Mending

So, the day after she wore (for the first time) her beloved brand-new Easter dress, girlchild went careening through the house with it, snagged it on a door knob and ripped a five inch gash in the neckline.  As it has a completely lined bodice, there was no easy fix...

So, I zigzagged the rip the best I could.  Then she and I decided to use some scrap black satin to cover the rip and swoop up into the sweetheart neckline.  We'll see how it holds up in the wash, but now the dress is wearable and beautiful again.

More than that, the dress is now unlike any other - full of flair and individuality.  I suppose there's a larger metaphor here.  Lots of times in life things get broken, rent, or ruined.  We can toss those spoiled dresses in the trash and move on, sure.  Or we can leave them to languish on the sewing table, intending to get to them eventually, but never taking the time.  Sometimes, though we've just got to sit down and do the work of mending.  Don't be fooled, this project took time:  planning, patterning, cutting, ironing, machine sewing and meticulous hand work.  If it were easy, would it feel so rewarding?

Here's to finding the time and strength to mend something yourself.