner guests are, in a word, relieved.

A bit of history here: I’m a life-long maker of stuff. I have made room for making for as long as I can remember.

By the time I was 16, I had a machine that did zigzag stitches and a sewing area in the family’s recreation room. When I moved out on my own, I had turned my machine into a portable dynamo that could create anything, anywhere, at anytime. Back then, I was sewing clothes, making curtains or cushions to disguise the ever deteriorating condition of my sofa bed. Most of my sewing stuff had to fit into a corner of a closet, in a plastic storage tote.

Then, I discovered quilting and other creative sewing. My collection of stash fabric and notions exploded.

I know, I don’t have to explain.

By then, we had our first house. It was small and had few multipurpose areas. The kitchen also became my sewing room, and the kitchen table often played host to my creative pursuits.

That’s when I discovered the necessity of a magnetic pin wand. I needed to pick up errant pins before the sock clad feet of guests and family members found them. There was mention made of giving up creative pursuits for lack of space. I would have none of it, and did my best to avoid the unwelcome dinner pins.

Folded up, the Studio Collection Design table is a compact marvel.

Folded up, the Studio Collection Design table is a compact marvel.

Fast forward to now. Finally, I’ve a sewing space that’s almost all my own. Technically it’s a den, but really, it’s a poorly insulated, over-the-garage bedroom. But, it also has almost floor-to-ceiling windows.

That much light attracts my sewing machine. My sewing studio is sort of cold in the winter, and way too hot in the summer, but it’s all mine.

If it has any real flaws at all, it’s that there’s no room for a cutting table — or so I thought.

Enter the Studio Collection Home Hobby and Design Table from HA Kidd, part of a range of sewing furnishings available at participating retailers. The collection includes not only this amazing table, but also a space-saving sewing cabinet featuring sewing machine storage, a design surface, and a fold out serger platform. (I’ll be reviewing that in my guest spot next month on QUILTsocial.)

The Studio Collection table is thoughtfully designed and well made. Fully extended, it’s a 36 x 59 1/2-inch cutting, layout, and design surface. Casters make it easy to wheel it into position and the locking mechanism means it won’t roll away.

Folded away, it measures 13″ wide by 36″ long. That’s like a sofa table or a bookshelf. I can see this appealing to those who are downsizing or, like I once did, trying to find creative space in a tiny first apartment.

When you aren’t designing or cutting out, you can artfully arrange a vase or a bowl of potpourri on it and congratulate yourself on your interior design sense.

This table is not only sturdy, but the 36″ height means you don’t have to bend and strain your back. It has a wipe-clean laminated surface.

Bonus features, like a tool caddy/scrap bin that clamps to the table legs, or an ironing surface that turns the table into a sizable ironing board, can be purchased separately.

The family is surprisingly dismayed by this clever new addition to the studio. “You mean you’ll be cutting everything out up there too?,” the dear husband asked. “That was about the only time we saw you when you were spending the day sewing.” This is the same guy who complained loudly about the pins. Just sayin’…

Tomorrow, we’ll walk through putting the Studio Collection Home Hobby and Design Table from H. A. Kidd table together. It’s easy. After all, we’re folks who are used to making stuff.

And the answer to the comment: “Waiter, there’s a quilt pin in my soup”… “Not at my dining table, Bud!”

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