Sew?

It's cool today so I thought I'd squeeze into my tiny sewing room on the 2nd floor and stitch the seams of a dress that's a little too big for me. I have a number of projects going. The curtains I've prepared for sewing are neatly folded in a closet, victims of my inability to get my machine to make neat stitches on the fabric I'd purchased for this very room. 

I rummaged through my sewing basket, formerly a Salton bun warmer, to find suitable thread. Then I tried to set up the machine. I wound the bobbin and inserted it. I had a hard time threading the needle, but finally did. My attempts to snake through to bring up the bottom thread met with failure. I got very frustrated, knowing that I was battling poor vision, shaky hands and pudgy fingers. I gave up.

But I didn't give in. I decided to clean out my sewing basket. I have many spools of thread, but for some reason, I have two spools of orange, two red, two forest green, one fuchsia and one burgundy. I guess I'm partial to those colors in clothing and home decor. In addition to needles and pins, there were loose buttons and and various sewing machine implements. When it was empty and I'd tossed bits of fabric, most of the buttons and things I couldn't recognize. I threw away the broken plastic tray that sat inside the basket, replacing it with a two-part bottom of a food container. Thrilling, I know.


Despite my disabilities, I will sew the dress and the curtains. Some day. In the meantime, I admire my reorganized sewing basket.

Living color