| Project by Blake | posted 519 days ago | 2340 views | 20 times favorited | 74 comments | ![]() |
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This table was a birthday gift for my mom. She had asked for a sewing machine table that was “just the right height” so it wouldn’t make her back hurt.
This is the first piece of furniture I’ve ever built. It is made with all traditional joinery and methods including mortise and tenon construction, dovetailed drawers, and hardwood “buttons” secure the top to allow for wood movement.
Made from solid Birch, oiled with boiled linseed oil and polished with 600 grit sandpaper. I spent 55 hours building it. It’s my own design.
For more information on the construction process from start to finish check out my blog:
Sewing Table: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8.









-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com































74 comments so far
EduWood
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50 posts in 522 days
posted 519 days ago
Beautiful piece. Wonderful selection of wood. Great craftsmanship. Well done Blake, your mom must be proud!
-- David, O.C., California
Douglas Bordner
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3421 posts in 958 days
posted 519 days ago
Zowie! Look at that happy Mom…
This is outstanding work, Blake.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
Tony
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811 posts in 924 days
posted 519 days ago
Blake this looks fantastic, especially for a first attempt at a piece of furniture.
The only thing is the table top, the wood is unusual and looks fantastic, but it is a shame you could not have book matched the boards. It would have taken the piece to whole new level.
Hindsight of others is a wonderful thing!
-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)
dustynewt
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447 posts in 756 days
posted 519 days ago
Stunning work Blake. I can feel the love that went into it, both for your mom and for the work. Great figure in that wood.
-- Please visit me at http://dustynewt.com
GaryK
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9521 posts in 882 days
posted 519 days ago
Your mom looks very happy! Great job Blake!
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
brianinpa
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1365 posts in 617 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake, that’s a beauty, and your mom looks happy. To look at it, you can’t even tell your forgot the drawers. I like the finish.
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
FlWoodRat
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582 posts in 803 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake. Man you are awesome. Not only did you design and construct a beutiful piece of useful furniture, you made MOM very happy. Tough combination. What’s even better now is that you can tell your siblings that your are her ”Favorite Son”. By the way, the Petunia blossom is almost as pretty as your Happy Mom’s smile! Has there ever been a better commission for anyone’s work?
-- I love the smell of sawdust in the morning....
snowdog
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808 posts in 876 days
posted 518 days ago
Well done and great photography by the way, the pictures really show it off. I didn’t know birch could look so nice.
-- "so much to learn and so little time"..
dlcarver
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260 posts in 624 days
posted 518 days ago
I agree, I didn’t know birch could look so nice. I always thought it was scrap wood.
Fine job Blake.
Dave
-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com
Brad_Nailor
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1214 posts in 851 days
posted 518 days ago
Beautiful work Blake! I love the beading around the draws..looks like you planned it that way! The material selection is top notch..those curls sing! This is great work especially if you figure in that its your first furniture project, with first time trying most of the operations.
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
trifern
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7894 posts in 661 days
posted 518 days ago
Gorgeous work Blake. I like your choice of hardware. The grain is beautiful. I have enjoyed your blogs along the way.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
BobR
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137 posts in 879 days
posted 518 days ago
Love the timber. Well done.
-- Bob
Scott Bryan
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20629 posts in 716 days
posted 518 days ago
Great job, Blake. I have enjoyed watching this one develop.
Your mother is obviously happy with the present.
Well done.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
JohnR
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39 posts in 591 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake,
Great job and great way to show your love for your mom. All of us know we would prefer a “homemade” birthday card (filled wil spelling errors, backward lettering, and imperfect coloring) from our little children than an over-priced Hallmark classic anyday. Your mom got a perfect “homemade” table that will speak to her of your love every time she sits to pursue what is probably her favorite pasttime.
You have blessed and honored your mother.
-- Sola Gratia, John
blackcherry
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730 posts in 717 days
posted 518 days ago
Nothing but the best for Mom. Great workmanship Blake that piece should age just wonderfully. thanks for posting Blkcherry
RAH
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414 posts in 771 days
posted 518 days ago
Very nice! When is your wifes birthday? What are you making her? Love your blogs.
-- Ron Central, CA
Greg Wurst
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716 posts in 726 days
posted 518 days ago
Fantastic job! I’m sure your mother will treasure it.
