When I was in high school, I learned that in mathematics, as in life, two variables were hard to handle. When you think about it, that’s what made Tess in Tess of the D’urbervilles such a handfull. We were taught to strive for problems with one variable. That way you could measure the unknown and its changes by a solid something.
Today you see a picture of a
plain jane table. That means there is no drawer or inlay in it and the bands are straight. Whenever I am trying something new, I try to go back to something I’ve done before and grow from it. This allows me to enhance my skill set without taking risks that are unmanageable.
For instance, the easel you saw in last week’s newsletter is a growth from my first attempts. These were originally made with a leg to hold up the back piece at a 30 degree angle. I discovered that, if I used a piece to function as the bottom for the back piece, I wouldn’t need a leg because I could attach the back to the bottom. It was a simple step to attach the shelf to the front of the bottom by cutting it at a 30 degree angle. The octagonal shape came easily after this.
Back one, ahead two; that’s the key to my development as a productive craftsperson. It keeps me learning and interested.