Today I finished “Momma’s” shrug and we’ll be delivering it Saturday-photo will follow later.
Have you ever attempted a project that you’re not really sure you’re qualified for? I’m one of those people who say: “I should be able to figure out how to do this”…and then proceed to muddle my way through; sometimes this ends in great results and others, not so successful. My ever-faithful absolutely FAVORITE Fall/Spring jacket is a case in point: I purchased it about 5 years ago at a garage sale. I love this jacket-it’s all I could want: warm, comfortable, just my size, etc. The problem? After all the loving wear I’ve put into it, it’s beginning to look down-right shabby! Last year I added a grosgrain ribbon ‘trim’ to the top of the shoulders and the edges of the pockets simply because the material at those points was fraying; that worked for awhile. The other day, wearing said jacket, I dashed in the house and happened to pass a mirror…that was a shocker- my dearly loved jacket was looking like I belonged in the rescue mission! The material on my left shoulder was totally frayed and holey, the edging around the neckline was in shreds, there were big holes on the bottoms of the sleeves; all-in-all, it was time to trash the jacket. This really bothered me and set me to thinking (dangerous ground here)…”Maybe I could SEW another one!” I need to insert here that I am definitely NOT a seamstress! The sewing machine and I are NOT friends! My sewing machine is circa 1940’s; it belonged to my Grandmother and Mother-it’s a Singer BASIC model electric, sews only forwards and backwards…that’s all! I took one sewing class in Junior High School and hated every minute. At the end of the class I had accomplished sewing the requisite ‘apron’ and a skirt…neither of which I would wear OR keep…they were a disaster!
Since that time I’ve learned to become more versed in how to use said machine, but just barely, which brings us to the present and Ebay. Having searched on-line for sewing companies (Simplicity, Butterick, McCalls, etc.) I was able to locate a pattern circa 1995, for a jacket very similar to my old one, so I bought it through Ebay. It arrived last Saturday and I set out for JoAnn Fabrics with the notion that I actually COULD sew said jacket! I fumbled around for a good hour and finally located materials, sewing notions, etc. Today, having finished my shrug project, I sat down to review the directions. I don’t know if you’re like me in this area or not, but when faced with a project that I’m not very confident in, I tend to procrastinate. Yes, I read over the pattern; yes, I reviewed all the details…then promptly packed it all up and will attempt it ANOTHER DAY! I have to be in the right frame of mind to actually TACKLE something like this.
This is NOT the first time I’ve done that; I remember deciding I could actually sew a quilted headboard for our oldest son when he was about 1 year old. It was a lovely kit, many MANY pieces of various quilting materials all of which would form a wonderful, multi-car train, complete with grey corduroy clouds of smoke coming out of the smokestack! I can’t tell you how many times I hauled that kit out, read it, got confused/scared and packed it all up again; probably a good year or more, at least. Finally one day I felt like I needed to just screw up my courage and DO IT! Did it look like the pattern? Yes. Was it totally, exactly like the directions? NO, but in the end I had accomplished creating a wonderful steam engine train with multiple colorful cars and I was happy.
NOW we come to today: yes, the directions are now resting in their cute little paper packet. It was suggested by Dar that if I get really stumped I could ask “Momma” for help…great suggestion and I will definitely keep that idea in mind. WHEN, you ask, will I actually tackle this jacket? Well my friends, I have ALL WINTER to give it a shot! (and that’s what I’ll probably do…). Our weather has turned cold-we’re in the 30’s with light snow on the ground which leads to me dragging out my winter jacket. I hate to conceed that it’s now time to give up Fall and crawl into winter (you know how much I dislike the cold weather/snow).
Hope you’re having a WARM, great day!
Hugs;
Pammie
After a great evening, yesterday, of family togetherness around a large dinner (cooked by me), I fully expected that I would spend today resting but that was not to be. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get a bit ‘restless’ and decide to do something on the spur of the moment…that would classify my day today. It started out nice & quiet, me knitting squares for the Ghana Project, but then I decided to go in the boy’s bedroom; that was a mistake! First I noticed that there were several baskets of clean laundry which I had not folded, so I decided to do that. While doing that, I began looking around the room and noticing that something needed to be done to somehow re-arrange the room. On the thought that we needed more room, I began moving some of the boys clothes and asking them “What fits?”; thus began my ‘trial’. Let’s just clarify this ordeal as a many-hours project which involved a huge mountain of clothes that will go to Purple Heart; 2 dressers being emptied and moved, then re-filled; several groupings of items which will be offered on Freecycle; a pile of objects belonging to oldest son (who has his own house going on 2 years now)-things like 6 years of his elementary school yearbooks, souvenir hockey pucks and other memorable findings and still-yet, a laundry basket of my husband’s old clothes which I was too tired to sort/toss out. The room has gained a good 4 ft. X 4 ft. area of floorspace and the “Wow!” factor from both boys, so I guess it was worth it. What ever happened to my RELAXING the whole day away? Beats me! Sometimes ya just gotta “Carpe Diem!” (Seize the Day).