-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.
TedM
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1843 posts in 626 days
posted 518 days ago
Beautiful! This is a fine piece of furniture. A great gift for your Mom. The circle of life, from son to mother and from one craft comes another. Kudos!
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com
CharlieM1958
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7623 posts in 1112 days
posted 518 days ago
I’m overwhelmed, Blake. Every project you post seems to be better than your last. This is a truly marvelous piece! I can’t imagine what will top this. (Not to put any pressure on you…<g>)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Jimthecarver
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427 posts in 679 days
posted 518 days ago
Well executed Blake! Your mom’s smile proves it…..Way to go.
Jim
-- Can't never could do anything, to try is to advance.
stanley2
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278 posts in 689 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake – all the credo’s that have come before me are well deserved – it’s beautiful
-- Phil in British Columbia
Daren Nelson
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533 posts in 799 days
posted 518 days ago
That is just gorgeous !
-- Urban logger, http://nelsonwoodworks.biz/
lew
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4485 posts in 649 days
posted 518 days ago
Beautiful job, Blake!!
Your Mom will treasure this forever. Don’t be surprised when her friends start calling you to make them furniture!
Lew
Chris
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1469 posts in 885 days
posted 518 days ago
Outstanding Job Blake!
-- Chris
Karson
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25793 posts in 1294 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake. A beautiful table and a great gift.
Great recovery on the construction problems.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
RobS
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1243 posts in 1200 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake, All I can say is you must be an OUTSTANDING new and used tool salesman cause you ought to be making furniture for a living….
Excellent piece of craftsmanship….
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Rj
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559 posts in 525 days
posted 518 days ago
Well Done nice & clean- I like the table top profile with the curved approns and drawer fronts =Very nice
-- Rj's Woodworks,San Jose & Weed Ca,
Damian Penney
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1030 posts in 885 days
posted 518 days ago
Tony I thought the same thing with regards a book match but I think more than anything the light is tricking us. In the pic with Blakes Mom the curl looks very nicely matched, less so in the pic of just the top. I love this piece, I especially like the way the sapwood follows the curve of the front. Really well done Blake and your blog was great.
-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso
gizmodyne
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1674 posts in 984 days
posted 518 days ago
Came out great Blake. I can’t get over how you saved the drawers. Very ambitious for a first furniture project.
What’s next? .... Hmmm….Matching chair?
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
bfd
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419 posts in 701 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake,
This is just Awesome! The finish really brings out that beautiful figure. The design and scale are perfect as well as the execution and craftmanship. Your blog captured every step of the process. That last picture says it all. Great commission and great piece of furniture man!
-- Brian, Folsom, CA http://www.brianfullerdesigns.com
Harold
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312 posts in 741 days
posted 518 days ago
Hmmm, as posted above the flower is breathtaking and your work is a equally perfect expression of natural beauty. The beading on the drawers, works so well….and the expression on your mother’s face is so wonderful…......as craftsman we sometimes struggle with the how to’s of a project in our busy mind’s, but when the “why” is so clear in our heart, each step makes more sense and comes so naturally. It truly is a well worn path that we as craftsman follow….I think the world is a little different today, the horizon’s alittle broader. Well done Blake, you did a good thing and thank you for sharing.
-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.
Beginningwoodworker
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4154 posts in 567 days
posted 518 days ago
Nice work, on the sewing table Blake. Your mom is going to enjoy it.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
Jon3
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439 posts in 999 days
posted 518 days ago
Beautiful!
Bigbuck
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1366 posts in 557 days
posted 518 days ago
Wow, that is awsome
-- Glenn, New Mexico
MsDebbieP
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14156 posts in 1054 days
posted 518 days ago
that is one GORGEOUS table and one very happy seamstress!!
Well done. (lots of brownie points for this one, huh?)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Napaman
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3486 posts in 971 days
posted 518 days ago
wow…blake…spectacular…i really like the drawer pulls (?handles?)...and the drawer edge is a nice touch…not to mention the rest…is just fantastic!!!
-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...
Todd A. Clippinger
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5639 posts in 993 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake,
This is an astoundingly beautiful piece. I think the bead around the drawers is better than none at all anyway.
It was a great solution to a stressful situation that really adds to the overall design.
The beauty is this; it is the essence of simplicity and perfect balance in design that maximizes the natural beauty of the wood. It is a perfect marriage of form and function in it’s simple elegance.
