My Mother Wants Tape For Christmas

Today is a play day. I typically spend all day Thursday in the studio and even with Christmas coming, I've shuffled and organized the to do list around having this day off. Actually, I should say especially with Christmas coming. We'll be busy and I'll have less time for myself as Robin mentioned in her comment yesterday so I'm charging my batteries.

First, I might have a breakfast date. I don't know. We arranged it yesterday and then she phoned to say that her husband told her she wasn't allowed to go only she was going to talk to him again and call back which she didn't do. I was so in shock that I am sure I stuck my foot in my mouth trying not to say the things that were flashing through my mind, at least one of which I did say. This is a subject I get quite passionate about.

People do not own people. Husbands do not own their wives. Wives do not own their husbands. I'm not a slave. Howard is not a slave. If Howard told me I wasn't allowed to do something, I'd be walking right straight out the door to do it. If he asked me to not do something and gave me a reason, we could discuss that reason and come to a decision. Ditto in return. Neither of us is a puppet on a string. I have one life to live and it won't be spent doing only the things my husband thinks I should or allows me to do. Beathing in. Breathing out. Climbing down off my soap box now.




As part of her gift to me, my friend Sharon gave me three fuchsia and three lime-green felt pens along with three rolls of tape. A few years ago, while driving around town, I asked my son for these items as his Christmas present to me and he rolled down the car window and yelled out MY MOTHER WANTS TAPE FOR CHRISTMAS as if I was some kind of foreign object. Of course I want tape - and pens - the tools of the trade in my favourite colors. YES YES! I used the fuchsia pen last night to trace the pajama pants for Butterick 5432.

The pattern I bought fits me in the upper body and is too small in the lower so I cut the front and back pant pieces vertically and inserted a 1 1/2" strip adding 6" of ease which is what the pattern was drafted with when I compare the measurement chart with the finished sizes. If that turns out to be too much, I can take some out. I don't want baggy pajama pants. I want them more slim fitting and flattering and comfy so I'm...

... using this t-shirt knit. I tried a pair of pajama pants like this on at the mall a while ago and loved them only they were too small and they didn't have my size and, even if they did, they wanted a ridiculous amount of money for them and I could have sewn them for a lot less. This is starting to happen to me all the time now that I've returned to sewing fashions. Either I can sew it and it would fit better or I can sew it and it won't be nearly as expensive. Either way, I'm starting to prefer my sewn wardrobe. In this case, I'd have preferred a solid color but... this is what I had in the stash and, right now, I'm all for using my stash.

K.Line wrote - How about "my goal is to crystallize my creative pursuits so that I can utilize the beautiful fabric I already have to its best, loveliest, and most useful advantage"?

Thanks. That got me thinking except that worded in that way the goal would then be to crystallize more than to actually sew. Something about discovering through sewing might work and since that's exactly what I like about refashioning, it would bring even more energy - more would than should - to the idea even though, in the end, it'll come down to self control and discipline. Ah yes. Those words.

I'm off to get dressed. I'll take my journal and myself out for breakfast. If my friend shows up, great. If not, not a problem. I'll either have breakfast with myself or Howard will come and join me and then, studio time. Perfect. (Edited 10:25 - My friend and I did meet and had a lovely breakfast together. This is one the most important parts of Christmas for me - time with family and friends.)

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - a day to play