When I was a teen, Mom and Dad watched a lot of This Old House. That lead to watching the New Yankee Workshop. This led to Dad coining the term “Norm Abrams Disease”… ie the need to have every tool and gadget for your craft, no matter how narrow the scope of its use, or whether you could manage the job with a tool you already have. (I’ve you’ve ever watched NYW, you’ll know Norm has EVERYTHING!!!)
Now Mom has a little bit of an obsessive nature, so she’s a prime candidate for this disease. And her latest obsession with quilting is no exception. Every time I turn around, she’s buying some new fangled thing.
Of course, it has it’s perks, because I get to borrow them!
You see.. the Leader and Ender HSTs are piling up. And as you know, I hate trimming, so I wanted to start on these before the pile got too big. And Mom had the perfect little tool…
A special rule that allows you to easily trim you HSTs before you iron them, so they open into perfect squares. It even has little slots so you can trim the dog ears.
In no time, I’d trimmed and ironed all the ones I’ve sewn so far. I still have lots to make, but once I have enough, I’ll start assembling them into pinwheels
And then those pinwheels will get assembled into four patches.
Then those will all get assembled together to make the top. This is going to be on scrap happy quilt!
Wandering Cat Studio 
Mom and I share the same affliction and now I need one of those badly. This Old House was also a fave of mine along with the Victory Garden.
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Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm…it’s a disease???? Maybe I could arrange disability payments for that and then I could have even MORE gadgets.
I have to say ….THAT gadget looks like it is pretty useful, unlike maybe some of Norm’s.
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Scrappy pinwheels – be still my heart!
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I glory in the same disease! Ha! Loved that show but haven’t watched TOH in a long time…
Great beginning on your top! Cool gadget!
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Loved those shows and Victory Garden too. My husband has the disease. Of course I do not – lol.
That quilt will be so fun.
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I love TOH! But, there is a guy called Alton Brown who is all about finding tools that multitask! Like a small ice-cream scoop that one also uses for putting cookie dough on cookie sheet. That being said, The Hubby is all about one-tool-that-does-all, while I’m a the-perfect-widget person. Which is why I have my good fabric shears hidden in my sewing basket, up in the top of my closet, so he doesn’t use it to change the screws on the door…LOL!
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Well I think I just might have to get one of those!! I also need a flying geese ruler for trimming, but the Bloc Lock ones only come in individual sizes!
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New Yankee Workshop is something we use to watch with my parents also. Mom always have what you need at the right time. You do some amazing work. Just by looking at the photos that you shared. Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful rest of your day.
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We used to love This Old House. Whenever Fireman was asked who his ideal next door neighbor would be, he would not hesitate to say Norm Abrahams. Love your scrappy quilt
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What a neat tool! So nice that you have access to all your Mom’s gadgets. Your monster wreath was so cute! It would make me smile each time I opened the door. Hope the weather will cooperate for trick or treaters.
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Oh oh oh! I LOVE your scrappy pinwheels!
As I started reading this post I was thinking “I absolutely don’t need any more gadgets” – then I saw what you had… (I’m now experiencing a sudden urge to shop!)
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