Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Patience is Rewarded


Dear Mom,
I bounced all over the place this weekend. 


I finally sewed a pair of lounge pants for the Young Lady. The flannel she picked out and we purchased has been in the closet for so long that.... well, let's just say it is a good thing that fabric doesn't have an expiration date and the Young Lady is done growing. Riding high on the success of my Schoolhouse Tunic, I felt brave enough to sew them. They were Easy! She loves them! We went to the fabric store and bought fabric for another pair.
The pattern is from Sewing Green.
While at the fabric store, I bought replacement buttons for one of My Hero's blazers. Somehow he lost all the buttons on one sleeve, which meant replacing the buttons on both sleeves and the front so they would all match. Another project which probably took 30 minutes to finish, but a a long time to start. Tom is happy to have his blazer back. 
Jared Flood's Alpine Tweed from Ann Budd's Top Down Sweater Book

 I continued knitting my sweater.  And suddenly started knitting a dishcloth. I have an urgent need to knit dishcloths. My supply of dishcloths is looking pathetic due to the fact that about half of them have been chewed up by the garbage disposal.
I also have a craving for sewing dresses and tops with matching hand knit cardigans, which was fueled by this newly discovered blog. Sometimes the sweaters on my  needles isn't just a sweater- it becomes a whole life. What I might wear with it, how I hope I will look in this fantasy outfit, where I will be when I wear it. Lots of times this sweater's life has nothing in common with my real life. But then I've slipped into a habit of wearing jeans and too casual tops. I want to believe I can be just as comfortable and look nice at the same time. Once Upon a Time I knew how to dress, how I wanted to look, and had the body and confidence to do it without thinking twice. Lately, the figure in the mirror doesn't match the 22 year old I am on the inside. I embrace my gray hair, the need for glasses, and some of the wrinkles. My 82 year old left knee and the very stubborn extra weight? Not so much. 

(I am considering renaming my left knee Mr. Bates, because I often have to walk down the stairs one step at a time like he does.)

So a trip to the quilt store for some pretty fabric is in my almost immediate future. Maybe if I sew the dress, knit the cardigan and pretend hard enough, I can pull off a new-for-me, quite individual, not-blue-jeans look. And not feel stupid when I do it.

Love, 
Kim

p.s.
Olive is enjoying our sunny day today. I am too. And it is just warm enough to open the front door and let the sunshine come in through the storm door. Olive is watching the quiet cul-de-sac.

And Barks an Alert! at ???

What?
Love, 
Kim