I encounter “firsts” all the time in projects. It is simply a matter of understanding that you already know the principles of woodworking, which one will you use as a solution to the challenges that you encounter?
You are already there brother LJ. Know what I mean?
Also, I really enjoyed the details of the progress and the lists of firsts. It was a lot of fun following this project.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
jcees
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552 posts in 693 days
posted 518 days ago
Sweet!
always,
J.C.
-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein
DAN
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6439 posts in 877 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake … you’ve got skills ! nice
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
wwnovice
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77 posts in 1080 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake,
That is one beautiful piece of furniture. Outstanding work.
-- John
teenagewoodworker
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2481 posts in 662 days
posted 518 days ago
nice been watching this project come together and it came out great! i really like the drawers and the birch’s figure is amazing! thanks for the post
Woodhacker
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1145 posts in 617 days
posted 518 days ago
Blake, I hadn’t seen your blog series until seeing your project post. What a fantastic table! You did an incredible job, in every way, design, wood choice, contruction, etc.! I had to go back and look at the entire blog series.
I really like the birch. I used it to build a wall of bookcases a few years back, I really liked working with it, but it didn’t have nearly grain you have in this sewing table. I’m sure your mom absolutely loves it.
Oh, and great blog series too. I enjoyed going through them. Thanks for posting them and the project.
-- Martin, Kansas
Jarrod Zion Murphree
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348 posts in 617 days
posted 518 days ago
I can’t believe how nice that thing turned out. Simply beautiful.
I really like the drawer fronts, and the way the sapwood curves along the arch of the apron. Amazing eye for detail.
Kick ass job!!
-- Jarrod, Taos, NM http://jzmurphree.wordpress.com/
dennis mitchell
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3789 posts in 1208 days
posted 518 days ago
...first piece of furniture…Blake you are going on my buddies list just so I can cross you off…I’m going to go hide in a corner and pout!
Actually that is AWSOME!
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
jockmike2
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7302 posts in 1140 days
posted 518 days ago
Nice piece Blake, beautiful. Your mother is worth every minute you put into it. Enjoy and rejoice that she is still with you and you are able to do for her. That bond be not broken. She will always cherish you and the gift.
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
Dorje
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1767 posts in 891 days
posted 518 days ago
Amazing! Love the sap curve like the others as well as the use of the sap wood on the front and back edges. Can’t say too much that hasn’t been said. This has been a really fun project/blog to follow. I think that piece deserves hand turned or carved wooden knobs/pulls on those drawers! Can’t wait to see what you get into next!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Betsy
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2386 posts in 790 days
posted 518 days ago
I’ve had fun watching this table come to life. You really did a nice job Blake, you should be very proud.
I’m with Dorje—- what’s next?? :-)
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
ND2ELK
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6176 posts in 668 days
posted 518 days ago
Great looking sewing cabinet. Love the wood grain. Looks like Mom is very happy with her cabinet. Thanks for posting.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
MikeyFlies
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13 posts in 559 days
posted 518 days ago
Very very nice.
Marcel T
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146 posts in 620 days
posted 517 days ago
One of the best projects I have seen on LJ’s! And it has a detailed blog to boot! Great job, your moms smile says it all.
jm82435
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508 posts in 636 days
posted 517 days ago
Thanks for the post and blog, that is soo cool. Absolutely beautiful. I like the way you used the natural grain, sapwood, growth structure to enhance your project. You have created something very special, thanks for sharing it with us.
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
Kerry
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131 posts in 684 days
posted 517 days ago
It’s all been said above, but it bears repeating – wonderful job!
Kerry
-- Alberta, Canada
WayneC
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5981 posts in 991 days
posted 517 days ago
A thing of beauty. Great work.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
mart
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170 posts in 518 days
posted 516 days ago
Wow! That is incredible.
Mart
BANick
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48 posts in 781 days
posted 516 days ago
Great job Blake! The design, craftsmanship and finish all look fantastic. The “unplanned” beading around the drawers add a nice decorative touch to the front, which might have looked a bit too flat otherwise. Love it!
And thanks for the detailed blog, it was quite an adventure that we all enjoyed following.
Nick
-- Nick, Fremont, CA.
darryl
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1392 posts in 1220 days
posted 516 days ago
wow, that’s beautiful. that top is just stunning.
