My dear, sweet husband made a fabulous effort this morning to be supportive, encouraging, and caring. And I'm going to thank him by mocking him. Yes, I'm pretty sure I'm going to hell. But this was funny. At least to me. Seamstress nerds, read on. All others are free to hop to another post or blog. Larry, if you ever read this, which I highly doubt: Sorry, Babe. You knew who I was when you married me. And if you didn't, well, we've had nearly 2 decades to get acquainted.
Background:
I am sewing a formal for #1. (#1's name is Sadie. She's 18 now, on Facebook. Much has changed both on line and in my home since I started blogging and using numbers for my kids.) Any way ... Sadie picked out a beautiful gown with a fully lined, pleated, overlapping bodice on top of a lined shirred midriff, paneled full-length skirt, and a fully lined bolero jacket. We decided to overlay the bodice and midriff with a sparkly organza which matches the deep purple satin of the dress and jacket. This was mostly done so that I could add a sheer, gathery layer a couple of inches above the "neckline" (which more closely resembles a bra-line) for modesty purposes. No one step is insanely difficult, but overall, it's a big project.
Here's how the conversation went:
Mina: "What time is it Babe?" (I really need a new battery in my sewing room clock.)
Larry: "10:30"
M: "Oh man. Time zooms when I'm sewing. I've been in here 2 hours. It just seems like I should have more than this done."
L: "Well, pretty soon it will all come together really fast, right?"
pause while I'm pondering that statement
M: "Umm ... I'm not sure what that means."
L: "Well, once you get everything cut out and the all the little parts sewn, it will come together quickly."
slight pause while I'm trying to picture
sewing the way he's describing
... and being unsuccessful
M: (giving up and trying not to laugh) "It sure seems like that would be the case, doesn't it?"
He was trying to be nice, and I didn't want scold him with a lecture on the process of dress making. And in a very small way, he's a little bit right. 1) I hate cutting and marking. Of course, one does that all at once, before actual sewing begins. 2) The bodice is sewn first and will generally take longer since it requires fussier techniques. 3) Sure, once the skirt is put together, it's just one seam attaching it to the bodice, et voilà, it looks like a dress. Of course, then there is hand-stitching the bodice lining to the skirt, zipper installation (blech!) and final fitting, measuring the hem, and hemming (by hand in the case of a gown). And, for me anyway, the thought of zippering and hand-hemming does not feel like a quick wrap up. Not to mention that in this case, I get rewarded for finishing the dress by getting to start on the jacket. WooHoo!
But now I am curious. I am assuming that there is some sort of man-project out there that seems all tedious and awful ... until all the parts are cut and put together, at which point assembly seems like a fun, easy breeze. I could get in to something like that. Just call me Mrs. Dad. With my luck, though, I'd likely be caught "doing it wrong."
Who is the eff I?
9 years ago
