Needlework Frustration

Look at that cheerful, composed and confident countenance! This is a woman who knows her needlework. She isn't the least bit concerned about learning a new stitch or trying a new pattern. She is sublimely confident that no handwork is beyond her scope of experience or effort. While I endeavor to feel like this woman while attempting to work on some current project, it happens more than I'd like to admit that I end up frustrated and feeling incompetent.

I have friends who are able to begin a project at a moment's notice. I'm unfortunately not one of them. I like to take a bit of time and think about planning a project. Then I like to think a bit more about it. After I've had time to really consider a project, then I start to think about what I might ever, in the whole wide world, need for the project. Once I've determined what my project needs and compiled a list (often in my head instead of on the more logical piece of paper, where, of course, I forget essential items every single time), I will then spend some time thinking "I really need to get started on this." I realize that in the real world this is called "procrastination", but I like to think of it as being carefully and completely prepared.

I spent large chunks of today getting a project ready to work on. I took lovely old, lace trimmed linen handkerchiefs and dyed them with coffee to get just the right color of creamy ivory. I lovingly washed, dried and pressed them. Given that I rarely view anything to do with housework, and especially laundry, with anything remotely approaching "love", I think it's safe to assume that I felt very tenderly toward these embryonic projects masquerading as simple handkerchiefs. Getting that lovely creamy ivory shade right though was the last thing that went right today with this project. I won't go into the sordid details, I will just leave you with this sentiment: Don't feel too tenderly toward handkerchiefs that you are attempting to use as part of a larger project. The bitterness of their betrayal will haunt you forever.