-- www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.darrylmasterson.etsy.com
Blake
home | projects | blog
2755 posts in 768 days
posted 515 days ago
Wow, thanks so much for all the comments everyone!!! Marcel T, That’s quite a compliment! I had a great time building this project and it really got my confidence up for full-sized furniture in the future. Already the orders are coming in from family and friends, it will be hard to keep up. What do you think I should tackle next?
Thanks to everyone who followed my blog on the process. I will try to do that with future projects. I got so much great input along the way, so it was beneficial to everyone, it seems.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
mgradwohl
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190 posts in 707 days
posted 515 days ago
Are you kidding me? It’s GORGEOUS!
Dorje
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1767 posts in 891 days
posted 515 days ago
”Already the orders are coming in from family and friends, it will be hard to keep up. What do you think I should tackle next?”
What are the options?
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Blake
home | projects | blog
2755 posts in 768 days
posted 514 days ago
My sister wants a bed and a whole bedroom of furniture (we’ll see about that) and also a leaf box. My wife wants a huge jewelry cabinet of some kind and a table just like this one without the drop… but there is no space in our tiny studio for more furniture. My boss wants a humidor, and I never got around to making that travel humidor for my friend.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
lew
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4485 posts in 649 days
posted 514 days ago
Blake,
Want more tools??? Start with the wife’s projects!!!! ;>)
Lew
jeanmarc
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1751 posts in 610 days
posted 514 days ago
Beautiful piece.
-- jeanmarc manosque france
Dorje
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1767 posts in 891 days
posted 514 days ago
If you have space for the jewelry cabinet on top of a dresser or something – I’d go for that…
You should do the humidor for your friend too…
Or – do what strikes your fancy!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
clieb91
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681 posts in 829 days
posted 514 days ago
Blake, The sewing machine table turned out looking real good. Sure it is well appreciated. Good luck and can’t wait to see work on other furniture pieces.
CtL
-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."
AverageJaneCrafter
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2 posts in 519 days
posted 513 days ago
Once again, I just have to say how much I love this project. I even blogged about it!
http://averagejanecrafter.blogspot.com/2008/06/handcrafted-for-crafty.html
:)
Great work!
Rachel
-- Average Jane Crafter, 'Cause crafting is just ... fun, averagejanecrafter.com
gator9t9
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295 posts in 598 days
posted 513 days ago
Blake
Beeee Yutiful …...oh yes …very nice job. And great looking wood …wow ….!!!!!!!!!!
-- Mike in Bonney Lake " If you are real real real good your whole life, You 'll be buried in a curly maple coffin when you die."
cobbler
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242 posts in 684 days
posted 512 days ago
SUPERB! The wood is beautiful. Great craftsmanship & design.
Seamstress everywhere are gasping.
-- ''Carry on my wayward son''
miles125
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1419 posts in 899 days
posted 511 days ago
Just found this jewel. Great job Blake!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
DanTheLumberJockMan
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26 posts in 504 days
posted 503 days ago
I like that you designed this yourself. I know how much harder it is to design and build something rather than following a plan. Good job.
-- Dan, San Diego, CA
Lee A. Jesberger
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3710 posts in 873 days
posted 499 days ago
Hi Blake;
I missed this before. You did a great job in both designing and building this piece.
The wood is fantastic!
I bet your mom loves it.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
FritzM
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106 posts in 706 days
posted 484 days ago
Hey Blake, I followed the blog, but missed the posting of the finished piece….. wow, you knocked it out of the park! The design is stunningly simple. perfect form with just enough detail to highlight but not overwhelm it! I bet your mom is stoked, you should be too. great addition to your woodworking portfolio!
-- Fritz Oakland, Ca http://www.muegenburg.com (dedicated to my other hobby)
Michael Brailsford
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212 posts in 487 days
posted 476 days ago
This is a tremendous piece of work. The figure on the top is beautiful.
-- Michael A. Brailsford
Peter O
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1019 posts in 768 days
posted 417 days ago
Hey Blake – I missed this when you posted it, but today I remembered reading your construction blogs, so came looking for it. I’m glad I did! What a beautiful piece of furniture! The design elements work well together, and the material is beautiful. I don’t have much to add to what’s already been said, except … maybe … “family heirloom.” Great work, Blake!
-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --
martin007
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110 posts in 669 days
posted 390 days ago
superb! great blog series!
congrats! you should be proud of this gem
-- Martin, Gatineau, Québec