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Hi everyone! My name is Mindy Kinsey, and I'm the (relatively) new Associate Managing Editor at Fox Chapel. I work with Shannon and Bob to keep the magazines running smoothly. I've been in magazine publishing for almost 20 years, spending most of that time working on special-interest publications. It might sound crazy, but you woodworkers have more in common with teddy bear collectors than you might think!
In addition to writing, I've been crafting and sewing my entire life. I have a fairly spiffy craft room at home and the beat-up hands of someone who lives a hands-on life. What's new, though, is the scroll saw. I borrowed one from the office last week, collected some scrap wood, and grabbed a copy of John Nelson's Scroll Saw Workbook. I figured that I've been writing about it for a year, so I should learn how to use it.
My plan was to work through the workbook, lesson by lesson--and that is still my plan. But I took home a handful of blanks with really basic puzzle patterns already attached (this is the kind of stuff that's just lying around our office). My son, who is 14 and has done some scrolling in school, just grabbed a piece of wood and starting cutting. I figured that if he could do it, I could do it. And I did--I cut out one three-piece puzzle dog. It only comes apart one way (tension issues, I think) but it looks like a dog. So, a good first try.
The one issue I had was not being able to see the line due to a build-up of sawdust. I ended up blowing on the wood as I was cutting, which felt awkward. When I asked Shannon and Bob about it later, they told me I need to attach the blower. Doh! I saw it in the picture but didn't know what it was. I'm going to go up to the storage room and find that, and see if having a blower makes it easier to see my lines.
I'll be checking in every now and then to report my progress on learning to scroll. If you have any tips or favorite beginner patterns, please let me know. You're also welcome to ask me anything about the magazines--I'm here to help.
Best,
Mindy
In addition to writing, I've been crafting and sewing my entire life. I have a fairly spiffy craft room at home and the beat-up hands of someone who lives a hands-on life. What's new, though, is the scroll saw. I borrowed one from the office last week, collected some scrap wood, and grabbed a copy of John Nelson's Scroll Saw Workbook. I figured that I've been writing about it for a year, so I should learn how to use it.
My plan was to work through the workbook, lesson by lesson--and that is still my plan. But I took home a handful of blanks with really basic puzzle patterns already attached (this is the kind of stuff that's just lying around our office). My son, who is 14 and has done some scrolling in school, just grabbed a piece of wood and starting cutting. I figured that if he could do it, I could do it. And I did--I cut out one three-piece puzzle dog. It only comes apart one way (tension issues, I think) but it looks like a dog. So, a good first try.
The one issue I had was not being able to see the line due to a build-up of sawdust. I ended up blowing on the wood as I was cutting, which felt awkward. When I asked Shannon and Bob about it later, they told me I need to attach the blower. Doh! I saw it in the picture but didn't know what it was. I'm going to go up to the storage room and find that, and see if having a blower makes it easier to see my lines.
I'll be checking in every now and then to report my progress on learning to scroll. If you have any tips or favorite beginner patterns, please let me know. You're also welcome to ask me anything about the magazines--I'm here to help.
Best,
Mindy
. My 15 year old daughter saw her first record album, 2 years ago and had no idea what it was. Welcome aboard.
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