Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Better late than never -


Santa tried really hard to get me one last goodie in time for Christmas -

But it got hung up at a UPS distribution center in Oregon -

And sat there ALL Christmas weekend -

From the Friday night before Christmas -

Until the Tuesday morning after -

When it began to move again -

And it finally got delivered to me last Thursday night - December 29 -

Just in time for me to play with it before the New Year began - so -

Better late than never - ;))

And it's been a long time coming -

What is "it"? -

"It" is a prototype for a brand-new specialty ruler -

A LEFT-HANDED Ruler -

Designed for US -

To use to cut HST units and QST units -

LEFT-HANDED - ; ))

A LEFT-HANDED Right Triangle Ruler -

Or a LEFT-Triangle - as some would call it -

Designed by me -

A Left-Handed Quilter™ -

And Made in the U.S.A. -

I call it LEFT-EZE™ Rule -

Because we do - ;))

I used it to make the stuff that I showed on my design wall yesterday -
Some HST units -
And some Hourglass Blocks made using QST units -
And some Flying Geese made using both HST units & QST units -
A new project for the New Year - ;))

I'm not going to show you a photo of the ruler yet - because it's only a prototype - and it's not available for sale yet - but it will be soon - ;))

I played with it a little - and want to play with it a bit more - and take photos as I go along - for future posts. I also have some beta-testers lined up who have agreed to test it for me. I want their feedback in case I need to make any modifications to the design before I actually order some to sell to you guys - ;))

Some of you have listened to me complain about rulers for years - well, I finally decided to quit complaining and to design my own. Most of the rulers I have come across in my 40 years of quilting (since 1976) are designed for Right-Handed quilters - and that's great - but I am NOT Right-Handed -

I am A Left-Handed Quilter - and I'm just plain sick and tired of having to compensate for that - of having to "just reverse it" - of having to "flip" rulers in order to use it Left-Handed - and of having the lines and/or numbers go the wrong way and/or be upside-down and/or backwards -

So No More Flippin' Rulers! -

This new ruler is LEFT-HANDED - and designed for US!! -

LEFT-EZE™ Rule -

And if you're Right-Handed - you can "just reverse it" - LOL - ;))

I started with a Triangle because that's the one that gives me the most trouble -

Better late than never - ;))

I have a whole lot of work to do yet - right now I'm just a quilter with an idea and a prototype. I don't even have a business set up yet - so I need to do all of that - set up another blog for my "shop" - so this one can still be about my "quilting" life - and I don't bore you with "buy me" crap - write up some instructions - work up some tutorials - and maybe a couple of patterns - and a bunch of other stuff - and all of that takes time - so please be patient. It's coming - I'm working on it - ;))

I am SOOOOOO excited that I couldn't keep it a secret any longer -

It's my very special project -

And I hope you like it - when you finally see it -

And that you will want to buy one - ;))

I know I'm probably crazy for wanting to start a new business at my age - I'll be 70 next summer - but then I think back to what my Dad said when I told him that I wanted to go back to college -

"But, Dad, I'll be 40 before I graduate!" -

He said -
"Honey, you're going to be 40 anyway - whether you go back to school or not." -

I went back to school - got my degree at 39 -

Turned 40 that summer and got my CPA license at 43 -

SO - I'm going to be 70 anyway - whether I do this or not - haha - ;))

I figure I'll either sell a gazillion or I'll sell two -

Either way - this New Year is going to be a FUN one!! - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -



17 comments:

Gene Black said...

It sounds like a great way to go into your seventy decade. Congrats on your prototype and best wishes for a marvelous success with it.

Anonymous said...

How exciting! Congratulations on receiving your prototypes. Good luck with the next steps.

Katie Z. said...

Oh, my goodness! That is so exciting!

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks, Gene - it will certainly be an adventure - ;))

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks for leaving a comment on my post -
New Year - New Projects - what's not to like? - ;))

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Oh, Katie - you have no idea how excited I am - I can't wait to show you - ;))

Katie said...

You've finally put that energy of being frustrated to a new, better use! Good for you and I hope it sells like hotcakes! I'm already trying to think which of my quilts friends are lefties and if they're deserving of a present...but will definitely make sure my local quilt shops know when all the work is done and it's ready for sale!

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks, Katie - I have a LOT of work to do before it's ready for sale - but I really couldn't keep my secret any longer - ;))

Sandra Henderson said...

Congratulations !!!!
I'll spread the word!!!! Smart woman!-

Julie Fukuda said...

So happy to see it "out". Even though I mark pieces before cutting and sew by hand, I think a ruler made for lefties would help and I might try a roller cutter if the measuring edge and the cutting edge would agree with each other. Just yesterday I was having a conversation with a producer of hand-made knives who understands there really is a difference when you switch hands. I do have a ruler with inches on one side and centimeters on the other. How hard would it be to put inches on one side left to right and on the other reversed?

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks, Sandra - I was hoping other people would think it's a good idea - ;))

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks, Julie - it's truly amazing how many right-handed people don't realize that some things just can't be "reversed" and still work properly. I have always hated "butter" knives - some ladles - and most kitchen tools - for that reason - may be one reason I don't really enjoy cooking. And I have some rulers with both inches and centimeters - but most of mine are in inches (USA). The ones that try to be "everything for everybody" - for both RH AND LH - have too many numbers on them - and the RH ones get in my way. This one is LH ONLY - the numbers run the way "I" want them to run - and I hope other LH will like it - that's why I want/need some other lefties to beta-test it for me - in case I have to tweak it a little. We'll see what they think - and I will keep everyone posted - ;))

Rhonda said...

70 is the new 40 & good for you! And I love the catchy name.

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks, Rhonda - ;))

Katie M. said...

Well Congratulations! And here I am a righty ;-( But sure looking forward to seeing your new ruler ... Maybe I could use it for upside down triangles :-)

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Thanks, Katie - you probably could - I already have an idea for a "conversion kit" for my Right-Handed friends - ;))

Gene Black said...

Get to sewing.

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