ABOUT SKETCHPACK: The project began in 2011. The original idea was to get folks to draw daily. The Sketchpack is a small zigzag journal with two usable sides, allowing one to sketch on both sides of 15 ‘pages’ to complete the month of August. There was much enthusiasm and the project is now repeated yearly in August, with a Facebook page for us to share as we go along. (The page is closed once the sketching begins, so if you would like to do it next year you need to check out the pages in June or July.) There is an Exhibition held in October filling all four windows of the Artsauce Studio in Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa of mostly locals Sketchpacks!

Kate here: I’ve participated before, but never sent off my submission.
This year I am sketching items we use in our business.
This packet will go to Artsauce in Cape Town for their exhibition!

It is always fun when we have a project that needs beautiful passementerie.
Oddly, many people who love antiques are afraid to appoint them properly!

A very old tool which we use more for removing tacks than staples.

My favorite colorful tool. However, it doesn’t work as well as the older guns.

I just have to show you what I was trying to draw below.
Gads what was I thinking? Woven threads?
I didn’t think it through before I began!
I may have another go at another one before this is over — this is all about the drawing!

A chunk of beeswax used all the time.
We run twines used in upholstery through the beeswax, an ancient tradition.
And Mitchell carves oms in everything (but not in our antiques!)

This is the staple remover we actually use! Much more effective!

I turned this both ways so you could read it easily.

A regulating needle it a very long thick needle with a sharp point
(but not like a sewing needle sharp) and would make a good weapon!

My Sanding Stick is the best invention.
It makes it much easier to remove just one little area for touch-up.

Some are Mitchell’s tools exclusively, and some we share.
I never touch the Sewing Gauge. I hand sew!

Mitchell is the one who uses the Magic Writing tool:
Chew on it and it magically solves all your problems!

Part of working is taking breaks. I paint, Mitchell plays his guitar.

Gads what would the studio be without threads. We have a wall of huge spools that Mitchell uses on the machines, and two bins of tiny spools and treasure trove of very old threads given to us by a nurse whose patient was dying — a very old seamstress. Her old threads have saved the day many times when we needed an older color 100% cotton thread. It is difficult to match the original colors, faded to be what they are today if they are seen. This is one of the most difficult jobs, matching threads!

I tend to do the hand-sewing; Mitchell uses machines.

We have to use historically compatible threads, and so, rarely use polyester threads.
Silk, Cotton, linen, rayon — this is more typical.

Leather tools, in this case, a hand-held hole punch which couples with a small hammer and you tap-tap-tap the holes. Simple and effective. And sinew for lacing,
which, when I use for making leather bags I usually bead over.
We also have this huge hand-held contraption that but getting it on a teeny page would be a chore — and frankly, even Mitchell tend to use the small easy simple tools!
The punch has removable tips. I could do several pages on leather tools alone!

How much chalk could a chalk chuck chuck if a chalk chuck could chuck chalk?
Another beautiful tool. Keeps you from putting chalk all over fabrics!

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THIS TWINE!
HINT-HINT!

One of Mitchell’s favorite twines from the 20’s to the 50’s: for some strange reason the boxes are collectible without the twine! Go figure. Every so often I find a box with twine for him. We work with many different twines, most often Italian or French.

A seriously wicked leather knife that slices through leather like butter,
and leather sewing tool for hand stitching.

This is the tack remover I see Mitchell use most often; maybe it is the gentle curve that allows it to roll against the furniture just so and not mar the frame easily.

Mitchell uses the Osbourne webbing stretcher all the time.
The rubber that acts like a sticky yoga mat and protects the furniture can be replaced as needed. The big tines push into the webbing and assist them in being stretched to the proper tension, while Mitchell spits tacks. YOU HEARD ME. Spits tacks.

REAL MEN SPIT TACKS!

I have to do these two days together too . . .
The pretty, sweet, funny pincushions (he has several, above) versus the workhorse magnetic kind. You can pick up 100 pins when you spill them on the floor!
They save my bare feet — and I am always kicking off my shoes.
Once a beachgurl, always a beachgurl!

Leather strap fence and cutter, bought for the project below, Crater Lake NP, leather strapping for many Imperial “Monterey” woven leather chairs!.

I love the “parrot” pincers —
I see a parrot every time Mitchell uses them!

The “parrot” pincers were used below to pull nails and decorative nails
from the Oregon Caves Mason Monterey chairs.

The “Slow Sony” is a dying camera,
and I grieve it and will miss it.

I am not thrilled with our new Sony. Dufus designers.

Lie-Nielsen is one of Mitchell’s favorite tools company’s, but since the company
made the decision not to stock with good woodworking stores but only sell online, he
has stopped buying them. It is too much work to shop online, then have it shipped
several days at great expense; often he finds a need he has to fulfill NOW.

Borrowing tools from other venues, in this case, contractor’s tools.

Had to try this again. MUCH happier with the results!

BEEP-BEEP!

I get a hit of roadrunner and the coyote every time I see this anvil!

And for the last, kitchen tools stolen for use in the studio.
Pan scrapers, Pyrex® Mixing cups (they take heat), nice handled scrubby brushes.
I put my foot down the day he wanted my good mixer.
Now when we go to the kitchen store we buy them for the studio too!