Why is it that an error is always found at the end of a project? Why can't it present itself earlier? I'd really like to know the answe to these questions.
For a few days I have been working with very tiny cotton lace and working with a pattern that is new to me. For one thing patterns from the 1950's and 1960's have more procedures than the patterns of today. This makes for very interesting sewing. What I have discovered is that dresses of today are much simpler to construct but no longer have the pretty little details. For instance the lace that is between the yoke and sleeve. What an adorable addition. I have to admit that sewing this tiny bit of lace was challenging yet ti just makes this little dress pop! We don't see that in today's dresses. Ruffles are another thing. There is so much ruffle to make and adding the lace at the hem line is crucial. Over three yards of lace on an infant dress. Too much you ask? No not all. All this time I've been so very careful to make sure that everything is just right, pressing and serging as I progress. Now one last trip to the ironing board and I'm finished working on this dress.
Now the horror story begins. Pushing back the chair from my sewing machine I lift the dress up to look at it. The hem is perfect, same length all the way around, lace is good the skirt attached at the yoke is good, the lace there is perfect. What the heck! What is going on here? Why is this side of the yoke shorter than that side?? This can't be, it just can't be..... I practically break out in a run to the ironing board, perhaps it is just wrinkled and a little pressing will fix that. In my heart I know this is not the case, but try anyway. No luck, somehow, in the first part of constructing this dress I managed to get off my straight line, worse yet I serged it that way. There is no way to correct this error. The disappointment is palpable, you that sew can feel my pain. What will happen to this little dress you ask. It will hang on a hanger in my sewing room to remind me that I need to check and double check my work. But that seems to be a waste. The error is not that bad, just bad enough not to sell, so most likely I'll add it to the bag that makes it way to Project Hope. Some little baby girl will have a pretty little dress to wear for Easter. This dress is a special request that means I'd better start sewing!
Remember the cobbler that had shoe fairies? Well where was my sewing fairy?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Lucy
One day I went to the grocery store in Ely, Nevada. It was an ordinary day, that is until I parked. There in the parking lot was a man with puppies in a box. There was only one puppy that had not been claimed and she was shivering from fear as much as from the cold. I think she knew her fate would not be good if someone did not take her from this man. I looked at her and just kept on going, determined not to take her home. For some reason I hurried through the store, picking out my groceries and checked out. The man in the blue truck was getting ready to leave, as he got in his truck I waved at him and he stopped. "Did you find homes for all the puppies"? I asked. "No, this one is headed to the lake". That was just not going to happen. "I'll take her". My thought was to find her a good home. But, Lucy knew different. She worked her magical charm and wormed her way deep into my heart.
At the time I had just started a small daycare business. How was I going to house train a puppy and take care of the kids at the same time. That was the least of my worries. There was one little girl that seemed to take care of Lucy. Tanya would help take Lucy outside for her daily duty, she was only allowed to do her business on one side of the yard. Tanya was very good at seeing to this. Feeding Lucy and making sure there was water in her bowl became the responsibility of the children I cared for. All the little ones could not wait for their turn to take care of Lucy. Nap time would come and Lucy would curl up to someone and sleep next to them. Lunch time was especially fun to watch. Lucy always found little bits and pieces on the floor to nibble except on macaroni and cheese days.
As Lucy grew she became the protector of the kids. She would walk around the yard while they played and just made sure everyone was okay. So many times throughout the day I would catch the little ones tugging on her or giving her the biggest hug. She was so gentle with the kids.
We left Ely and moved to Montana. It was very cold here and she loved the snow and the wide open spaces. She would run up the mountain and survey her kingdom. Where she went I'll never know but she seemed to come back and check to make sure that the house had not moved. She'd come back and sleep by the wood stove for a very long time. Lucy did everything with us, she went everywhere we went and was such a great traveler.
In my sewing room she always chose the middle of the floor to stretch out and sleep. Stepping over her to get the the cutting table or the iron was always a challenge. Sometimes she would let out a moan, as if to say,"can't you just sit still and do your thing"? Sometimes I felt like I was invading her space.
