a needle pulling thread

Today, my sewing skills were
trusted enough to be asked to help do the finishing work
on three flower girl dresses with big, fat, luscious sashes.
My friend is having surgery today. She had another friend sew
part of the dresses and I am sewing the other part. My friend
had promised the bride to be that she would indeed complete the
gowns. With a little help from some sewing fairies, she will
deliver on her promise. I feel happy and honored that she
has placed her faith in me to do a good job.

Once, I sewed a bridesmaid dress that was not of the highest
quality fabric, nor was it a becoming pattern or color for that
matter. The person I sewed it for hated it. I could even go so
far as to say, she despised that dress. She even changed after
the wedding and dropped it off in a Goodwill box on her way home.
She went on and on about said "ugly" bridesmaid dress. Strangely, in a weird
way, it hurt my feelings. Oh don't get me wrong, I too equally hated that
dress. However, as a seamstress, I still had to cut out the pattern correctly.
I still had to sew in the sleeves on the correct sides. I still had to put in
a zipper so that it looked store bought and not a jumbled mess of stitches.
As the seamstress, I had to do my very best work. I did. The dress did
not fall apart during the wedding. Thanks to the three fittings, it fit the
bridesmaid perfectly. I still had to sew the hem the correct length for the
person, and so forth.

I have sewn three wedding dresses, over 45 long gowns, pants galore,
pajamas, curtains and more curtains, quilts and blankets and shorts,
and headbands, and purses and totes and short dresses and the list of
alterations would boggle (love that word) your brain!

Sadly, we attended a funeral this past week. As you sit and quietly wait,
your brain, well at least my brain wonders in all directions. I was thinking
about the black dress I had on. I remember sewing it. I remember putting the
hem in by machine. Every single time I where that dress, I think, why on
earth didn't I spend 20 minutes on myself and put that darn hem in by hand?

Over the weekend, we received a photograph of the completed inside
of two little girls' playhouse. Oh my. Pink, pink, and more pink are all
over this 1950's style kitchen and play area. It is just screaming for me
to make reversible half ruffle aprons for two little girls that will be "working"
in the kitchen.

I have several stacks on my long sewing table. Each stack is an exciting new
sewing project that I am gathering supplies so I can begin. Two different quilts,
two Christmas wall hangings, a pair of jeans for me, a little girl's jacket for a
gift, lots of felt to make felt sushi for play, material for some fabric wallets I
am filling for four college care packages and a couple of dish towels to embroider
for gifts.

I love the challenge and the diversity of my sewing hobby. It feeds my soul.
It makes me happy and oh so frustrated at times. I can control most of
what happens in my sewing room. I like the feeling of stating and finishing
each project. I love having gifts completed and boxed ready to give as gifts.

A special girl I know announced her engagement last week. I wonder what
sewing projects will pass through my fingers within the next year?

Today, one of the Christmas wall
hangings will get my full attention. Tomorrow three little flower girl dresses.
By next week, two little "housekeepers" will be sporting fancy new girlie aprons.

In my sewing room, under my full spectrum light, with my needle and thread, almost magically,

Grace Happens.