On The Way To The Party

For every grocery item I buy, I have to make at least six decisions - which one, where in the cart, where on the checkout counter, where back in the cart, where in the trunk of the car, where on the kitchen counter, and then where in the cupboard. What a lot of decision making that is. It's exhausting, especially when you haven't done a big shop in months. The cart was FULL and the pantry is stocked up now. I told Carol , the checkout at my fruits & vegetables store, that I plan NOT to see her again until the New Year. If we need something, someone else can get it - LOL.

I grocery shopped and then I finished up the top. Here it is on my dress form. I took Millicent's little black dress off to get more contrast. The front....




... and the back. When I tried it on, it fit wonderfully and was soft and cozy feeling. Exactly what I wanted. I LOVED it and then - on the way to the party...

... I washed it to fluff up the nap and it fluffed and it shrank. When I pulled it out of the washer, it was shorter than it was wide and no amount of stretching and pulling and hanging to dry was going to change things. See how the sleeves are even with the hem in the above picture. Now, they're elbow length. It's almost funny - almost - definitely frustrating. I seem to be having a run of bad fabric luck.

Earlier, I prewashed the silk dupioni the way I always prewash silk dupioni and the color faded. That had never happened before. With this knit, I prewashed the way I always prewash - a hot wash followed by a hot dryer - and then it shrank again in a cold wash. That's NEVER happened before. It's weird and it leaves me without a top to wear to the party tomorrow night.

Today is house cleaning. It has to be done. After that, I promised to make butter tarts and deliver them to my husband's work as well as to some friends. By late afternoon, I should be able to sew. Remember this New Look 6735 t-shirt that I made a few weeks ago? The pattern is tested already so...

... I'm going to use this flocked knit to make a second top. Last night, I washed the fabric again in hot water and a hot dryer and then again in cold water and a hot dryer. Hopefully, it's as shrunk as it's going to get.




Here's how the t-shirt looked. I'm debating changes like a V front and back or a higher front and a scooped back or a collar rounded at the front and forming a V at the back or a higher front with a mandarin collar that ties around at the neck over a low cut back.




I tried versions of all those ideas on last night when I went snoop shopping at the mall. Starting with a pattern that I know fits, it should be relatively quick to make something new. Luckily, there's a seam center back on this pattern so I can insert the rhinestone zipper again if it looks suitable.

Once a pattern has been traced and perfected, a t-shirt typically doesn't take more than a couple hours even with additions. The party is not until tomorrow so I have until 6:00 Saturday night to finish and... if that doesn't work... I do have two tops in my closet that would. It's just that I've worn them to one of these staff parties before and would rather have something new made by me. I will be dressed. This is good - VBG.

Have a great weekend - Myrna

Grateful - no more grocery shopping until January

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Personal Growth - So how does it happen that the more I love you, the less I'm loved? 2 Corinthians 12

Yesterday at breakfast, Francine and I were talking about friendship which is something that I strongly value. I believe that life is about relationships and that much of the rest is just "stuff". I'm a Corelle kind of friend, there through thick and thin and hot and cold.

Over the years, I've discovered that most people view friendship from a Chinette perspective. It's pretty and useful when it works for you and disposable when you don't want it any more. That puts me in a bit of a position. When I'm a friend, I'm very committed. I support and encourage through highs and lows and I want the same in return. I'm not willing to be treated as convenient or disposable. It has an overtone of being used.

As I mentioned before, this has been a year in terms of relationships. With each ending, my attitude toward friendship and my willingness to risk has taken a beating. I feel like the verse says - that the more I love, the less I am loved. It's changing a part of me that was good. I'm working on not becoming cynical, hard, remote, and walled off.