St. Patrick's was the most horrible day of my life. The day started out normal like any other day. Except for one little thing. Lucy would not leave the office and come downstairs. I had an errand to do and left for a couple of hours. Upon returning I was met by my other little dog, Cooper. Lucy was not to be seen. I called for her but she did not come. I flew up the stairs to find my Lucy in great distress. Her breathing was awful. I called our Vet and loaded Lucy in the car and drove like a mad woman to Billings, 45 miles away. I kept talking to Lucy trying to reassure her, begging her to hang on, glancing in the rear view mirror I could she was trying to get to the front of the car. I drove faster, glanced back again and witnessed her take her last breath, lay her head down and she was gone. Just a few more minutes and I be at Caring Hands Hospital. The traffic seemed to crawl, every light turned red just as it was my turn to go, time was passing to fast and I was going to slow. Once there, I jumped from my car, Trish was coming out the back door and she helped me get Lucy into the hospital. I knew she was gone and yet I hoped there was some chance she was still alive.
Dr. Kuhen listened for a heart beat and found silence. The tears were coming fast and furious, questions of what did I miss, how did I not see this, why??? Try as they might consolation was very far away. Decisions could not be made, call Matt was the first thing I thought of, he will know exactly what to do.
Once I heard his voice I felt so much better. We made the decision to leave her there for the night and pick her up the next day. We need to make sure that the ground was not frozen, so that we could bury her at home. Thank goodness, Matt was able to dig her grave and we laid her to rest in a special part of our garden. We are still feeling the pangs of missing her. Our sweet Lucy, only she could love us in her special way. March 17, 2011 was a very sad day.
At the time I had just started a small daycare business. How was I going to house train a puppy and take care of the kids at the same time. That was the least of my worries. There was one little girl that seemed to take care of Lucy. Tanya would help take Lucy outside for her daily duty, she was only allowed to do her business on one side of the yard. Tanya was very good at seeing to this. Feeding Lucy and making sure there was water in her bowl became the responsibility of the children I cared for. All the little ones could not wait for their turn to take care of Lucy. Nap time would come and Lucy would curl up to someone and sleep next to them. Lunch time was especially fun to watch. Lucy always found little bits and pieces on the floor to nibble except on macaroni and cheese days.
As Lucy grew she became the protector of the kids. She would walk around the yard while they played and just made sure everyone was okay. So many times throughout the day I would catch the little ones tugging on her or giving her the biggest hug. She was so gentle with the kids.
We left Ely and moved to Montana. It was very cold here and she loved the snow and the wide open spaces. She would run up the mountain and survey her kingdom. Where she went I'll never know but she seemed to come back and check to make sure that the house had not moved. She'd come back and sleep by the wood stove for a very long time. Lucy did everything with us, she went everywhere we went and was such a great traveler.
In my sewing room she always chose the middle of the floor to stretch out and sleep. Stepping over her to get the the cutting table or the iron was always a challenge. Sometimes she would let out a moan, as if to say,"can't you just sit still and do your thing"? Sometimes I felt like I was invading her space.
St. Patrick's was the most horrible day of my life. The day started out normal like any other day. Except for one little thing. Lucy would not leave the office and come downstairs. I had an errand to do and left for a couple of hours. Upon returning I was met by my other little dog, Cooper. Lucy was not to be seen. I called for her but she did not come. I flew up the stairs to find my Lucy in great distress. Her breathing was awful. I called our Vet and loaded Lucy in the car and drove like a mad woman to Billings, 45 miles away. I kept talking to Lucy trying to reassure her, begging her to hang on, glancing in the rear view mirror I could she was trying to get to the front of the car. I drove faster, glanced back again and witnessed her take her last breath, lay her head down and she was gone. Just a few more minutes and I be at Caring Hands Hospital. The traffic seemed to crawl, every light turned red just as it was my turn to go, time was passing to fast and I was going to slow. Once there, I jumped from my car, Trish was coming out the back door and she helped me get Lucy into the hospital. I knew she was gone and yet I hoped there was some chance she was still alive.
Dr. Kuhen listened for a heart beat and found silence. The tears were coming fast and furious, questions of what did I miss, how did I not see this, why??? Try as they might consolation was very far away. Decisions could not be made, call Matt was the first thing I thought of, he will know exactly what to do.
Once I heard his voice I felt so much better. We made the decision to leave her there for the night and pick her up the next day. We need to make sure that the ground was not frozen, so that we could bury her at home. Thank goodness, Matt was able to dig her grave and we laid her to rest in a special part of our garden. We are still feeling the pangs of missing her. Our sweet Lucy, only she could love us in her special way. March 17, 2011 was a very sad day.
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